Top Mounts and Bearing (with pictures)

I changed the top mounts and angular contact bearings the other day and took a few pics. It's not a bad job but here's what I did to give you an idea. Thanks to RichardH for providing parts drawing and torque values. If anybody wants to do the job you can PM me and I'll forward on the email. Before you start I would take the car down to your local indi and get them to loosen up the strut bolts a few times with the impact driver. They're bleedin solid after a number of years and were the cause of much swearing and a pulled muscle. I also marked up the strut with tippex to make sure I got everything lined up as it was before. I'll get the geometry done after I've done all the work I want to do. First I jacked the car up and stuck it on stands and removed the wheels for access. No pics as I'm sure you all know how to do that :wink: Remove the lower drop link from the ARB. It's 16mm but you can get a 17mm behind it on the flats to stop it from spinning as you turn it. Remove the bolt on the strut (marked with an arrow). There's a tab on the strut (circled) that needs to be bent in to allow you to slide it up and down in the carrier. You can knock it up with a hammer on the bottom of the strut. You only need about a half inch. Once you have the clearance bend it in flush with the rest of it. You now need to knock the strut back down the carrier (or knock the carrier up the strut). Your hammer may come in handy again. Be careful as it comes down as the bottom of the strut is close to the brake lines at the caliper. Once it's knocked down (you'll get it down as far as the weld next to the tab) you can remove the big nut holding the strut to the mount. This is where your planning with a visit to the indy will help out. You'll need a 21mm socket (spark plug socket will do), a 7mm allen key, a large adjustable spanner (a crows foot socket would be a better alternative if you have one). The 7mm spanner holds the strut to prevent turning whilst you undo the nut.. Once it's removed you can stick a block of wood under your disc and, using a trolley jack, jack it up to compress the spring and strut. Release the jack quickly and pull the strut out of the mount as it drops down. No picture of this I'm afraid. Once the strut is pulled out the way you can undo the three nuts holding the mount and remove it. There's a number of items that will come off. From the top, strut nut, concave washer, top mount, angular bearing and holder, rubber seat. You need to get all these out. The bearing just prises out of the holder with a screwdriver. Clean up the holder and pop in the new bearing but remember what way round the bearing goes. The two offending items are below As you can see, if you look closely, my mount had a split in the bushing. Both sides were similar with one worse than the other. Refit the washer and mount to the wing and place the bearing and rubber seat on the top of the spring. You might have enough clearance to slide the strut back into the mount but if you don't you can compress the spring and strut again. When you release the jack you can quickly slot the strut into the mount. Make sure the spring is positioned properly in the lower seat of the strut. Screw up the strut nut. Knock the strut back into place, bend the tab out, refit the bolt and refit the droplink and you're done. I tippexed all the nuts so I could easily see if anything was working loose. It took about 3 hours for one side as I figured out what to do and maybe half the time for the other side. Usual disclaimers apply, attempt at your own risk, etc.....

Top post,Speed8 nice of you to take time with photos and thinking of your fellow Pork breatheren Admin: Send this Yorkshireman a 5 star award for this post!!!!!!! How much were the parts? Are you having a fresh geo. after? What were the pre op. symptoms rattle of squeek or something else?

Scotsman, but exiled in Yorkshire. (I'll let you off on that one) Parts were about 25 quid each for the bearings and 120ish each for the mounts. All plus the dreaded VAT. I've had a few suspension squeaks that I've been trying to eliminate. Changing the coffin arms eliminated a few, changing the mounts eliminated a few more. I've got some ARB bushes in the garage so for the sake of a couple of hundred quid I'll probably do the drop links/bushes/tuning forks next time I get a chance. It'll all be pretty much new then. I'll get the geo checked afterwards but I've marked everything up with tippex and tightened it all up in the same place so it's probably not far off and drives ok for now.

Looking at the condition of your bushes I think Ill have a go with mine they are getting on a bit. 5 star award still stand!

thanks for the pictures... i plan to do the same job some time soon