2011 LR4 front air strut replacement

[DaytonaRS7]

On the front struts on the LR4, is there any way to get at the innermost top bolt from inside the engine bay like there is on the LR3?

Yes. Remove rubber heat sheild and you have a straight shot at the inner strut nut from above. Use a 12" extension.

No need to remove battery box or anything else.

 

[ryanjl]

Yes. Remove rubber heat sheild and you have a straight shot at the inner strut nut from above. Use a 12" extension.

No need to remove battery box or anything else.

I assume it's the same rubber heat shield you remove when you do the spark plugs?

I may try to go at it from the wheel well for a bit first, just to see if it's really that difficult. I have the necessary tools, so I might as well try to use them.

 

[DaytonaRS7]

I assume it's the same rubber heat shield you remove when you do the spark plugs?

I may try to go at it from the wheel well for a bit first, just to see if it's really that difficult. I have the necessary tools, so I might as well try to use them.

correct.

i just did this on my lr4 last weekend. I didn't even bother the other way. 1 min to pull the heat shield, 1 min to remove the nut. couldn't imagine reaching it through the wheel well to get that nut. the angle of the top hat, wheel well liner, and location of the air line would make it a huge PITA.

reinstall was a little more annoying. i started the nut, barely using 2 fingers, just so i knew it was on the stud straight. then i went at it again from above.
that said, this was still probably the easiest and fastest nut to remove.

 

[avslash]

I had very little issue getting at it from the wheel well using a stubby ratcheting wrench. I think I found one for $15-$20 at Home Depot.

 

[ryanjl]

Just thinking about this job more before I undertake it....

When installing the new air strut, do you install the top of the air strut first (and loosely tighten those nuts) before you install the bottom, or vice versa?

On the Atlantic British video, it looks like they install the larger bolt through the bottom first, but it makes it look like installing the top becomes a PITA.

 

[DaytonaRS7]

Just thinking about this job more before I undertake it....

When installing the new air strut, do you install the top of the air strut first (and loosely tighten those nuts) before you install the bottom, or vice versa?

On the Atlantic British video, it looks like they install the larger bolt through the bottom first, but it makes it look like installing the top becomes a PITA.

Thread and tighten the air line, while the strut is held up using wood blocks under it...no stress on the air line. I left about 2" of space between the top of the shock and the top mount. this gave me enough room to pull on, contort and tighten the air line. 12mm wrench. the airline is held in place with a plastic tree to the top of the top mount. pop it out and you'll get a lot more slack in the air line to pull it down. i may have bent the air lines more than it should be, but it was 35 degress and i got no cracks and no leaks. so maybe they can take more abuse than they look. this was by far the most time consuming part.

Grab a top nut and slide the stut into place. loosely tighten a nut just so its not hanging from the airline.

install the large bottom bolt. using a small jack to lift the control arm and/or bottom of strut into alignment. loosly install the nut.

install / tighten all top nuts.

Tighten large bottom nut.

 

[ryanjl]

Could you remove the nut from the airline and simply press-fit it into the new air strut?

 

[Michael Gain]

Could you remove the nut from the airline and simply press-fit it into the new air strut?

I don't believe so. Not sure what the fitting is called, but here is a description:

There is a copper collar that slide over the air line. You insert the air line into the nut, then install the collar on the side going into the strut. Once tightened, the collar slightly rotates to hold the air line in place.

 

[DaytonaRS7]

Could you remove the nut from the airline and simply press-fit it into the new air strut?

no. the fitting is similar to a copper compression fitting. there is a small sleeve that goes in over the airline, inside the fitting. as you tighten the fitting, it compresses the sleeve around the airline and holds it in place. no way to pull the airline out without removal of the entire fitting, then pulling the sleeve of the end of the airline.

edit: ^ he beat me to it.

 

[ryanjl]

Hmmm. On the A/B video, they remove the fitting from the end of the air line after unscrewing it from the strut, then, upon reinstallation, just push the air line into the new fitting that's preinstalled on top of the strut. (start at 8:10)

They're using the OE Delphi struts, though. I'm using Arnotts, so not sure what they come with.

I recognize that you guys are the ones who've done this before, so I'm just an armchair web warrior at this point.