Removal of front struts
 

For the removal of the front strut, what all needs to be removed on the bottom end? Just the 19mm bolt (circled in red) and the sway bar bolt? What about the three 14mm bolts on the bracket? (circled in green) Do these NEED to be removed?

http://www.the370z.com/attachments/d...99firstpic.jpg

you will need to remove the entire bracket to be able to get the strut out of the car. Or you can spend 20 minutes trying to push the A-arm down far enough to slide the bottom of the strut out, but it's not worth it.

can you fit a compressor on the spring to aid in the removal? i remember on my G i used my spring compressor while the strut was still on the car to gain clearance. (not sure if this applies).

so much easier to remove 3 bolts than it is to put a spring compressor on the strut while it is in the car

gotcha.

i removed the red circled bolt and the sway bar knuckle. turned the wheel to the left or right depending on side and it fell right out. you could take all three bolts out but i was following the book....

Ok anyone know what kind of bolt that 14mm is as Nissan is having a hard time identifying it.

what do you mean what kind? like grade wise? did you f' it up?

So far as the OP, I wouldn't push down on the A-arm to remove the strut (even though he said it's not worth it). I did this the second time I changed out the strut and it ended up throwing off the SAI (steering axle inclination). To my understanding this can't be fixed other than replacing the upper strut mount and lower ball mount.

Those of you you who don't know what SAI is it's like caster, it provides directional stability. But it also reduces steering effort by reducing the scrub radius. SAI is a built-in nonadjustable angle and is used with camber and the included angle to show bent spindles, struts and mislocated crossmembers. I didn't have the car much longer after this to see the effects on steering or tire wear. But as far as I could tell at the time I didn't fill nothing in the steering even though it was far off from the stock settings.

Yeah I stripped out one of those 14mm bolts! I need a replacement asap. The dealer cannot ID the bolt. It's not in the diagrams at all, even the black bracket...

edit: apparently it's part of the whole lower arm assembly! Nice!!!

http://www.courtesyparts.com/370z-pa...8802_8804.html

Went to Sears and got a nice 6 point socket set! And a craftsman stipped nut removal kit. ;)

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00952166000P

Nissan wants $450 to do the front strut replacement. I'm going to do this myself damn it!

hmmm didnt know this. i was following the manual when it came to spring/strut removal....

On one of the 3 bolts you want to use a normal size socket and not the extended one. Or you may strip the bolt. I think you can pick up a similar bolt at tacoma screw or a store.

well, I can attest that you can remove the strut without removing those three bolts. I hate to admit it, but on my first suspension change, I cross threaded one of the three and didn't notice it until it was too late, so I just torqued it down, thinking, I'm not going to change it again. I have since changed it three times, and its very easy to get the strut out without removing them if you unbolt a lot of other stuff.

Take one of the other bolts out and go to Tacoma Screw. I went there this morning with a similar problem (incorrect torque spec in Rav4 manual... grr) and the guy just gave me a replacement bolt at no charge.

Can you please give me some more info on what to do to remove it without removing that bracket?

Thanks!

Must of been a whole lot of stuff. Removing the bracket is certainly the easiest way possible. Compressing the spring might yield enough clearance to get it out of there without removing it. As I recall the angle on one of the bolts was kind of weird and I couldn't get an impact wrench in there (for removal).

there was no compressing, as its a whole unit, but I think I just unbolted the top from the upper a arm, the sway bar end link, and anything else in the way (can't remember what else) but I was easily able to just pull the bottom down by hand and lift it out after the top was unbolted. It was fairly simple

OK so can the 19mm bolt be removed without using a wrench on the other side?

You should be able to loosen it without a wrench. But for some people it will spin if you don't have a wrench. You still haven't taken the strut out huh.

Nope I just got the tools and will try in a few days. I'm worried about the stripped bolt but I may just try without removing the bracket

you can get it out following the service manual.... do you guys not look over it for torque specs?

The service manual doesn't tell you that the bolt spins. But it does in my diy.

OK I got it. What a biatch. I tell you what I think I'd rather pay the $425 to Nissan to do this! (but I need the $ for more mods!!!) But now I know what it entails and next time it will be easier! I was able to remove the 14mm bolt that was stripped, with a 6 point socket!

Point #1 to make note:

Get a 6 point socket set!!!

Point #2, do remove the bracket with three 14mm bolts! Much easier to remove strut; but I can see how you CAN remove it without but I was not able to.

Point #3, remove the sway bar bolt.

It goes much easier this way!

Glad your DIY is now COMPLETED...onto the next one!

Having trouble removing the 19 mm nut
 

When trying to remove the 19mm nut I struggled for a couple of hours trying to get it to loosen up. I used a deep socket 6 sided and it would not budge, did anyone else have trouble with this? Is there some kind of trick? I could get every other bolt or nut to release except the 19mm. Help please

Yes it was very hard to remove, I had to get a long breaker bar and pretty much use my feet and put my body weight on it to break them loose.

