Strut
 

Ok, I am trying to swap out my front springs. Mistakenly I loosened the big bolt on the strut top that goes through the mount. I loosened the bolt that it attaches to. The one I am suppose to put an Allen wrench on. Learning as I go. Anyhow, when I get the strut out, do I just tighten the bolt? Any special torque. The spring compressor I had was wrong. Try again tomorrow..
David

That center nut needs to stay ON until the strut is out of the car and in a spring compressor to hold the spring our you can have a dangerous event of the spring going thru the air with some force. You take off the 3 nuts holding the top of the strut to the body and take the full strut assembly out.

Here's some video info:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFuERvwEt-I

That top nut is usually a Nylok or self locking type so it just needs to be tightened up properly, It probably does have a specific torque value.

Thank you.

Some additional instructions:

Porsche Boxster Shocks & Spring Replacement - 986 / 987 (1997-08) - Pelican Parts Technical Article

David,

I admire your want to do the DIY but please go slowly and make sure to be careful. The spring can injure you if things go wrong. So, follow the instructions, if you get stumped, stop and seek info. Posting here is the best option for the best response. DO NOT hang the brake calipers by the hoses. Tie them off with something to hold the weight off the hose.

Good luck!!!

Thanks. I am just doing the fronts. I think I will pay a shop for the back.

The torque for the top nut is 59 ft/lbs or 80 NM. Here is a guide that I used when I swapped out my suspension.

Boxster Hacks and Instructions

Note that I was replacing with KSports so I didn't take my top nut off and replace the springs so I don't have any direct feedback, but this article was very helpful to me.

When I go to retighten the control arm bushing, I am suppose to have the car on level ground. How does one do this? I am certainly not that thin to squeeze underneight. Do I just jack the control are up and then tighten?

I do not think I was meant to do this job. Since I started, I have tripped over one of the wheel blocks I had. Arms were full. I bounced off the wall and hit the ground. Then when getting up< i reached back behind me to push myself up. Well my hand planted on my fire extinguisher and I was suddenly engulfed in a white cloud. I am to stubborn to quit now.
Thanks.

This is the joy and glamour of doing these tasks yourself!! Call it a "bonding" or "getting to know you" moment. Get a swear jar and start to fill it up whenever you let rip while in the garage. If you really get into DIY you will be RICH!!!

I will say that your description of the incident has made me chuckle and smile. So, you have done your good deed for the day and made me feel better :-)

Geebus... get a Bentley manual or 101 Projects or something before you kill yourself.

Have both. 101 is loaned out.
I'll be fine. It will probably be more a financial blow. Last thing on my to do list though.

There should be a little point on the lca that you can.line up with a mark on the body that you can use if you can't put the car on the ground. I used ramps when I did mine in the back I'll scan the relevant section here tomorrow morning.

One strut off. Waiting for pArt. Thanks for all the help.

Regarding my initial question regarding the bolt that holds the strut to the mount, anyone know roughly how far it should stick out of the strut? I think if that is close, I should be ok.
Thanks in advance. It's a bilstein sport.

I hesitate to offer advice here, because it's not clear I can understand, and an wouldn't want to potentially confuse you, or create a dangerous situation. Basic terminology like "nut" and "bolt" are being confused here... and it's not at all clear to me which strut mount you may be referring to.

I generally second all the advice here about being careful and researching/studying a bit the proper procedure before "diving in".

Sorry I can't be of much additional help. Hope your project ultimately works out well (and safe - respecting the considerable potentially stored energy of a compressed spring)! Best of luck.

I am pretty safe with stuff generally. Car is blocked at wheels, on jack stands, additional big block stands under the car I made that if the stands fail, the car will only fall about an inch, spring compressor with the safety locks.

The bolt I Am talking about is the one that attaches the strut to the strut mount. I accidentally turned the bolt which I shouldn't have. Just trying to figure out how to get it back to close. Worst case, I will do the right side and take a measurement from the one I didn't touch. I was hoping to leave that side alone until I buttoned up the left.
Thanks.

The big nut that goes on the strut shaft after it passes thru the upper mount, is this what you are asking about?? The shaft has a shoulder on the bottom side so the amount of thread sticking up on the tops side can be different from strut maker to strut maker. What you need to see at a minimum is 1 thread above the nut top surface. No less.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_j4_NZ9Ze03Q/S8...ut%20Mount.jpg

Here is the section I was talking about:

http://986forum.com/forums/uploads02...1470920828.jpg

Thanks guys.