Chris Wilson Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 You need to have both rear wheels clear of the ground, and the tops of both rear dampers released from the inner wings. Then use a bar to lever the side you are working on down, against the subframe. Wiggle the bottom stirrup of the damper up the bottom arm and align one of the two holes in the stirrup with the bush in the arm. Get the bolt as far in as you can, and look at the other hole. lever, or wiggle until those holes align, and tap the bolt through. When you have a ramp it is of course easier, and when you have done dozens and dozens you can probably do it blindfolded The fronts are worse, take the inner pivot out of the top wishbones, which means moving the screen washer fluid bottle on the LH side. DO NOT!!! DO NOT!!! Allow any strain to occur on the ABS sensor wire, or you will find although it still looks fine the ABS has suddenly developed a fault. I advise AGAINST trying to remove the sensor, it will probably be seized in the upright. Just take care. Anti roll bar link nuts are Loctited originally and WILL need heat, wire brushing, allowing to cool and lubricating before attempting to undo them. The female hex in the studs need cleaning out PERFECTLY and the Allen key must be the correct size and not an Ebay special made of reconstituted bicycle frames. A gas blowlamp will struggle to raise the temperature of the nuts fast enough to not destroy the boots and set fire to the grease in the links. You need a small tip on an oxy-acetylene torch. Put simply, it's far easier and less stressful to pay the likes of me to fit them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 How do you get a spanner on these nuts? [ATTACH=CONFIG]185083[/ATTACH] The nuts aren't where you are pointing. You get to them from underneath where you have taken the photo. I've put more arrows to show where they are. On the left the nut is behind the beam of the subframe. On the right it's on the opposite side of the flange. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I welded up a special spanner to make accessing these easy. But an offset ring will fit if you get under and behind them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I welded up a special spanner to make accessing these easy. But an offset ring will fit if you get under and behind them. Actually now that you mention that I think I used a cranked spanner too. You shouldn't need to take the rears off though (as you have found), taking the fronts off just makes the job a doddle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 (edited) The rears are now done, I used the impact wrench this time which helped a lot, only problems I has was the bottom brake calliper bolt was a biatch, the impact wrench wouldn't touch it, had to use a breaker bar to crack it but it was hard work. I got the first nut off the drop link using the impact wrench and a pair of mole grips, it came off in under a minute. The other nut was a different story, I could only undo the nut about 3/4 of the way, so I had cut the nut off with my Dremel. I'm not sure I want to tackle the fronts, it's not a job I'd relish doing again, and considering the fronts are more difficult I might just take it somewhere. How long do you reckon it would take a mechanic to sort the fronts, that's shocks, springs & drop links? Edited May 5, 2014 by Elmo (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Speak to Chris Wilson above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suprash Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 They aren't. The tightness comes from the corrosion on the actual bolt. I noticed, exactly like you did, that the more you loosen it off the tighter it gets. That's due to the fact that the corrosion builds up as you loosen it off. Simply wire brushing the corrosion off as best as possible, before attempting to loosen the nut, means it'll come off as easy as pie. If you find when un-doing a really rsuty bolt/nut and it feels like its getting tighter the more you undo it, do it back up, it stops the corrosion building up in the threads, so undo 3/4 turn, then do up 1/2 turn, undo 3/4, do up 1/2, keep going until the nut finally feels loose, sure it feels like its taking eternity to undo one bolt, but it saves shearing a bolt due to the forces of drag in the threads due to the corrosion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 If you find when un-doing a really rsuty bolt/nut and it feels like its getting tighter the more you undo it, do it back up, it stops the corrosion building up in the threads, so undo 3/4 turn, then do up 1/2 turn, undo 3/4, do up 1/2, keep going until the nut finally feels loose, sure it feels like its taking eternity to undo one bolt, but it saves shearing a bolt due to the forces of drag in the threads due to the corrosion If this doesn't work get the cutting discs out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suprash Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 If this doesn't work get the cutting discs out Mate, I shit you not, that will work for most rusty bolts/nuts, but not a drop link, I have never yet been able to successfully remove drop links, I always end up cutting the fuckers off and buying new ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Mate, I $#@! you not, that will work for most rusty bolts/nuts, but not a drop link, I have never yet been able to successfully remove drop links, I always end up cutting the $#@!ers off and buying new ones I am agreeing with you Ash The eccentric adjusters can be trouble some though and nothing shifted mine on the lower front arms, the nuts came off easy enough but the shanks of the adjusters were seized solid in the bushes and cutting them off was the only way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suprash Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 I wasnt being funny, I know you was Dunk lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 I wasnt being funny, I know you was Dunk lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suprash Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 I'm not sure I want to tackle the fronts, it's not a job I'd relish doing again, and considering the fronts are more difficult I might just take it somewhere. They are not as hard as the way you did the rears! Get the whole front of the car up and on axle stands Remove the wheels and then study the top wishbone bolts. If you can remove these (drivers side is easiest) then it's straight forward to lever the hub down and the shock out (as Chris said be careful of the wires as when the bolt is out, the hub will want to fall out towards you with some force) Drop links can be left on. Calipers can be left on. Passenger side the inner arch 10mm bolts will need to be removed and then prying it back by hand you'll see the washer reservoir. This has I think x3 bolts holding it in and if you fully remove 2 and almost remove the final one you can keep it roughly in place (which makes rebolting it in less fiddly) whilst also giving enough clearance to get a socket/spanner onto the wishbone (actually I think its just to allow the bolt room to be fully tapped out of the wishbone mount). Finally when putting the wishbone back you need to torque it up with the car on it and not when the suspension is at full droop... