Someone had the same idea earlier this year and I responded in that thread. Read through this.

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/134-corolla-6th-generation-1988-1992/1433330-91-corolla-wagon-dlx-suspension-refresh.html

I didn't like the variable pitch springs. I felt oscillations while accelerating around corners, so I put my original springs back on. The Moog CC209 and CC254 are still sitting in my garage.

You can measure the height of your vehicle at the pivot points (bolts) of the control arms to assess if the original springs are sagging badly. I don't have the specs in front of me.

You most likely don't need new rear upper mounts. In that other thread I explained the problems I had fitting the new mounts.

 

Informative read Doc. Some good info as I move forward with the project.

 

I bit the bullet and ordered some of the suspension job today. I have to do the rear first.

I'm getting

2 of the Moog coil springs CC209
The Sachs struts 290070 290071
And I opted for the Sachs 900023 bumper bellows

I'm hoping that's it, no surprises. No mounts or lower spring seats. Etc.

I'll update about the job next week.

 

The rears are easy. You may not even need a spring compressor. Mine were only compressed about 1 inch at full height, so I could just put a little weight on the upper mount and it compressed it enough to put the nut on. Having said that, if you have a spring compressor already, then you might still want to use it just for safety. And don't put yourself in direct line with the spring as you disassemble it.

If the brake lines run through the bracket on the strut, you can remove the retainer clip, then carefully hacksaw through the bracket and bend it to slip the line out. This way you don't have to bleed the brakes or deal with any of that. Then cut a slot in the new strut bracket.

For when you get around to doing the front struts, the lower 2 nuts/bolts holding the strut on require the highest torque on the car. Over 200 ft-lbs. which is more than most torque wrenches can handle. I have one that goes to 250 ft-lbs. so they are available.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I'll let you know how it comes along.

What brand is your 250 ft-lb torque wrench and where did you pick it up?

 

I have Craftsman 1/2-in. Dr. Digi-Click Torque Wrench, 25-250 ft. lbs.

 

Wow, that's a mighty wrench!!!

 

I think I may need new strut mounts and/or bearings. One of the rear wheels rocks in and out, I'm getting inner tire wear, and when I push up on the body of the car, with the wheels on the ground, the strut "jitters" or "wiggles".

I'll probably get these, http://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=575718&cc=1275409&jsn=379&jsn=379

My question is, do new strut mounts come with the bearings or will I have to pick those up somewhere else?

Perhaps I can salvage the strut mounts I have and just replace the bearing, but I'm guessing I need a special tool to remove and press the bearing?

 

I think I may need new strut mounts and/or bearings. One of the rear wheels rocks in and out, I'm getting inner tire wear, and when I push up on the body of the car, with the wheels on the ground, the strut "jitters" or "wiggles".

As mentioned, not strut bearing. Take a look at:

- spindle clamp bolts
- control-arm bushings, all of them, inside & outside
- hub-bearing

You can even look back there while someone rocks wheel in & out and see where the movement is occurring.

 

The rear mounts don't have bearings! They don't rotate like the front struts. It's more likely the nuts holding the mount to the body are loose. Get access to the top of the mounts and inspect.

If the wheel is moving, then inspect the control arms and other suspension parts to find where the looseness is.

 

The rear mounts don't have bearings! They don't rotate like the front struts.

:facepalm: noob

 

It looks to me like the movement is at the top of the strut, strut mount area. I'm going to wait and see what everything is like when I replace the struts. Could be the hub bearing. Not sure as of yet.

 

When I bought my 1997 last year the left rear upper mount was loose. I don't know how those nuts got loose, but they were. It would also make a clunk in reverse.

 

The 3 strut mount nuts were tight but the strut top nut was a little loose.



On another note, I ended up getting all 4 new brake hydraulic flex hoses, so I'll be swapping those out with the struts, which is fine because I wanted to replace the rusted bleeder screws too, and wanted to flush the brake system with new fluid.

