Removing shock retaining nut ...

[MHLIGGINS@aol.com]

<<Questions:

   1. How to remove shock retaining nut from strut without
      special equipment and tighten it to specified 150+ Nm?>>
	Use a very large sets of "channel-lock" pliers.  When you put the shock back
in place, use plenty of torque.

<<   2. Is it possible to buy a shock retaining nut remover
      (as is available for some GM cars) that can turn the
      nut by accessing it from the location of the strut
      mounting?>>
	See above.

<<   3. I guess I will need 2 spring compressors, but don't
      need to jack the car up, right?>>
	No spring compressors are needed, but you do need to jack the car up to
access the retaining net referenced in question 1.  Otherwise the spring gets
in the way.

<<   4. Routine for removing the strut mount, bearing plates
      and all that stuff from the top of the car?>>
	Remove the large center nut on the strut cartridge (shock) first,  Then MARK
the location of the three smaller nuts on the movable plate.  (Otherwise you
may need a realignment as soon as you put things back together.)  Raise the
car slightly with a jack (you'll see the strut cartridge move downward
eventually.)  
	Remove the three 13mm nuts that hold the adjusting plate.  Remove the
adjusting plate.  Remove the washers and rubber bumper from the strut cart.
Make sure you know which washer is which, they ARE different.
	Work with the jack until you can reach through the spring and loosen the
strut cart retaining nut.  Remove strut cart by pulling it through the top.
	Assembly is the reverse of the above, make sure to re-align the adjusting
plate with the marks you made in the early steps......

	It takes a while to do it the first time, but by the time you've gone through
the process a few times you should be able to change a cartridge in about 15
minutes.

	Later.
	--ml