daddykubs
New member
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2016
- Messages
- 4
- Points
- 2
Hey there.
Just did my top hats and droplinks few days ago. No allen keys, no wiper pullers.
Dont have a lot of pic, but happy to share my experience.
In order to tackle the job get Yoursefl a:
Can of WD40
Flathead and pozi
Impact wrench (I used 18v battery makita)
Sockets (17, 18 and 19mm if I remember right.
Ratchets or spanners (I used two ratchets)
Ratchet U-Joint and extension
Spring compressors.
And usuals (jack, coffee, patience...)
Job (without too much info, I think we all understand small tech stuff)
1.Day before soak all bolts and nuts with wd.
2.On the day: jack car up and take wheels off. I suggest pass. side first. Take cables of a suspension strut (gently pull the out of mounting points so they will be out Your way later)
3.Undo 2 bolts holding strut on hub carrier (I used 2 ratchets)
*at that time I took droplink out. Used a spanner to secure inner part of a joint (17mm) and ratchet to undo the nut
4.Pop the bonnet. Undo pozi screws holding windshiel trim (I think there were 3 of them). Gently bend it out of a way. Get Your impact wrench undo the nut and the strut is out! No sweat. No allen keys and silly shape spanners.
4a.Drivers side is a little bit of a pig if You havent got a puller to take wipers off.
But You can bend plastic trim genlty out of a way. And connect following in that order
socket>ujoint>extention>impact wrench.
Now try to aim for the least amount of angle between the nut in question and impact wrench. Straighter it is easier it will go. Must mind the plasic trim tho.
5.Pit spring compressors on. Squeeze the spring. Impact wrench again to undo the top nut. And presto! Top hat is off!
6.Putting it back together is all above steps but reversed.
One thing I could add is:
When You put new droplinks in get a second jack. Put it under lower suspension ball joint and use it to lift and lower the suspension to ease fitting of part on question. Also Ive fixed droplink to rollbar first as access is a pig, yet again- undid droplik from the strut first.
Thats enough of jibby jabba
Ill add some pics so the post is not too boring
Btw if any of You did inner tie rods- let me know. Id like to do a little risk assesment before I start and get stuck.
Just did my top hats and droplinks few days ago. No allen keys, no wiper pullers.
Dont have a lot of pic, but happy to share my experience.
In order to tackle the job get Yoursefl a:
Can of WD40
Flathead and pozi
Impact wrench (I used 18v battery makita)
Sockets (17, 18 and 19mm if I remember right.
Ratchets or spanners (I used two ratchets)
Ratchet U-Joint and extension
Spring compressors.
And usuals (jack, coffee, patience...)
Job (without too much info, I think we all understand small tech stuff)
1.Day before soak all bolts and nuts with wd.
2.On the day: jack car up and take wheels off. I suggest pass. side first. Take cables of a suspension strut (gently pull the out of mounting points so they will be out Your way later)
3.Undo 2 bolts holding strut on hub carrier (I used 2 ratchets)
*at that time I took droplink out. Used a spanner to secure inner part of a joint (17mm) and ratchet to undo the nut
4.Pop the bonnet. Undo pozi screws holding windshiel trim (I think there were 3 of them). Gently bend it out of a way. Get Your impact wrench undo the nut and the strut is out! No sweat. No allen keys and silly shape spanners.
4a.Drivers side is a little bit of a pig if You havent got a puller to take wipers off.
But You can bend plastic trim genlty out of a way. And connect following in that order
socket>ujoint>extention>impact wrench.
Now try to aim for the least amount of angle between the nut in question and impact wrench. Straighter it is easier it will go. Must mind the plasic trim tho.
5.Pit spring compressors on. Squeeze the spring. Impact wrench again to undo the top nut. And presto! Top hat is off!
6.Putting it back together is all above steps but reversed.
One thing I could add is:
When You put new droplinks in get a second jack. Put it under lower suspension ball joint and use it to lift and lower the suspension to ease fitting of part on question. Also Ive fixed droplink to rollbar first as access is a pig, yet again- undid droplik from the strut first.
Thats enough of jibby jabba
Ill add some pics so the post is not too boring
Btw if any of You did inner tie rods- let me know. Id like to do a little risk assesment before I start and get stuck.