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted May 6, 2014 Author Share Posted May 6, 2014 (edited) They are not as hard as the way you did the rears! Get the whole front of the car up and on axle stands Remove the wheels and then study the top wishbone bolts. If you can remove these (drivers side is easiest) then it's straight forward to lever the hub down and the shock out (as Chris said be careful of the wires as when the bolt is out, the hub will want to fall out towards you with some force) Drop links can be left on. Calipers can be left on. Passenger side the inner arch 10mm bolts will need to be removed and then prying it back by hand you'll see the washer reservoir. This has I think x3 bolts holding it in and if you fully remove 2 and almost remove the final one you can keep it roughly in place (which makes rebolting it in less fiddly) whilst also giving enough clearance to get a socket/spanner onto the wishbone (actually I think its just to allow the bolt room to be fully tapped out of the wishbone mount). Finally when putting the wishbone back you need to torque it up with the car on it and not when the suspension is at full droop... Thanks for the instructions. I'm assuming if you put a trolley jack under the hub before removing the bolt it would stop it falling forward? If you have to loosen the wishbone bolt from underneath, how you torque it up when the car is on the floor? Edited May 6, 2014 by Elmo (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 Tonight I decided to make a start on the fronts. I've taken the bolt out at the bottom of the shock, it was a bugger, it didn't come out as easy as the rears and as a result the head of the bolt has rounded off a bit, and the nut has disappeared can't find it anywhere! Can anyone tell me where I can get a replacement nut & bolt from?? If not, does anyone know what size the nut is, I'll get one from B&Q. In the morning I need to start removing the wheel arch liner so I can get the top wishbone bolt out. On the wishbone there are some bolts holding a bracket which the ABS wire it attached to, do I need to remove this bracket, or leave it in place and try to manoeuvre the wishbone with the ABS wire it attached? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Once you take off the arch liner you'll see the plug that the wire is connected to. The bracket that it's attached to by a single bolt comes out and then it unplugs behind the arch liner. This allows you to manoeuvre the upper wishbone enough to get the suspension out. Get the replacement nut and bolt from either Keron, or if you want new Toyota. Next time use hexagon sockets to loosen off suspension nuts. Anything tight should always done with exact size hexagon sockets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elmo Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 Once you take off the arch liner you'll see the plug that the wire is connected to. The bracket that it's attached to by a single bolt comes out and then it unplugs behind the arch liner. This allows you to manoeuvre the upper wishbone enough to get the suspension out. Get the replacement nut and bolt from either Keron, or if you want new Toyota. Next time use hexagon sockets to loosen off suspension nuts. Anything tight should always done with exact size hexagon sockets. Cheers for that, I used my Impact wrench to get the nut off, on the last turn the nut flew out of the 19mm socket and vanished in to thin air! I don't have much luck with Keron, tried him in the past for different things he but never replies are comes back to me. I'll try Toyota but I don't think the parts dept is open on a Saturday, but I need my car for Monday, so not sure what to do there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Cheers for that, I used my Impact wrench to get the nut off, on the last turn the nut flew out of the 19mm socket and vanished in to thin air! I don't have much luck with Keron, tried him in the past for different things he but never replies are comes back to me. I'll try Toyota but I don't think the parts dept is open on a Saturday, but I need my car for Monday, so not sure what to do there. Suspension fixings aren't things you want to half arse mate. Always get the right parts for the job, I wouldn't trust B&Q in the slightest. Parts department will generally be open till mid day but it will take till Monday for the delivery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Take the bolt from the other side out and take it with you to Halfords (as its Sunday), they should have something in M10 or whatever it is! to get you by until you can get a genuine part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Thanks for the instructions. I'm assuming if you put a trolley jack under the hub before removing the bolt it would stop it falling forward? If you have to loosen the wishbone bolt from underneath, how you torque it up when the car is on the floor? I just tap through the long top wishbone bolt with a screw driver, this way you effectively replace the bolt with the screw driver temporarily. Then you can lever the wishbone away a little (it's quite a snug fit in the housing) til it hits the screw driver, then with one hand firmly on the wishbone remove the screw driver and gently pull/lever the wishbone free and as it comes towards you just double check any wires aren't tightening until it naturally rests out towards you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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