DIY - Toyota Camry Front Strut Replacement

This is a DIY on a 2000 Toyota Camry - Removing and Replacing Front Struts , Strut Mounts and Sway Bar Links .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If your gonna remove the struts you might as well replace the sway bar links and strut mounts at the same time .

 

Make sure you use the proper tools - for example use spring compressor to ensure no injury .

 

Make sure you use jack stands .

 

As you can see those are the original struts and strut mounts , The dot on the strut mounts indicates the way that the high point should be facing when replacing the old ones with the new ones .

Remove the brake line then there is a ABS wire that you carefully unclip from the strut , then from there you remove the sway bar link .

 

Then with a impact wrench you can loosen the bolts that hold the strut to the spindle . Do not remove the bolts out completely .

 

Remember if you do not have a dot to mark the area either scratch a mark or with some kind of paint pen put a mark there , so that if your using the old strut mounts you know how they should be facing when you install them or when you install the new ones you know where to mark those , This is very important because there on  angle and you can put them back wrong .

 In this photo above I etched the bottom part of the base that is under the strut mount and you will be reusing that , they must both be facing the same way .

 Then by using the spring compressor to remove the old spring , Compress the spring then remove the center bolt holding the strut then putting the old spring on the new strut still compressed then putting the bump stops and the dust cover back on before installing the top plate and strut mount , Again etching the strut plate and mount facing towards the same direction as the bottom bolts then you can tighten center nut then release the spring .

As you can notice the mount has a angle .

Then you can install the new strut the same way you removed the old ones . In many situations you do not need a alignment because you aren't removing the outer tie rod but it is best you do a alignment due to camber reasons or at least have it checked out .


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DIY - Replacing Lower Control Arms & Sway Bar Links 2000 Infiniti I300

This is a DIY on how to remove and replace lower control arms and front sway bar links for a 2000 Infiniti I30

 

 

 

 

You DO NOT have to remove the outer tie rod when you do this DIY , Start off by removing the sway bar links from the top .

 

 

In the photo above you can start by removing the ball joints first in the yellow arrow ( Details below on how to remove that part ) Then you can loosen the nut where the green arrow is showing , From there you can remove the red and pink arrow bolts . Then once you have it off you can finish taking off the green nut from the bracket to slide in the new lower control arm .

 

I used a ball joint separator as photo above .

 

 

This is where in the photo above the green arrow was pointed , The driver side has no room to remove it all the way that's why I recommend you loosen that nut this was while the bracket is still braced to the frame you can have torque .

 

Once you remove everything then you can put the parts back on the same way you have taken it off . If you haven't had a alignment go out and get one but none is needed for this DIY .

 

Parts where purchased from eBay at a great deal for lower control arm , sway bar links and outer tie rod , But I didn't need the outer tie rod at this time .

 

 

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DIY - Corolla 98 - 02 Rack & Pinion Replacement

This is a DIY for a Rack & Pinion for a Corolla 98 - 02  as well as other suspension parts .

In this DIY I have my front bumper off for another job I was doing but you dont have to take it off . But in the end it was more movability under the car with it off . But make sure you jack your car up as high as you can so you have plenty of room underneath it . Straighten out the steering wheel and lock it into place removing the key . Very important to keep it locked .

First thing I did was remove the outer tie rod and the sway bar link . 

The second thing I did was remove the cover that covers the knuckle on the steering colum , With the steering wheel locked you can remove the lower bolt . Then I went to the rack & pinion lines and removed them . Then I went behind the exhaust manifold and removed the heat plate that covers some hoses and brackets that later you need to remove .

Then I placed a jack to support the lower engine , which I really didn't need only to raise the engine a little to remove the lower engine mount , Now the easiest way and the only way to remove the rack & pinion is you have to remove the sub frame completly , because the lower engine mount blocks the one lower bolt on the rack . Start by removing the ball joint bolts first then work your way to the sway bar and complete sub frame . Always remember where the bolts come out of .

Once the sub frame is removed then you remove the lower motor mount and the lower rack & pinion shield then the bracket that hold the lines to the rack frame .

Before pulling out the rack from the drivers side you need to remove the passenger outer tie rod then pull and tilt the passenger side up past the exhaust so that the rack box slides out the hole . This is the same way you put back in the rack . Before removing the left outer tie rod make sure you mark or count the threads so when you put them on the new one you are close . DO NOT REMOVE the nuts on the rack & pinion cause it is pressrized and you dont want to remove it until the rack is completly on this is the last thing you put back on is the hoses . If you release the pressure then you will not be aligned . The rack is on a blind alignment from the manufacture .

Make sure when you put this lower motor  mount back on you put the rubber heat shield facing towards the exhaust or else your motor mount will melt .

Now in this situation this car has 350,000 miles on it so I replaced the lower motor mount , sway bar links , rack & pinion bushing , sway bar bushing . I removed all the oil and grease from the sub frame and shield . In my situation I used anti sieze on certian bolts and lock tight medium on the sub frame cause I noticed they had some when I removed them .

Make sure you put your outer tie rods on like they were when you took them off .

This knuckle slides on make sure it goes on flush then tighten .

Then is reverse you put everything back on , make sure you shields are on , then last step connect the lines to the rack , bleed the power steering box and add new fluid start your car turn your wheel till the air comes out then off to the aligment shop .

Need More help go to : www.CorollaCarClub.proboards.com





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