Can you drive with a missing strut bolt?

Can you drive with a missing strut bolt?

You should be fine to drive the car like it is. Just don’t go off roading or start ‘tightening’ the other bolts and you’re fine. You could probably drive it like that for the rest of the year and be ok.

What’s the best way to replace a strut?

Once it’s in place, torque the strut mount nuts to spec. Then push the steering knuckle into the strut flange and use a pin punch to align one hole so you can insert a bolt. Then remove the punch and insert the other bolt. Snug up the nuts, but don’t tighten fully.

What happens if you remove the center nut on a strut?

Do not remove the center nut or the strut will come apart and it is under high spring tension. Since you’ve removed the bolts from the steering knuckle, the strut might fall loose after you remove these bolts. It might help to have a partner holding onto the strut assembly while you loosen these bolts.

Where are the strut bolts located on a car?

Once the strut bolts are out the strut and steering knuckle are separated. Open the hood and locate the strut towers to remove the bolts. Usually they are located at the midpoint of the inside fender well and look like cylinders. They are most likely held in by three small bolts. Remove the strut tower bolts.

How to install a strut on a Mk4?

Install suspension bolts loose-wrench tight, rest the car on ramps, then tighten the bolts to their final torque. This prevents the bushings from being preloaded and wearing out prematurely. To load the suspension, rest the weight of the car car on ramps or wood blocks.

Are new strut mounts needed when replacing struts?

Replacing strut mounts is always recommended when replacing the struts. The insulating material density changes over time and the mount pivot bearings wear. Other suspension and steering components often cause noises that the shocks/struts get blamed for: Ball joints, sway bar bushings & links are common causes.

Can you replace struts with shocks?

A few vehicles have shocks, not struts, at all four wheels. There is always ONE shock OR strut at each wheel. Whichever design your vehicle has, you cannot replace “struts” with “shocks”, or vice versa , when performing a service replacement.

How do you install struts?

Installing a New Strut Install the completed strut assembly back into the steering knuckle. Place the strut assembly back into the strut tower and replace the strut tower bolts. Replace the wheel. Perform a final check to make sure nothing was incorrectly fitted. Repeat the process for all struts you want to change.

What is strut assembly?

The strut assembly, located in the front or rear of the car, is basically a shock absorber with a spring coil for additional support.