StratfordShark

As I'm in middle of MM job with LCA disconnected, I thought I'd install the new front shocks and springs I've had in garage for ages.

I removed wheel well liner (yes that's Amazon Green under the grime, and yes I'm going to be doing a big clean-up/repainting on everything underneath) as I thought job was meant to be easy this way, but I can't seem to find an angle where I can lift the strut up and clear. The shock is unbolted at top and at the LCA bracket which is well clear of the shock eye.

What's the trick here? Is it just question of raising the upper arm so I can drop the shock a bit further?

Thanks,

Adrian

Tom in Austin

On my car I disconnected upper ball joint and then worked the bottom of the strut up through the (loose) upper arm. That's the only way to get it out

LostInSpace

Hi Adrian,

For clarity, the LCA is disconnected from the chassis, but still attached to the hub?

If you're goimg to do that big a job and cleaning, why not remove the hub and give that a good clean as well - the years do brake dust, road grime and salty roads likely means it's pretty messy in there. It'll make removing the shocks super easy.

soontobered84

Put the top of the shock assembly back in place. Raise the A-arm and "thread" the shock down through the raised A-arm.

StratfordShark

Thanks very much for advice.

Yes still attached to hub and disconnected from chassis but you're quite right - hub is filthy and I was planning to clean it while still attached to LCA.

Have admission here that I've never disconnected ball joints. Do you pop the ones at upper and lower arms to disconnect hub? The lower ball joint is just a kind of mound of crud so I'm not clear how to separate it? Would like to learn though and fill gap in my wrenching knowledge.

I want to do good job as this MM job had escalated. I've started painting and de rusting parts taken off so far (rack plate, mount plates and brackets, sway bar) and will thoroughly clean and repaint crossmember. Plan to fit new rack bushes and have started on front shocks so what the heck - if hub needs removing for proper clean I'm ready!

jtrygstad

Not sure if I am missing something here, but each time I've replaced the shocks on my old 80 and 83, I had to use a spring compressor. (Bought a Harbor Freight). Have you considered that? Lots of stored energy in those springs and dangerous to let loose in an uncontrolled manner.

BTW, Carl has some nice front spring perches and shock snubbers, while you have things apart.

StratfordShark

Thanks for warning!

I've done rear shocks on a couple of 928s so have a very high quality set of spring compressors, and use them very carefully!

I've got new collars and nuts and perches.

LostInSpace

You can buy a ball joint separator, if you ask on the UK list, someone will know what we can get on this side of the pond.

Tom in Austin

Upper BJ is actually easier than the lower ... as you loosen the nut, it will pop out of the hole in the spindle on it's own (or will separate very easily with a tap or two from a hammer against the spindle). This is actually a bit of a curve ball at first because then the nut won't loosen any more because the stud turns freely.

Solution is to put a c-clamp on the joint and spindle to pull it back down into the taper just enough to keep from it turning so you can finish taking off the nut. After the nut's off then you can move the strut around enough to get the top loose and then lift up and out through the upper arm.

StratfordShark

Thanks all for helpful advice.

I got the shock out by jacking up the edge of rotor so that upper arm was horizontal. I could then "screw" the spring down through the arm and out the bottom.

Even with arm horizontal I couldn't get shock out the top with the fender lining out. I was surprised as I thought this would work on a MY91 - maybe it is down to whatever ride height she's at now?

Anyway I will try to get new shock in by reversing process.

dr bob

FWIW, I got mine out with the liners out and no control arm disconnection. I rolled the top of the shock assembly to the rear after freeing the bottom bushing from the U bracket. I had/have the adjustment collars up pretty high to maintain ride height, which may be the tiny little difference that let me get mine out that way. From memory, once the bottom was free to swing forward a little, there was more than enough room.

On several earlier cars 85-86.5 we ended up dropping the LCA's to get more UCA motion range down before the shock assemblies would come out. We knew we were going to do an alignment anyway. Rob Edwards was helping and providing new guidance. I guess when I did mine, I wasn't quite smart enough to do it that way. I was pretty sure that Darien's 86.5 would have same front suspension and body dimensions as my S4, but his wouldn't come out with just the liners removed. Mine must be "special".

Bilal928S4

On my 90 & 91 I did not have to remove the wheel well liner. I just unbolted the shock assembly and had to move the upper control arm up and the shock assembly came out.
Hope that helps.

jheis

Installed new Bilsteins on my '89 recently and thought I'd give Dr. Bob's method a try ....

There was simply no way in hell that the shock/spring assembly was coming out w/o dropping the LCA.

So, yes, Dr. Bob's car is "special."

dr bob

I got the initial guidance from a post here from someone who also did it with just liner removal. So mine may be 'special' but it's not unique.