no beer required???

 

Notice empty bottles in first pic....

 

Part II

Remove the strut from the car and place it on a bench or other accessible work area. We'll start the strut disassembly by removing the top retaining nut fromthe strut in oprder to retrieve all the parts and pieces we need to use again on the new assembly. Use a wrench and vise grips for this procedure. Hold the top of the strut shaft with the vise grips and remove the nut with the appropriate wrench..

Use a screwdriver to hold the shaft from spinning when the vise-grips run out of room to be used.

Remove all parts and pieces from the strut and lay them out. This is what you should have.

Notice the internal bushing in the upper assembly. Be careful that this piece does not fall out and get misplaced.

Go ahead and clean all of the old parts while you're at this point and let's start assembling the new strut assembly. First, we'll slide on the rubber bumper.

Next, the plastic boot slides over the shaft...

Third, place the caster/camber mount on top of the boot...

Now, we'll place the top plate on top.

Use the same vise-grip/wrench technique to install the nut back onto the new strut.

 

Part III

Now, let's put the strut into the tower and place two nuts in place to hold the strut while we work. Note: do not tighten these nuts yet.

Replace the two bolts holding the strut to the spindle assembly.

Replace the two nuts on the two retention bolts and tighten them down.

Next, replace the ABS retention bracket and hold down nut if required.

Tighten up the strut tower caster/camber plate. Remember to make sure that the plate is still in the starting location. It would be a good idea to check front end alignment, but it is not required if the plate has remained stable during replacement.

Replace the front tire and let the car down. See, it's not hard at all...

 

How much should you tighten the nut?

 

Which nut?

 

edit: didnt see that

 

nice write-up and great pics, AC
this should be a Sticky...

 

nice write-up and great pics, AC
It's a good thing this is a Sticky...

fixt and thanks.

 

Thanks for the props, fellas'.....

 

Just a note, you don't need to pull the calipers back.

 

Actually, my bolts won't come out without pulling the caliper back. 04GTampa has a 99 model and we don't have to pull his back, but mine is tighter.

 

great write up

 

^You can fit the socket on fine on both models, but I can't get the top strut nolt removed with the caliper in place. the head of the bolt would jam on the caliper....

 

There are some weird **** different in the 99 that I can't figure out why, from my 04.

Nice write up. Reps+

 

Use the same vise-grip/wrench technique to install the nut back onto the new strut.

This nut. Great Post, Reps

 

Just tighten it until it locks down...

 

great write up ac, i had found another write up on how to do this, but this is hands down better! Reps man!

 

good write-up AC... ive never heard of grizzly im going to have to look out for that...

 

good write up ,, and a nice plug for the grizz chew i might add

 

dude, nice info and great pics really helps. I followed your instructions and i finally upgraded my struts!

 

Great job! I'm happy to hear that the information is useful.

 

Question.... I was wondering if anyone would have a good source to find what the inner bushing would look like that is in the strut. I cannot really tell what it looks like in the pic on here, so I was just wondering if anyone knows the true name or what it looked like. I think I have lost it, and ive went to autoparts stores and they look at me like a confused dog when I tell them what I am looking for. tHaNkS!!!

 

is this what your looking for ?
Energy Suspension 4-7114R - Energy Suspension Strut Bushings - summitracing.com

 

I believe that he is talking about the bumper that goes onto the shaft first, underneath the plastic boot. If so, go to a Ford dealership and they should be able to hook you up.

 

any brand recomendations? awesome write up. the more pics the better

 

No brand reccomendations in this thrad. Everyone has their own opinions. I like my Lakewoods, 04GTampa likes his Monroe sensitracs, and I'm sure there are other great brands out there.

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p129/acmillr/StrutReplacement021.jpg What is the piece that is in the center of the metal part? I have a 00 gt and either mine didnt have it in the first place or I have lost it. I have went and looked at everything. I even thought about buying a whole new kit for the upper strut mount but nothing looks as if it fits into it. Maybe I have it backwards I dont know, but I have a poping noise that comes from it, and I gotta believe that its the strut not being assembled right or something. Only if you knew the whole story about this car!!

It's a bushing that keeps the upper and lower caster/camber plate bushings from being compressed too far. They are eay to lose if they fall out. It's very possible that you are getting a clunking sound if it is not installed.

 

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p129/acmillr/StrutReplacement021.jpg What is the piece that is in the center of the metal part? I have a 00 gt and either mine didnt have it in the first place or I have lost it. I have went and looked at everything. I even thought about buying a whole new kit for the upper strut mount but nothing looks as if it fits into it. Maybe I have it backwards I dont know, but I have a poping noise that comes from it, and I gotta believe that its the strut not being assembled right or something. Only if you knew the whole story about this car!!

 

What is the piece that is in the center of the metal part?

thats a real good discription

 

Very easy to understand! And i'm no where near being mechanically inclined I may consider replacing my Struts sometime soon hehe

 

Ok to make more sense of what I am talking about!!

:sorry I am sorry for not making myself clearer, I was just irritated with all the problems I have had with this car, and this seems to take the cake with me!! I have uploaded two pics. Now I know the rubber piece and the metal insert go together, now that other metal piece is where the question lays. Is there something that is to go between the rubber and the metal? a bushing? or am I just making this 2 difficult? I hope this helps what I am trying to get at and thank you for your patients!!

 

put the left piece in the middle piece, then the middle piece in the right piece?

 

all i was wanting to know if i was missing a piece and it seems as if some has to be smart about it!! Some people like to help, and some people like to be a smartass!!!