But be careful as you may strip that nut. That's what I did and had to order two new ones! Make sure and soak it with PB Blaster for a few hours...

Another question
 

So the nut on the other side of the strut, is it also a 19mm or is it a differnt size? I saw some discussion before about this potentially spinning. I would think as long as you can keep it from spinning, get the front nut off and the bracket with the three 14 mm the strut should come right out. Am I thinking correctly?

Yes. Get the 19mm off first and the other 3 will be easy. I don't remember the size of the bolt head on the other side, could have been 19mm. I used an impact wrench to get this one and had no trouble with it spinning. If doing it by hand you might need to lock the other side in place with a box wrench or something. Other than that you just need to remove the 3 nuts at the top of the shock tower, which if you remove the strut tower brace will be very easy to get to.

ChrisSlicks
 

How long did you have to fight with the 19mm? I have been hitting it for a while, the edges of the nut are starting to deform. I am using a six sided deep socket, so I not real concerned about stripping it out, but it seems like there must be a trick to it. That damn thing will not budge. I have tried the previous idea of putting PBS blaster on it. Still no movement. Any other suggestions?

Is it spinning? Are you using a breaker bar with some length? Try not to use an extension also. Are you turning it the right way? LOL

Not spinning, not moving, have the impact in reverse. God I hope I am not going in the wrong direction. Driving me freakin crazy. Have not tried a breaker bar, to afraid I would strip it out. I am not going to let this damn thing whip my ***!!!

That sucker is on there tight! I don't remember having that much trouble. If the impact isn't getting anywhere then you can try the breaker bar, sometimes constant torque is better than the hammer.

I never use impact on my car until I brake loose the bolts by hand then I zip them off.

yep thats what I did on each side, but I got them off! Rounded them nuts nicely when the socket slipped off a few times...

I was at a friend's house trying to get this exact bolt off. The right side came off after some olympic level pulling, but the left side absolutely wouldn't budge. Broke 2 rachets at first, and then started bending our breaker bar, and wouldn't even budge from an impact wrench at 150 psi. Just gave up, I'm just taking it to a shop and letting them deal with it.

wow, ive never had issues with the 19mm bolt. simple 1/2" ratchet, 6pt - 19mm socket and a 2 foot breaker bar has never failed me. come to think of it, no bolt on my car has been difficult with that breaker bar

I know this is pretty old , but I figured I'd share my recent experience incase someone else runs into this: I Got a good shop (has long handle) jack , some hockey pucks and stacked them up on the jack. Got my breaker bar and 19mm socket on the nut. On other side I placed a 22mm wrench on the other nut to prevent it from spinning making sure the wrench was resting on the subframe. I then just jacked up the breaker bar saving my back and satisfyingly watched the nut break loose as the suspension made like a sudden downward motion when the nut gave up. As for the bolt on the flimsy braket on the strut, I just placed an Allen key behind bracket to stop it from flexing then hit the bolt with the breaker bar and socket. The other bracket with 3 14mm bolts, I hit the one bolt thats by itself with an air impact wrench, came out like butter, the other two I used a 14mm socket and ratchet..

As for removing the strut I used SPOHNs advice and removed the strut by carefully dropping it towards the back of the car but being careful with the brake line. Trying to push down on the rotor to get the strut over the lca is the asinine way.

I just removed mine to swap springs...
How i did it, you might do it differently

With the car off the ground and front wheels removed..

You start with the sway bar end links ( which attach your struts to the assembly at the bottom).

One those are out, put a jack under the lower control arm and add slight pressure...

Then open the hood, remove the strut mount 3 nuts and ring...

unscrew the brake line nut, unmount the brake line from the strut / and unhinge the rubber line grommets held by the strut

unbolt ( be careful to neutralize the spindle or you can wreck the threads) upper control arm spindle and push it all the way up

Lower the jack or remove it completely if you dont need it

push down on the lower control arm until you can free the strut from the top or from the bottom (removing the strut by pulling the lower end out worked for me



that should be it... I had to pull mine twice since I needed to adjust my upper control arm a few times to 0 camber the wheels.. This order of steps should be fine so long as a jack is supporting assembly right under where the strut is connected, just so it stays in place to make removing the top nuts easier... the strut didnt jump out at me during the process.. the spring is contained withing the strut itself, so it was like removing any other part on the car. The rear oem spring is another matter.



BTW your retorque specs should be:
(Info contained in the FSM in the FSU section)

120 foot pounds for the end link nut that connects the shock absorber to the "transverse link"
62 foot pounds for the end link nut that connects the swaybar
41 foot pounds for the nut/bolt that locks in the control arm spindle
22 foot pounds for the 3 top nuts with the black ring (accessed from the engine bay)

Dont forget threadlocker... :):)

just the red indicated.... a breaker bar and it comes out like butta

Anyone have a part number on the 14mms? I messed up the bolt head pretty bad getting it off (but luckily it came off). Want to replace it with a new one.