Alright so the cars needed new struts for a while now but I just recently got around to ordering some in, while I wait on them to show up was curious what all is involved in replacing both front and rear struts. Generally speaking Im pretty mechanicly skilled I just like to know what Im getting myself into before I start tearing stuff apart also while I have it apart anything else I should replace?

For those intrested there the spec struts for my class of Tokico HP blues, front, rear

 

Nothing too crazy, the rear's just unbolt from the axle and the body (a interior panel needs to be removed to access the nuts on top, no big deal)
The fronts are a bit more involved in that you need to remove the whole strut/spindle assembly (4 nuts on the strut top, 2 bolts on the bottom holding it to the knuckle arm, they can be rusty/tight so pb blaster is your friend) Compress the spring, remove the nut on the strut top to get the spring perch/strut top and spring off. Then you need to get the strut out of the splindle assembly, its held in with a large nut - a pipe wrench or large adjustable will do the job here.
Assembly is basically the reverse, its advisable to put a little oil (something thin like ATF or MMO) down the tube in the front before putting the strut in, aids in keeping the strut cool.
Good luck!

 

+1 ^^^

Did mine last year using the same Tokico Blues, for my DD use they have been outstanding!

There is a very good article in the archive on strut replacement, I followed it to the letter and had no problems.

Good Luck

 

The hardest part in my opinion is getting the strut assembly disconected from the knuckle arm. At least around here everything rusts so bad that those two bolts are almost always stuck in there really good. Lots of PB blaster a few days before hand should do it, but a torch to heat it up isn't a bad idea either...
I have blues on both FB's, you'll definatly like them!

 

Surely do wish Tokico Blues were still made for the SA fronts... the pair I put in about 16 years ago have finally gone soft on me, and they are NLA for SA's.

I've read that you can install FB carts in an SA simply by adding a spacer, but haven't seen a detailed depiction of how big of a spacer and placed where.

I wonder what Tokico would do if I tried to get service on the lifetime warranty on them. Sadly, no way to find out without pulling the struts and sending them in... and I sort of need something in those holes.

Oh, and on exchange process; check your boots on the front struts before you disassemble, and order replacements early. Can be slow to get, & protecting the top rod will greatly improve strut life.

 

the rest of the guys hit the nail on the head with the strut removal and the issues surrounding the knuckle arm and tight bolts. the bolts often rust in place and can be extremely difficult to remove.

when you have the arm off, i recommend replacing the control arm bushings as well as the ball joints and any other steering component that is worn. its recommended that you get an alignment when replacing your struts, so best to do it with new components.

take note though that the strut mounts must be reattached to the body symmetrically. take note of their position when they are removed.

 

Can someone clarify what he means here?

I just took my whole front suspension out to get sand blasted and powder coated, i have all new bushings and ball joints going back in, don't want to mess things up

 

Tiny triangle on the rubber rim around the plastic cap on top of the strut mount. Often difficult to see. Triangle should point inwards and back in stock position. Chapter 10 in the 84-85 FSM...

 

Alright so along the lines of bushings and ball joints, whats involved in getting the bushings out? Assuming the ball joints just require you to take the nut off and pickle fork it apart (without ever looking at them). Any value in replacing the top hats as well?

Two bolts will be a peice of cake figuring I didnt put to much locktite on last time I had them out . Its a lot easier to get the caliper bracket bolts on tight if you loosen/remove those two bolts so thus the bolts are removed at least once a year if not 2-3X thanks to the amazing brake/rotor life of a racecar.

 

yeah not the position of the strut mount before removal or else could your self some headaches

 

It's been a while since I bought a set of blues for an FB, but IIRC the last set I got came with two large spacers (basically looked like big thick washers) which you just put on top of the strut before putting the big nut on there. You should be able to just buy the FB struts and have them work, but without a set of SA spindles to look at I can't be 100% sure, although it seems logical that that is the purpose of those spacers (since they are not needed on the FB installation)

 

Tokico only claims compatibility 81-85 for blues now. Even Mazdatrix shows Blues for SA's as NLA.

Maybe Tokico just stopped shipping the spacers?

 

It's possible, the last set of blues I bought was about 5 years ago but I could have sworn Dave recently got a set and it had the spacers, I seem to remember him asking me about what they were for. Hopefully he will see this and chime in.

 

i think Re Speed sells the spacers? might for Rx2/3 to FB though....

basically you just need a piece of pipe that fits on the bottom of the strut so that the top of the strut is where its supposed to be

 

I've been looking into it with Re-Speed the last couple of days. We're on a search for precise dimensions at the moment.

 

I have a few spare FB spindles I could measure for you if that helps. I can't imagine the SA stuff is that much taller....

 

It's the cartridges that I'm really interested in comparing; any spacer would be defined by the difference in size between the SA and FB cartridge bodies, & end shapes.

 

i've measured the outside, and off the top the SA is like 14.5" and the FB is like 13" but yeah you need the inside. tokico does give you washers so it doesn't have to be an exact fit

 

Just adding on to what 74RX4 posted above

This is the arrow that the FSM mentioned