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KYB AGX Front Strut Install

By Robert Pina (celicast165@yahoo.com)

Intro:

This is how I installed my front struts.  Your installation may vary.  This was particularly easy in my case because I have very short springs.  The procedure would be similar if you have cut/lowering springs.  My way is to keep the brake lines together.  Otherwise with stock springs you have to disconnect the brake lines to remove the strut assembly and have the stock springs removed.  Springs are under high tension and if you try to remove them without the proper tools you are at serious risk of hurting yourself.  What I did the first time to remove the stock springs was a procedure just as below.  I removed the top strut nut completely.  Once the strut was free from all points the tension forced it down which allowed me to take the spring out (with some wiggling) without the use of a spring compressor.  If I had wanted to put it back together however, I would have needed a spring compressor.

I used KYB MR2 front struts since they fit in ST165 front and are about our only performance option.  ST185 performance struts can be used, but would require a spacer at the top of the strut which is not included.  Here is a picture of the stock oil strut versus the KYB.  The KYB fits just fine but requires the use of a new cap that is empty in the middle to make up for the longer casing.  The overall strut is a little higher so expect for your front to be raised.  You could get away with cutting just one coil from your springs to offset this, but don't cut more than that.

Tools Used:

• Floor Jack

• 14mm Wrench

• 19mm Large Socket and Wrench

• Pipe Wrench

• Adjustable Pliers

• Long Piece of Pipe

• Lug Nut Removal Tool

Steps:

• Loosen Top Strut Nut

• Loosen Lug Nuts

• Jack up the side you are working on

• Remove Lug Nuts

• Remove Tire

• Remove Clip holding brake line to strut (this is to allow more movement)

• Remove Brake Caliper Bolt

• Flip up caliper and slide off.  Try not to let it hang by the brake line hose.

• Remove bolts holding bottom of strut housing

• Use pliers or another 19mm socket to hold the other side.

• Remove strup top plate bolts.

• Wiggle strut bottom from hub.

• Once free strut strut will fall.

• Support the strut housing and work it free to the bottom.

• Remove strut top (top nut should be loose or removed from before).

• Remove spring.

• Use pipe wrench or proper tool to remove strut cap.

• If hard to remove, install strut back to hub with only the top bolt.

• Compress strut and point it down.

• The strut now cannot move, use a cheater pipe on the wrench if needed.

• If stock struts, place pan under strut and wear safety goggles.

• Oil is under pressure inside the strut housing, so go slowly.

• Loosen just enough to have oil pour out.

• Let oil drain for some time.  Work strut up and down to remove more oil.

• Finish removing ever slowly, oil may spray if not de-pressurized.

• Once cap is removed remove strut slowly, more oil will drain out.

• After strut is removed, DO NOT push it in.  More oil will spray from it.

• Drain/Clean strut housing.

• Insert new strut.

• Use new strut cap and tighten until there is no strut play.

• Install spring, spring top, and strut top.

• If a stock or large spring, use a spring compressor to compress the spring.

• Make sure you match up the spring top lock/key to the top of the strut.

• Tighten strut top bolt.

• Use vice grips or equivalent to prevent spring top from turning.

• It is important you match the key, this will allow you to loosen it in the future.

• Make sure the spring top is pointing in the correct direction, there is an arrow on top.

• Re-install Assembly

• To get the asssembly in, place the bottom of the strut housing all the way to the floor.

• Once top clears the fender feed it up to the top of the strut tower.

• Get the strut top bolts through the holes and tighten lightly to hold assembly in place.

• Now maneuver hub back into bottom of strut housing.

• Re-install all bolts, reverse of removal.