Rear Suspension
REMOVAL
1. With special tool (A) placed to spring as shown, turn special tool bolts alternately until spring tension is released. Whether it is released or not can be known by whether strut turns lightly while strut spring is held stationary.
Special Tool (A): 09940-71430 or equivalent.
2. While keeping spring compressed with special tool as shown above, remove strut nut.
Special Tool:
(A): 09945-26010 (17 mm socket)
(B): 09900-00411 (Socket)
(C): 09900-00414 (6 mm) or equivalents.
3. Disassemble parts.
WARNING: Strut with "GAS FILLED" stamp is filled with gas and oil. When handling it, make sure to observe the following precautions.
^ Don't disassemble it.
^ Don't put it into the fire.
^ Don't store it where it gets hot.
^ Before disposing it, be sure to drill a hole in it where shown by an arrow in the figure and let gas out. Lay it down sideways for this work.
INSTALLATION
1. Compress spring with special tool (A) until total length becomes about 290 mm (11.42 inch) as shown.
Length "a": 290 mm (11.42 inch)
2. Install coil spring lower seat and compressing coil spring, mate large-diameter. spring end with stepped part of lower seat as shown.
3. Install bump stopper onto strut rod. For installing direction, refer to above figure in DISASSEMBLY.
4. Install dust cover onto bump stopper.
5. Fit coil spring (rubber) seat in coil spring upper seat, making sure that their depth matches all around. No part of rubber seat should stick out higher than upper seat.
6. Pull strut rod as far up as possible and use care not to allow it to retract into strut.
7. With "OUT" mark on spring upper seat and the center of strut bracket aligned, place upper spring seat together with spring (rubber) seat on coil spring.
8. Put strut support on spring upper seat.
Tighten strut upper nut to specified torque and then apply water-proof coating (paint or lacquers all around nut and strut rod thread.
Tightening Torque (a): 55 Nm (40.0 ft. lbs.)
9. Loosen and remove special tool (A) from compressing coil spring. While loosening special tool, recheck that stepped part of spring seat and spring end are in place to each other as described in foregoing Step 2.
NOTE: Also, check to make sure that "OUT" mark on upper seat is matched with the center of strut bracket as described in Step 7.