Leyland P76 Owners 2006

Technical problem

Changing the front shocks and lower control arms

by Yowee

Please note that when doing this work you should consult the manufactures workshop manual and use extreme caution when raising the car as well as removing the coil springs. All way remove the negative post connection of the battery before working on the car

Please note also that the parts can be obtained from your club or commercial outlets

This job took a good day to do both sides.
After following the guide line in the workshop manual I went about removing the strut assembly from the car.

Springs

The next thing you have to do is remove the coil springs.
I have a good quality set of spring compressors to compress the springs. (as your life depends on it).
Take up the spring tension and then release the retaining nuts a little otherwise it will turn because they fail to grip in the strut top slotted hole
I also used a mechanical restraint on the coils after I compressed them. Easier to put the strut back together

Internal collars

My main problem was getting the internal collars out of the strut body. I should have made a tool first, but ended up adapting equipment to do this.
Remember that the internal collars are peined. As you can see I nearly had to throw away the struts as I could not remove the aluminum collar.


I had trouble removing the original internal collars so had to screw in screws to be able to remove the internal collars

Again I did not have the right tool so I made up a tool from a piece of rod to screw in the internal collars and then used a punch to on the outer wall of the strut to pin the collar

You have to remove the steel spacer and clean up the area were the bush is going to go.
I would suggest that you may have to push the pin into the bush first and then reduce the outer surface of the bush so that it can rotate freely in the top hole otherwise you may have a grabbing sound when turning the wheel.







Reassemble the strut using the new bush and cartridge shock absorbers, taking care with those coil springs



Notice the condition of the rubber casing on the ball joint of the lower control arm
Last updated
Dec, 2005
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