Editing Changing rear struts

[[category:Steering & Suspension]]

== How To Change Rear Struts In Your 31 ==

What you will need: 

14mm socket / spanner / ratchet spanner (a lot easier)
17mm socket and breaker bar / ratchet
17mm spanner
21mm socket (or 19) depending on your wheel nut size
1x Trolley jack
2x Jack stands
1x Hammer (Very convincing)

The Aim:

To change over your rear shocks and springs of your R31 Skyline

The Method:

1. Start by loosening your wheel nuts then  jacking up the car with your trolley jack, place it under the diff and jack to its full extent.

2. Place Jack stands under the chassis rail either side of the car and make sure they are secure, lower the jack to the point that its just still holding the differential up.

[[Image:Strutchange_001.jpg]]

3. Take off both the wheels completely and place elsewhere.

4. Your now gonna have to undo the 3 bolts from holding your struts in located at the top of the strut tower, you can access this through the boot or like me (with no interior) from where the rear parcel shelf sits, you will need your 14mm spanner / ratchet / ratchet spanner - if locating from the boot the ratchet spanner will be the quickest, undo all 3 bolts completely and place somewhere safe.

[[Image:Strutchange_006.jpg]]
[[Image:Strutchange_012.jpg]] 

5. Now jump under the car and grab your 17mm spanner and 17mm socket / spanner (whatever you have) and locate the seat that the bottom of the strut is sitting in, picture below.

[[Image:Strutchange002.jpg]]
 
(bolt has been removed in the above picture, but place spanners on either side and hold one in place while turning the other anti clockwise to fully undo the nut)

[[Image:Strutchange 008.jpg]]

6. Now that the bolt has no nut on the end it may be a bit trick to remove being that its still under load, lower the differential down with the jack and tap it slightly with the hammer, should come straight out.

[[Image:Strutchange 010.jpg]]

7. Ok now that the bolt is completely out of the strut / seat you can gently tap the strut with a hammer or just convincingly wiggle it out, watch it though, it will fall out as the top bolts are no longer in place.
[[Image:Strutchange 005.jpg]]

8. Shes now a bit naked

[[Image:Strutchange 007.jpg]]

9. Ok now you have your new struts ready to go, anything of your choice (king spring lows with munro gt inserts, koni reds, kyb's, aurora springs, etc - Note if you are putting these in you will have to use the top hat off of your old struts as many dont come with.

10. Leave the differential lowered and the jack ready to go, make sure the holes line up with the top of the strut top in the strut tower to make it easier when you lift up the strut.

11. Place the strut up and into the tower while locating the seat that the bottom sits in, you will need someone to slightly do up the bolts in the strut tower so that it holds the strut in place.

12. You will now need to jack the differential up so that the holes of the strut locate with the holes of the strut seat,
[[Image:Strutchange 013.jpg]]

[[Image:Strutchange 010.jpg]] 

13. Now that its lined up place the bolt back through, and get your 17mm spanners / socket and tighten the bolt back up making sure that it is '''secure but not fully tight'''.(hold one in place and turn the nut end clockwise)

[[Image:Strutchange011.jpg]]

14. Now that your strut is in place and secured in the seat, you will need to completely do up the strut tower bolts

[[Image:Strutchange 014.jpg]]

strut in place

[[Image:Strutchange 006.jpg]] 

re tighten bolts.

15. '''get under the car and fully tighten the nut onto the bolt that holds the shocker bottom into the seat, as if you fully tighten them whilst its jacked up it can damage the bush and shorten its life.'''

15. Now put your wheels back on and tighten with 19mm / 21mm socket and breaker bar, or wheel brace (whichever) just make sure they are tight.

16. Raise the trolley jack to its full extent and remove jack stands, now lower the trolley jack and slide out from under neath differential, your now done  :) - I will do a how to for s13 coilovers coming up on the boonga.

'''Compiled by: evsgtsx'''