KE30 Front Struts!

[Trent-KE30]

Hey guys, i recently got myself some new springs and insert shock cartridges for my KE30 rolla, Just wondering can someone give me a basic idea on how to get them out, as i havn't really had much experience with struts before,

Do I have to take off the disc? and any of the balljoints? I'am a newb to this so some help will be welcome.

Thanks,
Trent

[BradW]

You will probably need to remove the brake line from the calliper unless you can get it out of the support on the strut without disconnecting it. If you can then just remove the calliper and support it. You can leave the disc on.
On the bottom of the strut there are 2 bolts that secure the strut to the steering arm. Remove these and also remove the 3 nuts holding the strut top into the strut tower ( these are the 3 on top of the strut tower).
Lift the strut up and off the steering arm ( you may need someone to lever down on the lca ) and then lower the strut out of the tower.
Another way is to leave the strut top in and just undo the nut in the center that holds the shock. You may need to use spring compressors too. If you have a rattle gun and air compressor it will make the job a hell of alot easier .

[love ke70]

"may" need to use spring compressors?
if you like the way your arms attach to your body then you NEED to use spring compressors!
as brad said, remove the strut by undoing the lower control arm and the three nuts at the top of the strut tower and lever the lower control arm down (by standing on it or with a long something) and fiddle the strut out
take spring compressors, one on each side of spring and wind them down until the spring will spin freely. ie, not touching the top and bottom plates
then lock the shock in place, some shocks have flat on the end to grip them by, or the top plate slides onto flats and their is a hole in the top plate that you jam something thru.
then undo the top not on the shock. a rattle gun would make this much more fun as brad said.
then remove springs and shock
decompress old spring by winding out. (oh, always wind them relatively together,. ie 15 turns on one compressor, 15 turns on the other. so it compresses and decompresses in a straight line)
compress new spring and put back on, insert new shock and reverse removal.
and yes you will have to remove the brake calliper but not the disc
and you will have to undo the brake line. i often find it easiest to undo it from the metal end coz the little nut will twizzle about, wheras the rubber hose bends and snaps or you have to twizzle the calliper not the nut.
and u will find the brake line is attached to the strut by a little metal plate that has a rolled lip. just get a screwdriver against this lip and hit the screwdriver with a hammer to knock that little plate off to free the line so you can feed it thru the mount on the calliper (will make sense when you look at what im talking about )

hope i helped

[Trent-KE30]

Ok guys, ill dig into her tomorrow rep to both of you!

[BradW]

"may" need to use spring compressors?

If the old springs were lowered or cut and not captive then you can get away without using spring compressors but if they are standard height springs then as love ke70 said

if you like the way your arms attach to your body then you NEED to use spring compressors!