Assistance required for replacing the front suspension spring.

[Needsnewtyres2]

I attempted to do mine today and encountered a minor tragedy. It took 1.5 hours to replace the spring, but midway through, the socket adapter in my impact driver broke off flush within the holder, rendering it impossible to remove. Progress was satisfactory till that point. I am currently unable to reinsert the completed shock absorber into the hub and must postpone the task until tomorrow due to diminishing daylight.

I have removed the shock absorber from the vehicle, and it appears that the upper part of the hub does not align with the aperture in the wing designated for the shock's upper attachment. I suspected the drive shaft may have disengaged from the gearbox; however, there is no visible oil, and I am unable to rotate the brake disc, indicating it remains properly situated.


I assume the hub's apex should connect with the shock's mounting hole in the wing for proper alignment, or does the insertion of the shock adjust the hub into alignment? I am hesitant to apply force, as it may misalign and result in damage or deformation to the vehicle. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[mrnobady]

I am uncertain about what is misaligned for you, but when replacing shocks and springs, I frequently utilise a jack beneath the hub to elevate it and facilitate movement until proper alignment is achieved.

Best of luck.

[Needsnewtyres2]

Greetings, I appreciate your response. The problem lies not in elevating the hub/knuckle to engage with the shock, but in compressing the shock/spring while installed on the vehicle to align the top mounting hole of the knuckle beneath it. I am experiencing significant difficulties compressing the shock, and even when I succeed, I cannot bring the top of the knuckle close enough to the car to engage the shock.

I removed the shock absorber, but the angle of the knuckle, as observed from above where the shock connects, suggests that there may be an issue.

[Needsnewtyres2]

It is acceptable. Reviewed several videos prior to commencing the task, but found them unhelpful for reassembly. I have discovered another instance, and as illustrated in this screenshot, the angle between the knuckle and the shock is markedly different, hence increasing my confidence in aligning them. Currently, it is dark, and there have been two days of rain; therefore, I will attempt again in three days.

[Needsnewtyres2]

[Starcar2022]

I recall this being a source of frustration during my experience. I believe I sufficiently depressed the knuckle for the strut to rest atop it, albeit at an incorrect angle for insertion into the hole, and subsequently employed a wooden piece with the jack beneath it to elevate the bottom section of the strut until alignment was achieved. Required several attempts and considerable exertion!

[Needsnewtyres2]

I have identified two reasons for my inability to align the shock absorber and knuckle: firstly, I installed the spring incorrectly, with the flatter end positioned against the top mount, a distinction that is challenging to discern; secondly, and more significantly, the CV joint had dislodged.

This occurred when I applied pressure to the wishbone/knuckle to remove the shock absorber. The hub/disk remained stationary, indicating it was still engaged, although it had retracted sufficiently to prevent the alignment of the two components. Ultimately, I enlisted the assistance of a retired mechanic, marking the first occasion in 40 years of automotive repair that I sought external help.


I was astonished by the considerable effort he exerted to properly reengage the CV joint into the coupling by the differential. It took him approximately 10 minutes, and it protruded by about 2 to 3 inches.

Subsequently, he loosened the drive shaft bolt securing it to the hub using a substantial impact driver. This was intended to enable the hub to be depressed sufficiently to connect the knuckle with the shock absorber, allowing the hub to slide on the driveshaft splines rather than dislodging it from the CV joint once more.

Subsequent to all that, it was effortless to insert the shock into the knuckle. I decided to document this in case someone else has the same difficulty in the future. I have utilised computers and the internet since the 1990s and previously worked in IT; yet, I have been unable to locate anyone online experiencing the same difficulty.

[Needsnewtyres2]

I attempted to insert it myself, achieving a depth of approximately 20mm. I believed I had resolved the issue, as the two components engaged, resulting in a slight gap on one edge; however, they remained misaligned, preventing the shock from sliding into the knuckle. I subsequently summoned assistance. Despite inclement weather, I dedicated a total of four days to the task, with three of those days focused on reattaching the shock to the vehicle. The mechanic required less than 15 minutes to install it onto the car, with the majority of that time spent repositioning the driveshaft into the CV joint.