Ed MD

After searching the archives and the numerous write-ups, I decided to do the front struts by unbolting the lower A support. While staring into the wheel well loosening the nuts, I had an epifany. I remove 7 screws that held the inner wheel liner, removed the inner wheel liner. Once I loosened the strut, it dropped into the cradle of the A support. I lifted it up and tilted it either foward or backward (as I had enough room!) and simply removed it. Install is the reverse. I have pictures. Once side took me less than 2 hours, including doing the springs with a manual spring compressor. I just wanted to contribute to the archives this methodology. See you, I've got to clean up now. Ed

spinaker

Ed,

Well done. What did you replace them with?

I did my struts right after I got the car and didn't realize how easy it is to remove the liners. I struggled and finally compressed the springs and disassembled the struts in the wheel wells (very carefully I might add).

No question the lower control arm opening isn't big enough on the 1985s to slide the assembly through.

Ed MD

Bilstens and Eibach. Ed

Garth S

.........

Well done: I've done the 4 bolts on the LCR, remove caliper and rotor, remove lower shock bolt ..... and thread the strut out the bottom. Assembly is holding all that mass up with one arm .... and threading the strut in with the other.
While it works - I will never do it that way again!!!!!!

spinaker

Garth,

Did you do that on a pre or post 86.5 car? It wouldn't work on mine.

Garth S

It was the S4 ... although it looks as if it would also work on the pre '86.5 cars too, as their upper A-arm is slightly larger.

Ron_H

I did it Garth's way, and unscrewed the shock/spring assembly, then screwed it back up into place. I used a scissors jack to hold everything in position while I screwed and unscrewed the shock. I agree about being a better way, but it worked for me at the time and hopefully I am done with that job for awhile.

Dennis Wilson

Garth and Ron,

Glad to see you used the term shock instead of strut. I know this may sound like splitting hairs but there is a world of difference between and (McPhearson) Strut suspension and the suspension used on our 928's.

Dennis

rawky

I must say I've never got my head around why you can't support the suspension with a jack, and then remove the coilover assembly (after unbolting) as you slowly lower the suspension around it? As long as you remove the liners surely this is possible?

Cheers

GlenL

Not all A-arms, springs and adjustments are the same.

I was into this last week and there was no way, or my car, to get the "hat" out of the hole except straight down. Could be a lower setting of my ride height (~155mm). The lower spring seat looks to be a good deal higher on those shocks than on mine.

dr bob

Mine, set for stock ride height, came out relatively effortlessly after just removing the liners as suggested by the OP. Piece o'cake.

GlenL

Gone one better!

I was working on a '93 and after dropping the lower A-arm I could get the strut out through the top without removing anything. It's got a new Bilstein/Eibach setup so the spring seat is pretty high. Had to wiggle a bit but came out and went in in moments.

StratfordShark

Holy old thread revival batman!

Want to do front shocks over winter on S4 so intrigued by this.

Which bolts actually have to be removed apart from the ones at the top of the shock, just the one passing through the shock eye? If that's the case then this is a fantastic tip.

NoVector

Kind of wondering the same thing... When I did it on my 84, I used Tony's web site as a guide (http://members.rennlist.com/v1uhoh/lowera.htm). At worst, I think you'd just have to remove the 4 bolts on the lower control arm too. I'm getting so lazy, I don't even want to remove the belly pan to do this job.

Bruce

dr bob

Top three nuts in the engine bay, bottom bolt and nut through the LCA bracket. Put a stand or jack under the LCA so it doesn't get away from you as you loosen the top nuts. Same jack makes it easier to get the top studs in place again on installation. Makes it a one-person job.