Strut Installation *searched* - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

***DAMON*** · 02-16-2005, 02:04 PM

Just to start out Ive been reading a lot about suspension on the forum for the past three or four months...

My question is about installling tokico strut inserts on my gen3. I have the inserts and will be installing them within the next two weeks. My question is has anyone here on TN actually done the inserts? Or should I sell these and get the full sealed struts? It says in the directions that came with my tokicos that I will need to submerge the inserts in oil when I install them... this kind of worries me since I havent read anything about anyone doing this on TN over the past few months...

Maybe I should just have a shop install them... Im afriad this wont be a drop in affair and could turn out to be a bit difficult.

If I do need to do the oil and it isnt that difficult, what kind of oil should I use?

88 LE · 02-16-2005, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dysk8forlife

My question is has anyone here on TN actually done the inserts?

I've installed Tokico inserts on 2 gen 2 Camrys. Mine and Charlies (white90dx).

Quote:

It says in the directions that came with my tokicos that I will need to submerge the inserts in oil when I install them... this kind of worries me since I havent read anything about anyone doing this on TN over the past few months...

You don't necessarily need to submerge them in oil, but you can if you want.

What you can do is save the oil thats inside your stock strut and reuse it.

Quote:

Maybe I should just have a shop install them... Im afriad this wont be a drop in affair and could turn out to be a bit difficult.

The only part I find difficult is breaking the nut loose on top of the strut housing.

What I do is clamp the nut with a vise, shove a long bar thru one of the bolt holes on the strut, and break it lose.

Then you can unscrew the nut and pull out the internals. But save the oil if you want to reuse it.

***DAMON*** · 02-16-2005, 09:00 PM

alright glad to know its not terribly difficult... thanks a lot for the reply and advice.

***DAMON*** · 02-26-2005, 11:18 PM

I should be installing my suspension this friday with my cousin.... Im really nervous about the install, this being the biggest thing Ive done to my car. Hopefully everything will go alright.

I am installing tokico inserts, h&r springs, new strut mounts and boots, a whiteline rear swaybar and a ractive front strut tower brace. do you guys reccomend I put the rear sway bar on after the struts/springs or before? will one way be easier than the other?

How long do you think this install will take (ballpark) with two people? Can it be done in a day?

thanks guys, im so nervous haha

***Eye8Pussies*** · 02-27-2005, 02:31 AM

in a day....yes.

if it's both your first times, then I'd say probably about 4+ hours....if you don't run into any problems.

Hopefully you guys have all the tools needed, plus an impact gun.

and it doesn't matter if you do the sway bar first/last or what not

The Wolf · 02-27-2005, 02:34 AM

If you've got air tools, it'll be a snap. If you don't have air tools, better invest in a breaker bar and expect to spend 12+ hours.....

***DAMON*** · 02-27-2005, 10:10 AM

Yeah my cousins got a big barn with air tools... all I have to get is a spring compressor and we are good to go. He has done struts in his second year auto shop class before, so although it is my first time he is experienced.

amerikim · 02-27-2005, 10:46 AM

I have inserts. The most important for using the oil IMHO is for transferring heat from the Tokicos. Thats the only cooling they get.

I will not do it again as it got insanely messy. Freaking oil everywhere. Stinky, old oil.
I will def buy the whole strut if I do it again.

If you want a helpful hint, replace all the rubber pieces you see. Those old mouldy things fall apart when you start cranking. Remember to lube everything so you won't get the squeaks. I am not giving too much detail here but I know you can figure it out.

I have started using Honda's motorcycle chain lube on some of my parts because they are formulated for O rings. O rings are rubber, so I know its at least rubber friendly. It comes in a spray can so I can get to hard to reach places. I use it where a light grease or oiling is called for. I do not recommend it on any high load application like wheel bearings, etc.

RichieRichJP · 02-27-2005, 11:59 AM

I have a small tutorial given by another member on here that I wanted to post up to get edited and sticked because I'm clueless when it comes to this too. I need to install H&R springs, full insert tokicos and new rims and I'm really worried that I brake anything or kill myself with the spring compression. But on top of that, I don't know where a lot of the nuts and bolts are that I need to remove and how to remove them. I'll just have to blindly try do the install. I'll probably post that written FAQ up and have members edit it and if they can, submit some pictures for the install

***Eye8Pussies*** · 02-27-2005, 05:03 PM

^ dont' worry...if you have full struts, and not the inserts, then you'll understand how easy and straight forward it is to install struts/springs once you get your old assembly out

the only reason why having an impact gun makes such a big difference is because the big nut on top of the strut mount spins along with the strut when you try to use a regular ratchet

97camryMD · 02-27-2005, 08:08 PM

Quote:

"...the only reason why having an impact gun makes such a big difference is because the big nut on top of the strut mount spins along with the strut when you try to use a regular ratchet."

Dumb question - why does using an impact gun change this...?

***DAMON*** · 02-27-2005, 10:25 PM

thanks for the reassurance guys... looks like I will be taking the rear seats out thursday night and doing the suspension early friday morning. Hopefully we can be done before dark haha.

It looks like from my hanes manual that the seat bottoms just pop out from clips, then the bolsters and seat backs have bolts... is this correct? does all of the seat need to be removed to get at the struts?

***Eye8Pussies*** · 02-27-2005, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 97camryMD

Quote:

"...the only reason why having an impact gun makes such a big difference is because the big nut on top of the strut mount spins along with the strut when you try to use a regular ratchet."

Dumb question - why does using an impact gun change this...?

it is because the impact gun spools up and hits the nut suddenly, loosening the nut before it gets a chance to spin with the rest of the strut.....if you use a ratchet, it'll all just spin together.

THAT, and also, the nut should be on pretty tight too, so the impact gun just makes EVERYTHING easier....

Quote:

Originally Posted by dysk8forlife

thanks for the reassurance guys... looks like I will be taking the rear seats out thursday night and doing the suspension early friday morning. Hopefully we can be done before dark haha.

It looks like from my hanes manual that the seat bottoms just pop out from clips, then the bolsters and seat backs have bolts... is this correct? does all of the seat need to be removed to get at the struts?

yup...you basically just yank on the seat cushion to get it out....
then remove the nuts near the seatbelts for the side cushions, and push upwards to slide them out, then unscrew the rear panel and yank it off...

then you have full access to the rear struts

once you see everything for yourself, you'll see how simple it really is

the only thing that I can say is that the difference of having two people versus only one person doing the job is astute, especially when it comes to compressing the springs

RichieRichJP · 02-27-2005, 11:04 PM

So hows does it all go. Remove the seats, remove side cushions and rear dash, remove the nuts, remove the tires/rims, remove brakes..here's where I'm lost, is it spring compression and removal before the struts? or the struts first?

***Eye8Pussies*** · 02-27-2005, 11:22 PM

^ no, the whole assembly comes out together....the strut/strut mount/springs are all one unit together.....once you jack up the car, remove the interior and remove the three nuts that holds the assembly in place, the whole unit slides out from the bottom....

then you just compress the spring on hte original assembly, take off the strut mount (this is where the impact gun comes in handy), compress the new spring, place it on the new strut, install the strut mount on your new strut/springs combo, and then reinstall it on the car

simple.

are you SURE you have a haynes/chilton's manual....???

they should have some pictures...