Replacing Rear Struts 1991 2WD Wagon - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

Rod K · 10-19-2011, 05:33 PM

If anyone can give some help I'd appreciate it. I'm replacing the rear struts, I have all the tools, I've taken the old one on the right off. Now the hard part Toyota Manual says: "place strut in vice attach top mount and torque into place - I am Paraphrasing a bit, don't rip me one 'cause I missed a word or 9. I was wondering though....
Can I install the strut the lower portion with the 2 bolts onto my rear axle then with the top mount installed in its place and the coil spring compressed (safely) into place, simply install and guide the strut's threaded portion up through the strut mount into position, tighten everything to the correct torque specs, then slowly release the coil, making sure it stays in its seat? It just seems to make more sense than trying to align the strut unit off the car and trying to mount bottom with the strut mount top. IF there is a reason to do it by the book could someone let me know or if my other way works is it a viable alternative?
PLEASE HELP

I've written and asked for help before and I have received some prissy answers to some fairly straight forward questions. I've dotted all my "T's" and Crossed all my "O's" PLEASE, can I get some help?

gr91 · 10-19-2011, 07:57 PM

are you tryin to say , after you have put the 2 bolts on the bottom, and put the 3 nuts on top, you will tighten the middle nut that holds the spring in place?? Thats what im understanding.
That DOES NOT sound like a good idea!.
just do everything Off the car, when its all done, put the strut in put the 3 nuts on top in place, then put the 2 bolts and thats it.

I feel like its 100% easier to do that, rather than what im understanding from you.

Rod K · 10-19-2011, 10:32 PM

Thank you for the reply!
Middle nut? Location wise or the nut that is atop the strut rod?. I did not mean NOT to compress the spring while tightening the strut rod bolt, I would have the spring compressed still by the spring compressor. I was concerned that my alignment of the strut rod to the strut body mount may not be perfectly in the proper alignment with the holes in the body, where the bolts on the top mount, are supposed to fit through. OR Can the whole top portion of the unit unit be turned slightly after it it assembled, - before releasing the strut spring? I am concerned that the bolts and bolt holes not align up. After its all bolted in - making sure the spring is properly sitting it its original spot, as I release the tension on the strut spring.

gr91 · 10-19-2011, 11:24 PM

yeah thats what i thought you meant.

when i was doing my lowering springs i thought the strut mount wouldnt line up right, but yeah you can bolt up the top and the bottom part still rotates so theres no problem with it unaligning. just do everything off the car and torque everything to specs and you should be good! its easier doing it the normal way than the way youre describing. you wouldnt really have enough space taking out the spring compressors if its mounted on the car before you take em off!

eage8 · 10-20-2011, 12:17 AM

it doesn't have to be exact. just line it up the best you can, you can twist the strut around a bit to get it in the right right place.

Rod K · 11-03-2011, 07:19 PM

Well the strut is all back together, life sure gets in the way of trying to get this all done. I found once the unit is all together I am unable to move the strut top mount for adjustment, it is "out" by about 1/4 inch or so from where the body mount holes are. I think I'll have to relieve some pressure on the spring compressing it down and adjusting it then releasing it again as it is so tight or I'm so darn weak? Sigh, so much to do so little time of my own. And I have a new question to post. Thank you everyone for your help with my strut issue! Every time I look up while underneath I find another issue to be dealt with. Struts were first, then I see a bad muffler and ...

tashirosgt · 11-03-2011, 10:51 PM

Are you using a pair of spring compressors, each of which is like a long bolt that goes through two ends that clip over the coils of the spring? Then be careful! That type can slip. It isn't likely to slip off the coil spring, but it can slide sideways on the spring and pinch any body part that is in the way.

Rod K · 11-07-2011, 11:47 PM

I noticed that and found a way around it which works well. I have cleaned the spring and stuck that bathtub non slip surface material to the spring and the compressor bar hangar, so far it works out quite well. I wonder if vercrow wouldl have worked? Thanks for the warning. Maybe my solution is actually something anyone else can do as well?

eage8 · 11-08-2011, 08:49 AM

I've never had a pair of spring compressors slip on me...