Front Suspension

FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER (for 4WD)

Components:

REMOVAL
1. REMOVE FRONT WHEEL
2. SEPARATE FRONT HEIGHT CONTROL SENSOR LINK ASSEMBLY

a) Remove the bolt from the front lower suspension arm.

3. SEPARATE FRONT SPEED SENSOR

a) Disconnect the speed sensor connector.
b) Remove the 3 bolts and separate the front speed sensor from the front shock absorber with coil spring.

NOTICE: Be careful not to deform the bracket of the front shock absorber with coil spring when removing the bolt.

4. SEPARATE FRONT UPPER SUSPENSION ARM

a) Remove the clip and nut.

b) Using SST, remove the upper ball joint from the steering knuckle.
SST 09628-00011

NOTICE:
^ Use wire or something similar to suspend the steering knuckle and prevent it from hanging down by the flexible hose.
^ Do not damage the ball joint dust cover or steering knuckle.
^ Securely position the SST on the spacer of the steering knuckle.
^ If the spacer of the steering knuckle comes off, replace the steering knuckle with a new one.

5. SEPARATE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
6. REMOVE ENGINE ROOM SIDE COVER

a) Remove the 4 clips and engine room side cover.

b) Loosen the lock nut of the front shock absorber.

NOTICE:
^ Do not remove the lock nut.
^ Loosen the lock nut only when disassembling the front shock absorber with coil spring.

c) Remove the 3 nuts from the upper side of the front suspension support.
d) Remove the front No.3 spring support reinforcement.

7. REMOVE FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER WITH COIL SPRING

a) Support the front lower suspension arm with a jack.

NOTICE: Be sure to place a wooden block between the jack and the front lower suspension arm to avoid damage.

b) Loosen the nut and front upper shock absorber bracket plate.

NOTICE: Leave the nut and bracket plate installed to prevent the front shock absorber from failing.

c) Slowly lower the jack.
d) Remove the nut, bracket plate, and front shock absorber with coil spring.

8. REMOVE FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER

a) Install SST to the front coil spring so that the 2 hooks on the SST are fully extended.
b) Fully compress the front coil spring with the SST.
SST 09727-30021 (09727-00010, 09727-00021, 09727-00031)

NOTICE: Do not use an impact wrench. It will damage the SST.

c) Remove the lock nut.

d) Remove the front suspension support assembly with the front upper coil spring insulator.
e) Remove the front upper coil spring insulator from the front suspension support assembly.
f) Remove the front spring bumper from the front suspension support assembly
g) Remove the front coil spring and SST.

NOTICE: Do not use an impact wrench. It will damage the SST.

h) Remove the front lower coil spring insulator.

i) Secure the front lower shock absorber bracket in a vise between aluminum plates.

NOTICE: The shell case may be damaged if the shock absorber is secured in a vise. Be sure to secure the front lower shock absorber bracket instead. Remove the bolt from front lower shock absorber bracket.

INSPECTION
1. INSPECT FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER

a) Check that shock absorber oil is not seeping or leaking from the sliding parts of the shock absorber rod.
b) Compress and extend the front shock absorber rod 4 or more times. Check that there is no abnormal resistance or sound. If there is any abnormality, replace the front shock absorber with a new one.

NOTICE: When disposing of the front shock absorber, see DISPOSAL.

INSTALLATION
1. INSTALL FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER

a) Secure the front lower shock absorber bracket in a vise between aluminum plates.

NOTICE: The shell case may be damaged if the shock absorber is secured in a vise. Be sure to secure the front lower shock absorber bracket instead.

b) Install the front lower shock absorber bracket with the bolt.
Torque: 48 Nm (490 kgf-cm, 35 ft. lbs.)

c) Install the front lower coil spring insulator to the front shock absorber so that both recessed parts are aligned.

d) Using SST, compress the front coil spring.
SST 09727-30021 (09727-00010, 09727-00021, 09727-00031)

NOTICE: Do not use an impact wrench. It will damage the SST.

e) Install the front coil spring so that the end comes to the stepped portion of the lower spring seat of the front shock absorber.

f) Install the front spring bumper to the front suspension support assembly
g) Install the front upper coil spring insulator to the front suspension support assembly as shown in the illustration.

NOTICE: The arrow mark on the front upper coil spring insulator must align with the identification mark on the front suspension support.

h) Align the width across flat on the piston rod end of the shock absorber and width across flat on the suspension support. Then install the suspension support to the shock absorber.
i) Temporarily tighten a lock nut on the shock absorber.
j) Adjust the front suspension support assembly so that the bolts come to the positions shown in the illustration, and remove the SST from the front coil spring.

NOTICE:
^ Do not use an impact wrench.
^ Make sure that the width across flat on the piston rod end is located parallel to the shock absorber bushing.
^ Make sure of the direction of the front suspension support assembly when removing the SST.

2. TEMPORARILY TIGHTEN FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER WITH COIL SPRING

a) Install the front shock absorber with coil spring and front No.3 spring support reinforcement on the vehicle by tightening the 3 nuts on the suspension support side.
Torque: 67 Nm (683 kgf-cm, 49 ft. lbs.)

b) Install the front shock absorber with coil spring to the front lower suspension arm.
c) Align the protrusion of the front upper shock absorber bracket plate and the cutout of the front lower shock absorber bracket. Then install the front shock absorber to the front lower suspension arm and temporarily tighten the nut.

HINT: Fully tighten the nut after stabilizing the suspension.

d) Tighten a new lock nut.
Torque: 28 Nm (286 kgf-cm, 21 ft. lbs.)

3. CONNECT TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
4. CONNECT FRONT UPPER SUSPENSION ARM

a) Install the steering knuckle to the front upper suspension arm, and secure them with the nut.
Torque: 87 Nm (887 kgf-cm, 64 ft. lbs.)
b) Install a new clip to the steering knuckle.

NOTICE:
^ Further tighten the nut up to 60° if the holes for the cotter pin are not aligned.
^ Do not loosen the nut to align the holes for the cotter pin.

5. CONNECT FRONT SPEED SENSOR

a) Install the front speed sensor with the 3 bolts.
Torque: 6.0 Nm (61 kgf-cm, 4.4 ft. lbs.)

NOTICE: Do not twist the speed sensor front while installing.

b) Connect the front speed sensor connector.

6. CONNECT FRONT HEIGHT CONTROL SENSOR LINK ASSEMBLY

a) Install the front height control sensor link assembly to the front lower suspension arm with the bolt.
Torque: 5.4 Nm (55 kgf-cm, 47.8 inch lbs.)

7. STABILIZE SUSPENSION
8. FULLY TIGHTEN FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER WITH COIL SPRING

a) Fully tighten the nut on the lower side of the front shock absorber.
Torque: 112 Nm (1,140 kgf-cm, 82 ft. lbs.)

9. INSTALL ENGINE ROOM SIDE COVER
10. INSTALL FRONT TIRE
Torque: 103 Nm (1,050 kgf-cm, 76 ft. lbs.)

11. INSPECT AND ADJUST FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT

DISPOSAL
1. DISPOSE OF FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER

a) Fully extend the front shock absorber rod.
b) Using a drill, make a hole in the cylinder between A and B as shown in the illustration to discharge the gas inside.

CAUTION:
^ Be careful when drilling because shards of metal may fly about, so always use proper safety equipment.
^ The gas is colorless, odorless, and nonpoisonous.