How to Replace the Front Strut Shock Absorber on a 1985 Cressida
- 1). Remove the hubcap on the front wheel of the Cressida and use a tire iron to loosen the bolts. Lift the front end of the car with a floor jack and place jack stands under the frame of the front of the car. Lower the car onto the jack stands. Pull the front wheels off the car and set them aside.
- 2). Use an adjustable wrench to remove the bolts holding the brake caliper on the wheel hub. The brakes are the parts that grips the wheel hub. Hang a wire from the frame of the car and place the caliper on it so it does not hang from the brake line. You do not want to damage the brake line.
- 3). Locate the MacPherson strut assembly in the bottom of the engine compartment. It looks like a spring wrapped around a tube that slides into another tube. The top connects to the car inside the engine compartment and the bottom attaches to the steering knuckle on the wheel hub.
- 4). Disconnect the nuts and lock washers from the top of the strut assembly and the bolts from the bottom of it. Push on the steering knuckle and pull the strut assembly out of the wheel well.
- 5). Use a coil spring compression tool according to the manufacturer's instructions to compress the spring on the strut assembly. Toyota makes a specialized tool, or generic versions are available at auto parts stores.
- 6). Grip the top of the new shock absorber with a large spanner wrench. Remove the nut at the top, then the three parts above the spring: the upper support, upper seat and dust cover. Remove the spring.
- 7). Slide the spring onto the new shock absorber, as well as the dust cover, upper seat and upper support. Tighten a new nylon washer and a new nut onto the shock to between 29 foot-pounds and 40 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.
- 8). Coat the strut mount on the car with multipurpose grease and push the steering knuckle down. Slide the strut assembly onto the knuckle and attach the bolts. Torque them to 58 foot-pounds.
- 9). Slide the washers onto the three studs at the top of the strut and torque the nuts to between 22 foot-pounds and 32 foot-pounds. Reattach the brake caliper onto the wheel hub and torque the bolts to between 62 foot-pounds and 68 foot-pounds. Put the wheel back onto the hub and tighten the lug nuts to 76 foot-pounds, if you have rear disc brakes, and between 68 foot-pounds and 86 foot-pounds if you have rear drum brakes.