Ok, I’ve pretty much made up my mind to do the job myself. Any special tidbits of advice? Do I need a torque wrench or any other special tools? I’ve watched the Atlantic British video but looking for any advice I can get. Seems like jobs always seem way easier before starting and then not so easy when you get into it.

 

Yes torque wrench for the lower strut bolts but you can do it without, just do it up FT.

 

Ok, it was a struggle but I got the drivers side completely done and the top bolts broke loose on the drivers side. The new struts did not come with new top bolts so i reused the original and tightened down to what i thought was about right. I didnt apply any anti seize or anything so hopefully thats ok.

The 15/16th bolt was almost impossible to get off. I used PB Blaster and let it soak for a few hours. finally I was able to break it loose by standing on the breaker bar. But now I’m in a jam because the passenger side is seized to the point that I can’t break it loose. I stopped because I’m afraid I’m going to strip the nut or snap the breaker bar. I applied the PB Blaster a second time and will let it sit overnight and hopefully that will help.

if it still won’t break loose, what’s my next move?

tks

 

You wont strip anything. It will break free, just take a lot of force. Heat would be another trick but you will cook that strut bushing at the bottom. Keep water handy incase it ignites.

 

Oh, and keep in mind you do NOT tighten that lower strut bolt unless the Rover it at its standard height. Do not do it with it on the jacks or the "home" location of the bushing will be off and it will cause some small but annoying issues.

 

Tks. I’ll try some heat is I have to.

on tightening the bolt at standard hight, how do I do this since the tire would have to be on? When I tightened it, I didn’t have the control are supported with a jack.

tks

 

You can use a second jack to get the hub at the right height as measured from the bottom of the wheel arch which on a stock setup would be 18.3" from the center of the hub to the bottom of the arch as measured straight up. You do not have to reach full torque, but you want it tight enough that the metal bit in the middle of the bushing that the bolt goes through can not turn as the lower arm moves. So you can get it pretty dang tight then put the wheel on, lower it and give it a final torque.

 

Can I just use the second jack method and fully torque at that point? I’m afraid that once the wheel is on the truck is lowered I won’t be able to get enough leverage to fully torque.

 

Of course. Just be careful not to lift the truck off the jacks or such. The spec for that bolt is pretty high.

 

Thank you. Got it all back together! I reactivated the suspension using the GAP tool. The back raises as normal but the front is raising very slowly to the point the compressor kicked out for cool down. Could this be du to needing a recalibration?