Q45 struts - help

[szh]

I am convinced! Only two at a time for sure.

Z

[elwesso]

Personally, I would start from the back....... They are harder to get at (but not all that hard), that way the rest of the job will be cake.......

[OneTimePoster]

Is there a technique to getting the (rear) lower strut bolt off...cuz I am finding it to be virtually impossible.

[DAEDALUS]

Either a *long* handled wrench or (preferably) an impact wrench will break the torque. You need to make sure you have a tool on both the bolt and the nut.

[OneTimePoster]

Um, since its gonna take at least 4 of me on the bolt, who's holding the tool on the nut?

I honestly can't figure out how anybody does this without a lift and major power toolage.

[forecast]

last week i pulled the rear struts off of Palmerwnds wrecked q45 out in field with no air for my impact wrech.

I used an 18 inch breakover bar, impact socket and a VERY hard kick. one kick to break it free and then it's back to sweating with a regular ratchet and a wrench on the back side.

when i break it loose I don't put a wrench on the back side. Once the bolt is turning, a wrench on the back side comes up against the frame easily and is held in place by the force of the ratchet.

I didn't even wd40 the threads, but it would have been a good idea.

dan

[DAEDALUS]

The back-up wrench usually just rests against the ground or against part of the car somewhere. Don't have to worry about the back-up tool till the nut starts spinning. Notice I said "nut" and not "bolt". Undo the nut if possible--it'll take less torque than the bolt will.

[Qgrappler]

I used some "liquid wrench" on the nut and threads and let it soak in a little. Dont know if it really needed it, but all of the nuts on mine came loose without super trouble. May have hit the breaker bar with a small sledge to get it started, can't remember.

[elwesso]

If all else fails, jump on the breaker bar!!

[szh]

Hi, all. More dumb questions from me!

I was looking floor jacks and wanted to make sure that I get a good one. Sears has a sale on a 3.5 ton floor jack. I was about to go for it, even though it is far more than I need (Q only weighs just over 2 tons total, right?) but I noticed that the minimum clearance was 5.25" - this has got to be too high for use under the Q, right? I liked it because the maximum raise height was like 20 inches, but held off buying it.

So:

1. What is the minimum height position floor jack that I should get?

2. Is a 2 or 2.5 ton jack (and jack stands) way sufficient (since 2.5 tons ~= 5000 lbs) as I will only raise back or front at a time?

Z

[elwesso]

There is more than 5.25in under the Q....... Id have to say there is close to a foot off the ground on our 03 suburban Z71, and I can fit under there, and there is about half that under the Q, so 6in would be a good guess...... Ill take a gander in the service manual sometime and tell you!

[OneTimePoster]

Hmmmm..... methinks MY question may be more dumberer. How are you guys getting an 18inch breakover bar onto the bolt? "Kicking it" and even jumping on it no less.

Are you guys getting access to the bolt by taking the wheels off first rather than from, um, under the car??? (If so perhaps my prior frustration, while more comical, might also be a tad bit more understandable).

[elwesso]

Are you telling me you didnt take off the wheel???

[AZhitman]

Hoo, boy.

You gotsta take off the wheel, brothaman.

Not quite as funny as me trying to compress the spring ON the car and remove/replace like that.

[elwesso]

OH LORDY!!! WE'VE GOT A BATCH OF DIYers HERE!!!!!

The only thing ive done is the plugs, so im sure my time will come!!!

[OneTimePoster]

As soon as I read "jump" on the bar I knew I was in a deep pile. Its ok, you can laugh out loud now.

Do you realize just HOW hard it is to get those bolts of when you are lying on your back under the car!?

fwiw, I assume all I need to do is take off the wheels and the bolt is accessible, nothing else?

[elwesso]

CORRECT!!! You just made the job about 100x harder than it really is (wheel off, of course )

[DAEDALUS]

Yeah, but Hitman's right. Not quite as funny as his little exercise in futility which, as I recall, he actually succeeded at!

[szh]

Hey! I found a pretty inexpensive spring compressor - anybody think this could do the job properly?

http://www.harborfreight.com/c...43753

BY the way, Greg, this says "on or off the vehicle". You weren't that far wrong with your effort!