 

Don't let the brake fluid get on any rubber parts. Wrap the CV joint boots, etc.

 

The job is coming along.

I've gotten the struts and coil springs painted.





If you can tell they are not the exact same type of strut. I got 2 different ones from different warehouses. I hate when that happens. From what I gather they changed production at some point, so I ended up with a new one for the left and an older style for the right. I find that irritating but hopefully no install issues.



As for the bump stops and bellows. I have no instructions for installing them. Is the left or the right one, the correct way to install? Or is it something else? I've found a lot of misleading info online.

 

Pull them both out of the bellows and compare...

 

Do you mean the old ones on the car?

 

I think like the left picture, but you can estimate how much the bellows is stretched/compressed when installed each way, then pick which way seems best.

 

That makes sense. The right one looks like it should be inserted farther into the bellows maybe? The ridge fits in the grove in the bellows.

But I hope the bump stop isn't kissing the strut too often. That would be a lot of bottoming out!

 

The Moog ones I have, have instructions, and show the bump stop inserted like the one on the left. I've seen pictures online of them installed all sorts of different ways though. Shame Sachs didn't come with instructions. I guess I'll just experiment when I get to that point. Thanks!

 

Yeah, seems like a search shows it like the left often. Take a look at how the old one is on, but it probably is a slightly different shape.

 

Just because a thousand people do it wrong, you don't have to be 1001st. For bump-stop function, it doesn't matter because it's being squeezed between two flat surfaces anyway*. But one of those two surfaces has a delicate seal. If you put them in dome down, be sure to get the Koni serrated nylon washer that protects shaft-seal from bump-stop. It's more about air-flow and preventing suction/vacuum than actual contact. Well, depends upon strut design and how close seal is to top.

* depending upon strut design, the dome-top fits into curved upper-perch.

 

Thanks. A lot of good info. I don't seem anymore confident in how I'm going to install the bumper/bellow yet. Now I have to get a tire/tires. I got a flat.

FYI. These are Sachs struts. They aren't Koni. I only painted them yellow.

 

I don't have the nylon washer thing but my struts don't seem to have the seal exposed. I couldn't source those washers anyway. I think I'll just say a prayer before proceeding when I do, that everything goes well.

Similar strut design, just Koni's been used in more demanding applications and problems found with bump-stop designs and they developed solution. In their case, they already had billions of bump-stops of different lengths and stiffnesses on shelf and didn't want to recall all of them. Solution was the washer to keep the interface ventilated.

Others like ZF, who probably move inventory quicker, redesigned their bump-stops with channel at bottom to prevent toilet-plunger action on shaft seal. Doesn't have to touch seal to generate vacuum if contact area is tight.

 

I don't have the nylon washer thing but my struts don't seem to have the seal exposed. I couldn't source those washers anyway. I think I'll just say a prayer before proceeding when I do, that everything goes well.

On another note, since I'll be changing the hydraulic brake hoses when I do the struts, how many of those hydraulic brake hose clips do I need per wheel? I think I see only 2 per wheel. 8 total for front and back?

 

Yep, 8 of them should do.

 

Just a picture of the bump stop and bellow apart. I get what you're both saying about the suction, seal, etc. The bump stop has an open section at 180 degrees from each other to avoid the suction, and the seat where the seal is, has a design to mitigate suction.

I do believe that the bump stop goes into the bellow like they are positioned here, but I'll be damned if I can force that lip of the bumper into the groove on the bellow like DrZ says.

 

Just a picture of the bump stop and bellow apart. I get what you're both saying about the suction, seal, etc. The bump stop has an open section at 180 degrees from each other to avoid the suction, and the seat where the seal is, has a design to mitigate suction.

I do believe that the bump stop goes into the bellow like they are positioned here, but I'll be damned if I can force that lip of the bumper into the groove on the bellow like DrZ says.

Hahahha, the big lip is so the bump-stop doesn't get shoved all way inside bellows when things gets compressed all the way.

 

Understood.