so I have the directions on how to install but when i went to lift up the back and take the 17mm bolt off the strut it would not move one bit, i even sprayed it with wd-40 and I dont know anyone with an air compressor thats around me, is there anything else I can use? a buddy of mine said use a spring compressor and tighten it so much you can just pull the spring out without having to undo the bolts is this true?

 

yah... you could probably do that.
i don't know why that bolt would be stuck.
nothing hold that spring in place except the weight of the car and the shock tha limits the suspention travel.
so yah i thing you shouldn't have a problem doing it that way.

 

if you are doing spings and don't have en impact, how do you plane on taking the strut apart? no tricks there, or i should say thats the only right way to do it. there are other ways to take it apart but you would end up scraching the shaft and shortening the life of the strut.
you could allway go buy en electric inpact and then just take it back when you are done.

 

the directions I have say you dont need an impact for any of it but it will be alot quicker if you have one

 

i did my springs last week.
you don't need an impact gun or air tools at all.
just man up and wrench it. definitely, the car should be on the ground when you try to loosen the top nut for the strut. try buying some liquid wrench or rust penetrant and spray that on there. shouldn't be too bad, as there should be a ton of grease on that top nut.

in terms of putting the strut back together, yeah it's a biscuit. definitely need someone strong to press down on the assembly when putting back together or use some clamps/spring compressor to make it easier.

but yeah, strength is definitely a necessity here.

 

buy a big long breaker bar.

 

im talking about the main nut on top of the shaft that holds the top hat (mounting plate) on. if you just turn that the hole shaft tuns unless you hold it still with something like a wrench. if you do this it will scratch the shaft.

you would also need to do the same thing with putting it back together. the shaft will not stay still for you to get it tight enought unless you hold it still with something. once again you will scratch the shaft.
its up to you how you want to do it. i perfer to do things the easy way and the right way to avoid doing damage to my car and or screwing up the mechanical functions of anything. i like me car to work as smooth as posible.

if you managed to do work on your car without having the problems im talking about then good for you, i mean it, im not beeing en A#S.
but i choose not to take the risk. it takes a few extra minets to do things the right way and in the long run you will be glad you did.

 

anyone that takes apart a strut or tries to put one back together without the use of a good spring compreser must not like life very well. think about the waight that this spring holds. ive hear plenty of stories of a spring shooting 20 feet accross a shop and knoking a hole in a block wall, now imagine your head getting in the way. suspention components are not a joke or to be taken lightly.
i don't car what you do to you car or how you do it, its all up to you. im just tring to give you very knolagable advice.
i have done all my stuff the right way with good components. it rides as smoth as a BMW and it will for meny meny years to come.

 

i agree with swartz...definately need a spring compressor.....very dangerous without!!!

 

i totally agree with you swartz.

if the shaft is turning while you're trying to loosen that top nut, then something is amiss. you gotta get some kind of lube or rust-penetrant on there cuz that to me seems like the nut is stuck on there. if your car is on the ground when you're loosening it, then there shouldn't be really any way for the shaft to turn .... right ? dunno.

as for the spring, yes, i was extremely close to renting a spring compressor for the job after an hour of just trying to squeeze the spring down to put that top nut back on. when taking the strut assembly apart, you just make sure you aim away from everything (do it outside). no harm done there. our cars are not notoriously heavy nor do they have crazy compressed struts.

so my short comment is yes, a spring compressor is great to have, but is not necessary when it gets down to it.

 

It's only dangerous if you're not paying attention to what you're doing. You wouldn't look down the barrel of a gun, right? So don't look at the top hat when you're taking apart the strut.

 

hahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you would think someone wouldn't look down the barrel of a loaded gun, but plenty of people have been shot doing just that.

ive never let go of a spring but i don't thing meny people have ment to.
its just like a felon, you think he robs a store knowing he will get arrested, not that ive heard of.

anyway, thats just funny thats all.

 

thanks guys, I know adavance auto parts lets you rent spring compressors for 40 bucks and you get your money back after you return it, so you cant lose on that one and i guess ill break out some wd-40 and give it a go

 

good luck.
hope everything goes smooth.

 

just a sample of what could happen when you shorten the life of your shockes and struts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ObVJ...elated&search=

 

FWIW, a simple rubber mallet makes a decent cheapo impact gun. You can also use a steel hammer but a rubber mallet is safer, won't shatter or mess up your wrench. Just put the socket wrench on the nut and give it a whack with the mallet.

The mallet is also useful for the top strut mounting nuts if, like me, you don't remove the cowl and don't have a long enough box end wrench to get adequate leverage on them.

 

So after reading up on everything regarding the suspension on my 2005 xb I've come to the conclusion that a blown top hat on my passenger side strut is causing the claning sound when I hit a bump. I found an OEM KYB strut on ebay for 76.00. Does anyone know if the stock strut/shock assy comes with the top hat or does this have to be ordered seperately? If it does then is the dealer the only source available?

Thanks

 

struts do not come with a new top hat.
ive never had to get one befor so i guess you will have to call around.

blown top hat?
what do you mean "blown"?
can you post a pic?

 

they are about $12 from the dealer new. The top hat that is.

 

I'm having problems with my S.tech install too. Rear is perfect and so is the driver's side front but I'm getting a clanking sound on small bumps from the front passenger side. I've looked at the Xb repair manual and I'm confused about some posts I've read referring to a 'blown' top hat. What exactly is the top hat? Is this part of what Scion calls the strut mount or is it just another word for the upper spring seat? How do you 'blow' the spring seat? It's just a metal plate right? I'm just trying to figure out if I have to replace a strut mount at about $100 or just a $20 spring seat. Can anyone help? I've already tried taking it all back apart and making sure I have the rubber shock insulator and the upper spring seat facing 'out' as mentioned in the spring install tech tutorial. I did have it off about 40 degrees so I re-oriented it and put it all back together but the clank is still there. I do have a small (3mm?) hole in the insulator from where it got squished.