|
|
|
How difficult is it to replace the front and rear shocks on my 1987 245?
Are any special tools needed?
--
Alan, 1987- 245 and 1996-964 ( last of the RWD'S)
|
|
-
|
|
|
Used KYB Gas-A-Just strut inserts on my '84 and Boge turbo gas on my '86. Both are nice, but the KYB's gave a loud rattle until someone here suggested I insert thick washers under the top nut to take up the gap betwen the underside of the strut bushing and the "journal" on the strut insert piston. Worked great.
Put Boge turbo gas rear shocks on both cars. Advice her is not to use KYB on the rear due to harshness.
The Boge turbo gas are firm and just a bit harsh for around town driving. Great on the open road.
Experience I found helpful:
Definitely impact gun on the top nut. Loosen it (but don't remove it) before lifting the car. Remove it only after the spring is compressed.
Unhook the control arm (tie rod & sway bar) frm the strut and take out the strut completely. (Brake caliper gets loosened from the strut and tied up out of the way). Trying to swing out the strut assembly while still attatched below invites clearance problems with the studs on the strut bearing when you go to swing things under the strut tower.
A large plumber's pipe wrench worked just fine on the gland nut. Tighten to about 2-3 thread showing.
Strut spacers in the bottoms of the strut probably are not needed. Used only on turbo models having longer struts. Check your inserts when you pull them out, and reuse if equipped. Note their orientation in the strut.
Spring compressor woes: Had real problems working the traditional type compressor due to the impact gun wedging against the spring when tightenting the long bolt. Resorted to placing the top clamp on the *outside* of the top spring plate, instead of onto the upmost coil of the spring itself. Worked great then.
|
|
-
|
|
|
I did the rears about a month ago – a piece of cake. The front end is another matter, and I have been giving it a bit of thought. There is a great story here: http://www.cabinnaise.com/vpage/242dl.htm
I got a quote from my shop for putting in a set of Sachs Advantage if I left the car with them. Then I got a price if I just handed over the strut assemblies. This alternative cuts the labor cost in half. When I subtract the cost for a set of good spring compressors, I’m almost at break even. So this is what I will do; Strut Replacement for Dummies.
Erling.
--
My 240 Page
|
|
-
|
|
|
I did my front yesterday,
Get a buddy, mine took about 5 hours for both, I was really happy. Considering the breaks.
Borrowed spring compressors from a guy at work, ask around, two had them here. The top nut is a real bitch, very hard to get the right tools, especially to torque up.
I ended up getting mine off by jamming the nut and turning the shaft, it was so easy I could not believe it. I had a pipe wrench and long hex to tighten the new ones (bilstien 7mm A/F hex). I am sure I did not get them really tight but I am going to get an allignment now and I will ask them to torque it up.
Drives sooooooo much better now.
All the best
Karl
|
|
-
|
|
|
Alan,
Sorry, I forgot to address the question "special tools required"
Yes, front struts require a spring compressor tool.. IPD catalog price is $62 per pair, for a one time use. Ouch! Gas struts cost $58 each, do the math and see if it works for you. It did not for me..... $178 plus S&H = ZERO SAVINGS.
Good luck,
Maya
|
|
-
|
|
|
In my opinion and experience the danger of doing struts is highly exagerated. If you have decent spring compressers the potential for sudden release of spring energy is nil. I work fast and just do it and have never had a problem. The real danger is in actually getting in the car with new struts and driving on a two lane road, for example. Exceeds the danger in working on the struts by far.
|
|
-
|
|
|
Rear shocks are easy enough. Breaker bar, 1/2 inch ratchet, 3/4 or 19mm sockets needed. PB BLaster is a big help too, since the bottom bolt likes to seize to the shock bushing. If it's really really stuck you could need a torch or a grinding wheel to cut off the old sleeve.
If nothing is rusted together, it's a very straightforward job.
--
Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '86 244DL- 215K, 87 244DL- 230K, 88 744GLE- 198K, 91 244 180K
|
|
-
|
|
Rears easy. Safety applies.
Fronts not too difficult if you can handle strut springs. You'll need a strut spring compressor, a way to deal with the top nut, the center gland nut, and air tools are nice to have. Safety applies double. Bentley, for example, is pretty clear.
Follow all published instructions, and saftey advice. I am NOT telling you HOW to do ANYTHING nor am I telling you to DO anything.....you can try to sue my ass if your improperly jacked and blocked car falls on your ass or the springs take your head off...but more than likely you'll be dead and my lawyer can beat up your wife's lawyer. EOD (End of disclaimer)
--
www.fidalgo.net/~brook4
|
|
-
|
|
|
Man I will tell you the way to do those shocks real easy. First remove the tie rod from the knuckle, then remove the sway bar to let the control arm hang farther down. Next remove the 3 top nuts from inside the motor area, and let the strut hang outside the wheel well from the ball joint. Now it is time for the tricky part, you need a spring compressor preferably the clamshell type. Once you remove the tension from the spring remove the top nut from the top of the strut it should be a 21mm. I use my 1/2in air impact to spin the nut off. Once the spring is off the strut you need to remove the big nut holding the insert in the strut, installation is reverse to this. If you ave anymore questions e-mail me.
