How to access and remove the front strut assembly!

[Corosith]

Well today was a good learning experience in removing all the gear out of the engine bay to get at the fromt strut tops for the eventual removal of the springs, but we had great issues with trying to undo the strut top bolts even with a rattle gun (Odysseyesm's colt). Seems that the last guys to fiddle with the setup did the nuts up so friggen tighten that no matter how much heat or pressure was put on the top nuts, we simply couldn't get them undone, rattle gun - no good, off-set spanners - no good, vice grips to grip the shocker shaft or top - no good. The only option left is to go back to the tyre shop and get them to try to get the nuts off, oh well, was a good day in practice!
Here goes!

Firstly the colt was jacked up and jack stands placed under the front end for safety and ease of access.
Next up remove the plastic caps on the base of the wipers. Ensure you have a container to put all of the lips, bolts and nuts in so you don't misplace them, and a pair of gloves would'n't go astray.
http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/7771/colt1.jpg

Undo the nuts (14mm socket I think??)
http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/293/colt2.jpg

Remove wipers
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2521/colt3q.jpg

Undo the bolts on either side of the cowling and remove the outer plastic clips with pliers.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/8286/colt5.jpg

Pull out the plastic clips to remove the top plastic section of the cowling (squeeze in bottom of clip with pliers and push through)
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/4645/colt7.jpg

Remove plastic cowling to expose bolts in the bottom metal section of the cowling and the wiper motor assembly
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/7852/colt6.jpg

Undo the two bolts on the right side of metal cowling
http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/1239/colt8.jpg

Remove centre bolt for the cowling
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9498/colt10.jpg

The bolts on the left side are under the wiper motor assembly so you will have to remove it
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/571/colt9.jpg

Undo the bolt on the left side of the wiper motor
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/6357/colt11.jpg

Next up are the two bolt above and below the actual motor (isolated with rubber bushes)
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/7236/colt12.jpg

Remove power plug for the wiper motor (mark on it which way it came off), then remove all the clips holding the cable to the metal cowling using a pair of pliers to squeeze the bottom of the clip and push through hole
http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/5817/colt14.jpg
http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/8894/colt16.jpg

Remove all of wiper motor assembly and undo the two remaining bolts for the metal cowling
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/8885/colt15.jpg

Remove the rubber grommet for the wiper motor cabling (on right side of cowling) and pass all the cabling and plug through the hole, now you can remove the metal cowling completely to access the strut tops.
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/1840/colt18.jpg

Trying to undo the strut top bolts, but unlike the rear shock mounts, these were going no where unfortuntely!
http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/8937/colt19.jpg

Plan B, time to remove the wheels and remove the whole strut
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/2065/colt20.jpg

Unclip the brake line, and undo the two bolts holding the bottom of the strut in place, ensure that you place a jack underneath to be able to safely hold the hub assembly in place versus dropping on the ground, it also allows smooth removal of the strut from the top of the strut tower
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/6770/colt21.jpg
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/28/colt23.jpg

Undo the top 3 nuts for the strut top, lift off the strut brace then lower the assembly out of the strut tower using the jack to slowly ease it out.
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/3306/colt22.jpg

Close up of a head!
http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/4332/colt24.jpg

Pop out the bottom bolts and remove the whole strut
http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/7996/colt25.jpg

Using the spring compressors to allow access to the strut shaft, this is where things started to hit a brick wall!
http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/5176/colt26.jpg

Proceed to throw the strut assembly as far as you can in frustration, then retrieve it when you realise you colt is going no where without it!
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/4227/colt27.jpg

Re-assembly is pretty much reverse order, just use the jack to raise the strut back into the tower and secure with a bolt or two then wack everything back on, ensure you use loc-tite on the strut bolts, don't want them coming undone without warning! When re-installing the wipers, ensure that they line up with the original position, if not, remove them and move them around a notch to line them up properly (should be able to see marking on the windscreen where they were previously resting) .
The vehicle in question!
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/1908/colt32.jpg

[rokkuchan]

Good write up Coro!! Sorry couldnt be there to help out further.

[ruimond]

Thanks for another good writeup just like your other helpful guide. Haha.....will be useful when i decide to get my springs changed with the help of another friend of mine hopefully....already eyeing off some Pedders after driving RColtGuy09's colt with pedders in them. Looks so much better with the springs in person.

[Corosith]

Good write up Coro!! Sorry couldnt be there to help out further.
That's fine, Odyssey did 99% of the work, I was the camera guy and there for moral support!

[odysseyesm]

That's fine, Odyssey did 99% of the work, I was the camera guy and there for moral support!

And he supplied the fags + Coffee. I just did the swearing... Effin struts...
We prolly could have got it undone but I think we would've butchered something in the process. If it went as planned I reckon we could've swapped the springs out in about 3hrs if we didn't dick around.
Had a good car show through the day too. Supras, Skylines, Rotors, MR2 that was smokin and even an Old Skool SLR5000 that looked pretty good. Coro says the Porsche CC had already been through b4 I got there.
Thanks for the chips & schnitty run too Coro.

[rokkuchan]

My pedders maybe up FS sometime within next 3 months when I decide what to get to replace them. Never a fan of pedders (mentally).
Researching the following Tanabe springs, RSR or H&R. Anybody got these?

[Corosith]

And he supplied the fags + Coffee. I just did the swearing... Effin struts...
We prolly could have got it undone but I think we would've butchered something in the process. If it went as planned I reckon we could've swapped the springs out in about 3hrs if we didn't dick around.
Had a good car show through the day too. Supras, Skylines, Rotors, MR2 that was smokin and even an Old Skool SLR5000 that looked pretty good. Coro says the Porsche CC had already been through b4 I got there.
Thanks for the chips & schnitty run too Coro.

Don't forget the scooter cruise being chased by an TME Evo 6.5, that was just before the 15 or so porsche's flew past!

[rokkuchan]

Man your house has a good sniper spot

[Corosith]

Just get some BC coilovers, the guys on the forum seem to have a good run with them and they are very reasonably priced.

[Blaze]

I had the same problem with the front struts too.
You just need a really good rattle gun. Spent hours on it.

[lovecolt]

Just to add to the thread. Yes, the wiper's nuts are of 14mm and all others are mainly 10mm. However, i think there's 1 or 2 with 12mm (can't remember now)

When removing the windscreen wiper, its easier to bend them up first before removing.

Also, pic 6 when you remove the plastic cowling, bare in mind its 2 ends are struck on by the bottom of the front windscreen weather seal strips, where one has to examine closer to separate it from the plastic cowling

As for removing the brake line part, not sure why its only clip on for Odysseyesm 's car, but we have to unbolt it from the back of the shock (pretty accessible to undo though)

We had the same problem as all you guys in remove the top nuts (even with macca's rattle gun) It ended up being the home rattle gun's simply not powerful enough to remove it. Thank goodness we manage to find a workshop that's still open to help us out :)

Another tip for people that wanted to do their own spring change. Mark a line between the top & bottom cover in between the springs as they need to be in the same position when we refit the springs back. No need to worry about the springs as the bottom cover has a bump to indicate where the end of the spring should seat.

[odysseyesm]

Finally got the new, well Hendo's old springs (He of the rollover fame!) front springs into the colt.
Cost me $110 down at Wheelworx in Radelaide when they did some of the guard rolling for the new wheels. Still needs more rolling tho they didn't do enough for my liking...