Front Suspension Strut Removal Tips

[paul.h]

I recently replaced the driver's side front strut top bearing since it had become noisy after the coil spring was replaced - it sounded as though the coil was being wound up going over bumps and when the steering was turned.

 

The Haynes manual says to remove the hub bearing housing with the strut and the French RTA manual does not include this step. I did not need to remove the housing which saves time and money on parts (new hub nut and any others which need replacing). Key steps are to compress the coil spring whilst still on the car to allow the bottom of the strut to be removed up from the housing and to push it out of the housing using a 2 leg puller.

 

1. Slacken the strut top nut. This needs a 7mm allen key in the top of the piston to stop it turning as the nut is undone. I found an old spark plug socket was ideal since it had a long reach and flats on the outside for a ring spanner so the allen key could go down the middle. A ring spanner on the allen key acted as a lever to stop it turning.

 

2. Jack up car, remove wheel and support on an axle stand.

 

3. Unclip the brake hose and ABS sensor wire from the strut.

 

4. Disconnect the anti roll bar link from the strut - a torx bit is needed to stop the joint rotating as the nut is undone. Lever the anti roll bar to allow the link to pull out of the strut.

 

5. Remove the coil spring cups that were fitted to early cars in case/when the spring breaks.

 

6. Remove the nut and bolt from the back of the bearing housing where it clamps the strut. The RTA manual shows a lever being used to open up the clamp bit, I tried a chisel but think it had no effect. Spray WD40 or similar around the bottom of the strut where it goes through the bearing housing.

 

7. Use spring compressors to compress the coil spring so it can be turned indicating the tension on the strut has been removed. Ideally 3 compressors would be used and try to include the narrower top and bottom coils.

 

8. Use a lever under the bottom end of the strut and held against part of the car and then use a hammer to knock the bearing housing down to free it from the strut. It will only go part of the way but then I used a 2 leg puller to push the strut up and out of the bearing housing - the success/ease of this depends on the spring being compressed. The hammering bit I read in a Car Mechanics mag on replacing a strut in I think a Passat but then on one side they removed the bearing housing but they had not compressed the spring or considered a puller.

 

9. Fully remove the strut top nut and lift the strut out.

At this point I replaced the strut top bearing - I found the bearing had come apart and some of the balls had moved out of position. The new bearing kit and spring top cup cost about £50.

 

10. Using emery paper fully clean the bearing housing where the strut fits in and similarly at the bottom of the strut. Apply grease to these areas to help refitting. I also tried to open up the slot in the housing with the chisel but this may not have done anything.

 

11. With the coil spring fully compressed, refit the strut back in the bearing housing - it will need waggling about whilst applying downward force to fit it in. There is a 'tongue on the back of the strut which goes into the housing slot.

 

12. At the top of the strut, line up the bearing mounting lug with the hole in the car inner wing and then fit the top nut to the piston - a new nut should be used but if one is ordered note that the part numbers for the nuts at Citroen are mixed up so I ended up with the wrong one and used locktite on the old one. Do not do this step until after 11 since it will limit the amount of waggling and prevent the strut being fitted (my experience).

 

13. Refit the other bits in the reverse order to above and the job is done. Time wise, DIY on the drive allow a few hours, this first go took me a lot longer since I had to learn the above but the next time will be quicker. When the dealer initially replaced the springs I think they said it would be about 1 hour but I suspect they dropped the subframe.