How To Replace Your Shocks And Struts

How-to Replace Your Shocks And Struts

This how-to will cover the removal and installation of shocks and struts. The vehicle in the pictures is a 2000 Focus LX being upgraded from stock to SPAX adjustables and topped with Progress springs.

TOOLS REQUIRED:
15mm socket and box wrench
18mm socket and box wrench
13mm socket and box wrench
5mm allen wrench
McPherson strut spring compressors
19mm box end offset wrench (very very important)
rubber mallet
Strongly recommended - Impact wrench

PROCEDURE
1. loosen lugs and support vehicle on jack stands

2. remove wheels

3. Using a 13mm box end wrench or thru hole socket, place over bolt conecting the tie rod to the strut. insert a 5mm allen wrench thru the box end and insert into the center of the screw post. (picture shows SPAX already installed)

4. Holding the bolt in place with the allen wrench, loosen and remove the nut. Separate the tie rod from the strut.

5. remove the brake line from the retainer on the strut.

6. Using a 15mm socket or box end, remove the pinch bolt located on the back of the steering knuckle, behind the bottom of the strut. (picture shows a box end on the pinch bolt and a length of pipe used for leverage.)

7. using a rubber mallet, tap the steering knuckle to seperate the knuckle from the strut base. Most of the time, its much more effective to stomp on the knuckle to force separation. If you do this, make sure to have someone watch the brake line so that you don't rip it out. After separation of strut and knuckle, support the control arm with a jack or piece of wood so as not to damage the drive axle.

8. after turning the knuckle to the side and allowing the strut to hang free, loosen the 3 outer nuts.

9. have someone hold the strut while you remove the nuts. lower the strut from the wheel well.

10. install the spring compressor on the spring and tighten until the thrust bearing separates from the plate.

11. attach the 19mm offset box end wrench to the thrust bearing retaining nut, and insert a 5mm allen wrench into the piston top.

12. holding the piston still with the allen wrench. loosen and remove the strut retaining nut. keep nut handy unless the new struts come with new ones.

13. keeping the spring locked in the compressors, remove the thrust bearing and top plate. remove spring from strut, bump stop and boot and set aside.

14. slide the compressed spring over the new strut, bump stop and boot and install the plate and thrust bearing. make sure the spring is properly seated in the strut. Using the box end wrench and usually pliers, hold the piston steady as you tighten the thrust bearing and plate to the piston.

15. slowly release the spring compressors making sure the spring seats correctly in both the upper plate and strut plate.

16. Push the strut into the towers and loosely attach the three tower bolts.

17. Slide the knuckle over the strut base. make sure the strut retainer slides into the groove and verify that it is not to deep or too shallow for a bolt to slide through. This requires lifting the knuckle and shimmying the strut in. note the struggle involved in the picture.

18.Install the pinch bolt and tighten the top retaining nuts.

19. Install the tie rod link. This may require pulling on the front lower stabilizer bar to achieve enough slack.

20. move to the shocks. ( the following instruction apply to all models except the wagon. wagon should be similer but not identical)

21. tear away the trunk or hatch sidewall carpeting, and expose the top shock mount brackets.

22. depending on year, use an allen wrench or pliers to hold the piston while removing the nut.

23. Impact wrench is most effective but the lower shock bolt can possibly be removed with an 18mm box end on one side and 15mm socket and breaking bar on the other.

24. Remove shock and stop, install new shock and stop and reattach bolts. attach lower bolt loosely, finally tightening must be done while vehicle is on the ground.

25 OPTIONAL. I did not have air tools handy so the lower shock bolt was impossible to remove. Picture indicates my solution.

Special thanks to my brother Mike, dad Lane, and Marvin from FocalJet. also many thanks to Larry and Joe at NTB for helping us out and cutting us a great deal. (13.99 is the standard price per corner on removal and installation.)