Z

[jpdavis423]

From all the posts i have read this sounds like a fairly easy job, (and I did get under it and look) but when I stopped by the dealer they said it was a "real job" and would cost about $1,000. Although I assume they would also replace the springs. Then my local NTB said it was a "dealer only" job and would not even attempt it. Am I missing something?

BTW: 94 Q45, 69000 miles

[elwesso]

First off, 94Q with 69000 miles!!! MAKE SURE YOU TAKE CARE OF ITS transmission!!! COOLER AND REGULAR FLUSHES....... The OEM units are the best.......

ANYWAY, a lift makes it 100% easier, which may be why they said it was dealer only....... And the use of spring compressors...... I think if you have reasonable know-how, and make sure you do things slowly and methodically, you could do about anything on a Q.........

[DAEDALUS]

There is nothing "dealer-only" about the job. Perhaps it's just that Infinitis don't show up on their electronic how-to database. The growing trend toward complete "All-Data" dependency among shops, both independent and national, REALLY concerns me. In the past, a guy would have to possess many certifications to work on your car, or at least approve the work. Shops seem to think that, with this software, they can hire any bozo off the street for $8/hr and hand him a wrench. What's NTB?

[maxnix]

From all the posts i have read this sounds like a fairly easy job, (and I did get under it and look) but when I stopped by the dealer they said it was a "real job" and would cost about $1,000. BTW: 94 Q45, 69000 miles

Maybe we're both missing something. Is it an a model? Have you read the previous posts or performed any searches yet?

[jpdavis423]

Maybe we're both missing something. Is it an a model? Have you read the previous posts or performed any searches yet?

No it's not an A model and I followed several threads about the process and it seemed fairly straightforward. I think I'll have someone who knows what they are doing evaluate the struts and see if they really need replacing. If they do I'll try it myself.

[jpdavis423]

First off, 94Q with 69000 miles!!! MAKE SURE YOU TAKE CARE OF ITS transmission!!! COOLER AND REGULAR FLUSHES....... The OEM units are the best.......

ANYWAY, a lift makes it 100% easier, which may be why they said it was dealer only....... And the use of spring compressors...... I think if you have reasonable know-how, and make sure you do things slowly and methodically, you could do about anything on a Q.........

Just got it flushed with T-Tech machine on Saturday.

[jpdavis423]

What's NTB?

NTB= National Tire and Battery. Chain store that has high priced tires and batteries but does excellent alignments and balancing.

[maxnix]

No it's not an A model and I followed several threads about the process and it seemed fairly straightforward. I think I'll have someone who knows what they are doing evaluate the struts and see if they really need replacing. If they do I'll try it myself.

They do and you can. Using the AZhitman approved method, remove the units and have them disassembled my a shop with a pneumatic spring compressor. Get new rubber also.__________________Brian1995 Q45 & Q45t

Discover the power of the button!

[jpdavis423]

They do and you can. Using the AZhitman approved method, remove the units and have them disassembled my a shop with a pneumatic spring compressor. Get new rubber also.__________________Brian1995 Q45 & Q45t

Discover the power of the button!

Thanks for the reply. This is my only car so I'll have to compress the springs myself, but we have a good compressor at work that I can borrow.I also want to replace any part that might need it. Has anyone developed a complete parts replacement list for doing a "strut" job. Also since I don't have the shop manual can anyone give me the torque settings for the various nuts and bolts?

Thanks in advance

[DAEDALUS]

Scottsdale Infiniti treats us like royalty. Give them a call and tell them you're a NICO member, then ask them what you'll need. Then can probably email you a picture of the suspension systems. As I recall, you will need spacers, dust boots, rubber spring hats, & rubber bushings. If you have a rear sway bar, go ahead and order the 8 rubber bushing for that too.Call Joe at Scottsdale at 1-888-216-5328. Compare prices if you want; I bet they beat your local dealership by quite a bit.http://www.infinitipartsusa.co...=2121

[PalmerWMD]

use joe.he treats us great and we kinda owe him for that.Even if local delear matches Joe's prices.

Fred...