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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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OT, changing struts on car

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/11/2012 : 15:12:50

I meant to put this in the general forum, so I've copied it here and deleted the one in the C-25 section. Looks like I screwed up the transfer, so I've rewritten it.

I did something that I thought I'd never ever try to do by myself. I changed out the front strut/spring assemblies on our 2004 Ford Focus by myself. The anti-sway bar link arms were bad too, the ball joints were shot, so I replaced them too. That took a separate trip to the parts store. Trial and error on the first one, so it took about twice as long as the second side. Nice thing about getting the whole spring/strut assembly is that the spring is pre-tensioned.
I bought the shocks to do the rear also, but that will have to wait for another day. When I get it all done, I figure that I'll have saved about $600 in labor charges. Car has almost 160k miles on it and I plane to see at least 200k.
Tools required: car's jack, floor jack, lug wrench, jack stand (for safety), 13mm and 15mm wrenches/sockets.

DavidP
1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52
PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess"
Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN

Edited by - dmpilc on 09/11/2012 15:31:49

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2012 : 15:31:07

Anybody else ever tried this? What can I expect when I start on the rear shocks?

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Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5909 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2012 : 15:34:39

Many years ago, two days before my scheduled Florida vacation, I had my C22 on the trailer, hooked to my car, parked along the curb in front of my house. At about 2:00 am a drunk knocked the car up over the curb. The boat and trailer weren't damaged, but the car was severely damaged. One rear door wouldn't close securely, the front fender was bent against the wheel, the tire was flat, and a link was bent in the steering gear. I pried the fender away from the wheel, changed the tire, found the bent link in the steering gear and replaced it, counting the number of threads on the old one to get it adjusted properly. I didn't bother to get the front end aligned. I test-drove it, and it seemed OK to me. I tied the door shut and towed the boat to Florida on the x-way at 70 mph, and had a great sailing vacation!(my first cruise) Looking back on it, I must have been crazy, but at the time, it seemed to make sense.

I replaced the front and rear struts on a car a long time ago, but don't remember enough about it to be helpful. Like you, after I learned how by doing the first one, the second one was much easier.

Edited by - Steve Milby on 09/11/2012 15:38:25

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2012 : 17:33:27

If you have rear shocks instead of struts, the only challenge is breaking the bolts loose.

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2012 : 18:17:24

I believe that it is just shocks on the rear.

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rrick
Captain

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USA
261 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2012 : 18:49:29

Not so bad after an eyeballing job. I did the same thing at 160k miles, but since it was a rear wheel drive bimmer, there were differences. The strut assembly is reusable and the gas tube just slides in after compressing the springs a bit. But to get the brand new tight feel, all the rubber was replaced requiring dropping the subframe and bolting on new steel with the bushings already pressed in. Turned an old clunking suspension into showroom fresh. Nice you didn't have to use a spring compressor. Pretty scary on the cheap using the large screw type with cast aluminum claws.

Edited by - rrick on 09/14/2012 20:46:39

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3477 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2012 : 03:53:56

well.. I just had to change out the rear upper control arms on a handa, but it was a relatively new civic. It was not a difficult job.

Good Jackstands, Breaking bar. spray the bolts with release spray and give it time to work in. torque wrench.

Save yourself money as well as know it was done right. I've had several repairs over the years where bolts were not torqued down properly.

Good Skill, start early, take your time and Cheers!

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2012 : 07:59:26

Oops--I must've made a wrong turn...

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pfduffy
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2012 : 09:09:57

Did this job when I was in college on an old Subaru. Spring compressors are VERY SCARY! Nearly lost a finger when one of them let go. One of the things I learned was that there are plenty of superfluous parts on a 1982 Subaru. That car was at least 25 lbs lighter after I finished working and swept up the parts that never made it back onto the car.

I miss being young and foolish!!

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2012 : 11:37:13

I was glad to pay a bit extra and get the complete strut/spring assembly. Spring compressors scare me a lot, especially given my tendency to injure myself doing repair projects.

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3477 Posts

Response Posted - 09/12/2012 : 12:30:40

<< my tendency to injure myself doing repair projects. >>

And you want to get up under a car??? Say an extra prayer..

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dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 09/13/2012 : 17:42:10

By injuries, I'm referring to cuts, scrapes, etc., not crushed limbs, organs, etc. Actually, so far it has worked out well! Still have the rear shocks to change out.
If the weather holds, i.e wind forecast increases above 2-4, I'll be boat racing at Lake Lanier this weekend.

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GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4316 Posts

Response Posted - 09/15/2012 : 12:02:55

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by dmpilc
 By injuries, I'm referring to cuts, scrapes, etc., not crushed limbs, organs, etc. Actually, so far it has worked out well! Still have the rear shocks to change out.
If the weather holds, i.e wind forecast increases above 2-4, I'll be boat racing at Lake Lanier this weekend.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Watch out for airplanes falling from the sky!!!

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