Quick camber plate install question

[Maxhouse97]

Quick question - I happen to be replacing my lower control arms in the front, they are removed. In order to swap out the camber plates, can I simply lower the strut as an assembly without separating it (have to disconnect the sway bar, and watch for the brake line)? Might also have to compress the spring. I’m not changing the shock so want to keep them together. Thanks.

[01SG]

What do you mean by not separating it? Not taking the strut out of the knuckle? I doubt there would be room and don't know why you would bother trying. It takes a few minutes to remove the strut and would be much easier that way regardless.

If you have stock springs, you definitely have to compress them.

[SQ13]

Disconnect the endlinks and the headlight level sensor on pass side. Remove the brake line and wires for brake pad and wheel speed sensor from the bracket that’s on the knuckle. Then you can lower the strut and swap camber plates, and there’s plenty of clearance to do so. If you have ride height adjusters, lower them to decompress the spring. If not, godspeed.

[Maxhouse97]

Yea I was talking about not separating the strut from the knuckle. The ride height sensor is already detached because the LCA is no longer there.

[Maxhouse97]

Current state, worried about free floating wheel if I separate the knuckle (assume you’re saying that’s not hard).

[Slideways]

The hub can be supported from underneath while the strut is out of the car. It's a bit tricky without the control arm.

[01SG]

That's true. I would install the control arm before taking out the strut. Then it is easily rested on a jack or something.

After the pinch bolt is off you just twist and wrestle the strut out of the housing. The strut probably has a marking, but take note of how it lines up. Make sure you use the spring compressor too.

[fattycharged]

Just remove it and do this all on the bench, no point wrestling with it in the wheel well.

[bigjae46]

Loosely reinstall the old control arms. Put a floor jack on the bottom of the king pin. Blast off the strut nut on top with an impact. Slowly lower the king pin. Swap the camber plates out.

Then jack up the king pin so the strut shaft goes through the camber plate. Impact on a new strut nut, go easy!

Done.

Many blasphemous things going on here...so proceed with caution. This is how I swap out the front springs...have to be careful with the impact.

[heinzboehmer]

Loosely reinstall the old control arms. Put a floor jack on the bottom of the king pin. Blast off the strut nut on top with an impact. Slowly lower the king pin. Swap the camber plates out.

Then jack up the king pin so the strut shaft goes through the camber plate. Impact on a new strut nut, go easy!

Done.

Many blasphemous things going on here...so proceed with caution. This is how I swap out the front springs...have to be careful with the impact.

You forgot a step:

Hide behind the engine when lowering the king pin just in case something shifts and the spring shoots out. Guaranteed to reduce sketch factor by a lot

[bigjae46]

You forgot a step:

Hide behind the engine when lowering the king pin just in case something shifts and the spring shoots out. Guaranteed to reduce sketch factor by a lot

The spring is mostly decompressed once the strut shaft clears the strut mount. Not enough energy for anything to fly out. With my TCKs the spring isn't even compressed.

[heinzboehmer]

The spring is mostly decompressed once the strut shaft clears the strut mount. Not enough energy for anything to fly out. With my TCKs the spring isn't even compressed.

Yeah, mostly just messing around

Can never seem to shake the feeling that I'm doing something sketchy when I use the car as a spring compressor.

[01SG]

The spring is mostly decompressed once the strut shaft clears the strut mount. Not enough energy for anything to fly out. With my TCKs the spring isn't even compressed.

He has stock springs. They need to be compressed significantly to get the nut on, and I would not take my chances taking it off.

The whole thing is still easier taking it out of the car. It takes a minute to remove. Grip the strut with something to keep it from turning if you use an impact.