Dustyin
|
|
-
|
|
|
I'll second your suggestion to separate the tie rod.sway bar from the strut and take the whole thing out. I didn't do this on two cars I did and tried to swing the top of the strut out and back into the towers, as the manual shows.
Came out OK, but when I tried getting thing back into the towers, i need another 1/2" clearance that the control arm would not give. Ended up braking loose one of the three posts on each of the four strut bushings!
No fun retrieving and reinserting those while holding everything up in the air!
|
|
-
|
|
|
Wow! What a strongly stated disclaimer. I thought this was a friendly board.
I did my rear shocks in the garage, easy, with common tools. I would not go near the front struts and springs, common sense and safely issues over-ride any money saving goals.
Give careful thought as to the type of shocks and struts your planning to install. You might consider "Boge" gas shocks and struts,(or gas equals)it would be a nice upgrade.
BTW...I also installed used 23/21 mm turbo sway bars, since the rear shocks use the same mounting holes and bolts. Another nice upgrade.
Maya "89" 245DL 114K
"98" V70 GLT 70K
|
|
-
|
|
|
Not too long ago a DIY wannabe followed literally the BBRD advise, without using common sense or mechanic's zen, and screwed up his car. To replace motor mounts, he jacked up the engine using a bottle jack under a wood block under the oil drain plug.
The crankcase was trashed, and the DIY wannabe went ballistic. Accused many of us of deliberately messing him up, threatened to sue, and made things veeeery edgy 'round here. Paul was accused, and - by implication - so was I. Thus the disclaimer.
Many of us have sort of dropped away from disclaiming, but not all. Actually Paul's is one of the calmer ones.
Regards,
Bob
:>)
|
|
-
|
|
|
Maybe I should change my sig to "DON'T WORK ON YOUR CAR IF YOU'RE A COMPLETE MORON AND ARE GOING TO GET HURT DOING IT. IN FACT, STOP READING BRICKBOARD RIGHT NOW AND GO BACK TO DOING YOUR NAILS. NO ONE SHOULD EVER WORK ON THEIR VEHICLE WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL TOOLS, EQUIPMENT, FACILITIES, AND TRAINING. IF YOU CAN'T CHANGE YOUR OIL WITHOUT SOMEONE GETTING KILLED OR SUED, LEAVE IT TO SOMEONE WHO CAN."
A little late now, as I realize I'm just over 2100 posts on this board....
--
Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '86 244DL- 215K, 87 244DL- 230K, 88 744GLE- 198K, 91 244 180K
|
|
-
|
|
|
I asked the original question.
I am also an attorney, and I would think that disclaimers like you placed on your message are not humorous, are a bit harsh and also unnecessary.
Then again, there are those famous law firms of," Flip, Slip, and Trip" and also Dewey, Suem, and Howe".
Maybe you are right and no one should give advice to any do- it- your- selfer.
--
Alan, 1987- 245 and 1996-964 ( last of the RWD'S)
|
|
-
|
|
|
Alan,
I see you got my point about the disclaimer. It was very harsh, no one should have to read B.S. like "you'll be DEAD and my lawyer can beat up your wife's lawyer". It's O.K. if you knew Pauls was joking, but.....did you? I didn't.
Disclaimer are fine and part of American life. We all laugh at them. The board is a friedly place, don't listen to those harsh disclaimers.
I have been reading the Board for 1 year and it's saved me a ton o' money.
I'm a Mechanical Engineer,I own this car because it's engineered by the ideology of "K.I.S.S." (keep it simple stupid) and "less is more", the way I engineer all my own designs. It's a great car! There are no equals! (altho, a volvo 740 is close, but not as pretty)
I remember that posting B.C. was talking about and I believe, like some of the other readers....it was a hoax, no one is that stupid!
Maya "89" 245DL 114K..... weekend driver
"98" V70 GLT 70K.....daily driver
|
|
-
|
|
|
I never said we should never give out advice. I've been hangin' here since about day 1 (1997), long before Jarrod had post counters, and only have seen a few law suit threats, and immediately after which a whole group of us penned up our asinine disclaimers. Some were pretty darn creative. Hold up in a kangaroo court? Who nose.
Changing struts is NOT that hard. But safety is #1.
I did get your attention. And YOU know people will attempt to sue on any pretense. Be safe, and take personal responsibility is the underlying message.
Maybe not funny to you but I was laughing, so there.
--
www.fidalgo.net/~brook4
|
|
-
|
|
|
Or maybe was until that one guy jacked his car up by the oil pan....
But then again who says legalisms and humor don't mix....
The point really is about our society, not the BB - I am indeed a bit scared to publicly give detailed instructions on anything safety related, for fear of someone coming after me and my family, financially or otherwise.
--
www.fidalgo.net/~brook4
|
|
|
|
|
