With the strut removed from the car, compress the coil spring using screw-type compressors. Prise off the cap from the top mounting and hold the piston rod still with a spanner while unscrewing the self-locking nut to withdraw the top mounting. Remove the coil spring (still compressed) along with its upper mounting plate. If renewing the coil spring, release the compressors and fit them to the new spring, compressing it for installation; always renew both front
Coil Springs simultaneously with ones of similar rating and color identification. The suspension hydraulic strut can be renewed either by replacing the entire strut with a new or reconditioned unit or by renewing the internal components using a repair kit or cartridge. To dismantle the strut, unscrew the cap and the threaded ring from the top of the strut tube, using a special tool or a cold chisel and hammer if necessary. Prise up the collar and lift out the 'O' ring seal, then extract the internal piston assembly and clean the interior of the strut tube thoroughly. Install the repair kit piston assembly and inject 285 cc of special 11 oil into the inner tube. Refit the new 'O' ring, collar, and screw on the threaded ring by hand only. Pull the piston rod fully out to its stop and tighten the threaded ring to 85 lb/ft (118 Nm). Refit the remaining components, including the coil spring in its compressed state, ensuring the ends of the spring are correctly located in the recesses of the spring caps, with the conical end of the auxiliary spring pointing downwards and the packing ring above the upper spring cap having its turned-over edges pointing upwards. Finally, hold the end of the piston rod still with a spanner and tighten the self-locking nut to a torque of 55 lb/ft (76 Nm).