I'm well underway with this suspension project that I've started and I'm ready to reassemble the front struts. I picked up some Tokico HPs and need some help installing them. I've never done this before and want to make sure that I'm doing it right. It's quite a bit of work to go back and fix some little screw up down the road after I find out I messed up something. Ok, here we go....

The HPs came with a new gland nut for the strut tube, two washers, and a new nut for the strut rod. Several questions here....

1)Where do the two new silver washers go?

2)The old gland nut that I took off looks like it has an oil seal built in. The new one does not. Do I need a seal on the new one?

3)I'm going to pour in some gear oil to keep the new HPs cool. How much do you recommend?

4)Do I need to use any seals, rings, caps, spacers, etc from the old strut inserts? I took them apart and there are all kinds of collars, rings, spacers, and seals riding inside there. Do I just put the new Tokico insert inside the strut tube and tighten it down??

Thanks fellas! I've included pictures for reference....

Jamie

 

Come on Trochoid. I see you browsing the 1st gen section.... where are ya???

 

I think that collar that holds the cartridge in is only for the stock ones and the Tokiko's should have come with a new collar,minus the oil seal,that's how mine came...

 

Yeah, it came with a new collar, or nut or whatever you wanna call it. I'm just not sure if I need to re-use any of the old parts. Also, I'm not really sure what to do with the two washers....

 

No need to fill them with fluid.

Those washers are shims, I did not have to use them on mine.

Also, you use the new hardware. I did not reuse anything from the old strut beside the cartridge and the thin nut holding the strut inside.

 

The o-ring in the oem struts was a seal, they are also rebuildable if you can find the kit. Don't really need it, but it will seal the oil in that you use. A couple punces of motor oil is sufficient, you'll know when it comes out the top. I haven't used the washers yet, they may be for the SAs.

 

I had a DIY with all of the pictures you'd need. It'll help, I promise.

https://www.rx7club.com/1st-gen-archive-71/suspension-diy-1st-gen-front-suspension-w-lots-pics-555693/

The blues should have come with a top nut that will replace all that you had before.

 

Thanks for the help guys. So it looks like I just need to drop the new insert, fill it with oil, in and screw the new top cap?

 

Yep, it's that simple. I do clean the tube out first with brake cleaner and dry it though.

 

The collars or washers are in case there's up and down play when you drop the cartridge in with the top on... I only had to use one, the package came with two.

 

Remove all the old "guts", and drain the old oil out. Use brake parts cleaner to remove any old oil residue. DO NOT put any oil in the strut housing when you put the new cartridge in. The shims are to make up the irregularities in the strut mfg. It has nothing to do with using them in a SA or not. The differance in the strut housing between a SA and FB is about a Inch or more. You first put the coller on and lightly hand tighten. There should be a couple of threads still showing. If the coller bottoms out first, remove it and add a shim untill you have a couple threads showing.

 

That makes perfect sense. Thanks for the great explanation. I thought that you were supposed to put some kind of fluid in these to help them stay cool? Is that not the case? Why do you say not to do this? Just curious....

Thanks a bunch for the help,
Jamie

 

The old strut was not designed for a "cartridge" insert. It was a fluid filled strut. You are replacing it with a gas filled cartridge. Cleaning the inside out to make sure thare is no loose debre is just a precautionary measure. The new strut cartridge seal can be damaged if contaminates get on the polished shaft. It should also be clean and free of dirt when installing.

 

The washers are for the GSL SE which has a slightly longer tube.

 

Thank you. I didn't know that. I always thought they were the same length. The SA's are cosirderably longer, that's why they always list them seperate. I changed the strut housings on my SA to the FB ones because it was going to easier to find struts for them.

 

I was always told to put some oil in there to help keep things cool, never tried it without the oil, but it can't hurt....

 

Unless you drive over cobblestones all day at 80mph... I dont know why you would fill them. I run them without fluid, all is well for me so far.

Now only if I can get the damn thing started...

 

The fluid is there to help disappate heat that builds up in the strut cartridge. I know it's a guy thing, but did you read the install instructions.