Editing S130/frontstrutreplacement php (section)

=== Preliminary preparations ===

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Purchase all of the parts you want to replace. I replaced:
* Strut inserts (Tokico Illuminas)
* Upper strut mounting bearings
* Lower ball joints (only ball joints on the car)
* Outer tie rod ends
* Strut dust boots and bump stops
* Tension rod bushings (
''don’t forget new self-locking nuts'') - Stabilizer end link and mounting bushings (
''also get new self-locking nuts'')

This would have been a great time to replace the front wheel bearings, brake rotors, calipers, and pads, but I wanted to finish in one weekend. When reinstalling:

* Wheel bearing dust caps →
'''new O-rings required''' - Wheel bearing nuts →
'''new cotter pins required'''(I used 1.5-inch zinc cotter pins)

Everything except the Tokico inserts, dust boots, and polyurethane bump stops came from Nissan — excellent quality, and the ball joints/tie rod ends included castle nuts and cotter pins.

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Get a dozen quart-sized zipper freezer bags (I used GladLock, but any brand works). Label six of them
'''LEFT'''and six'''RIGHT'''with a permanent marker. Use these to store brake pads, wheel bearings, etc., so they stay clean and can be reinstalled on the correct side. -
Make sure you have the special tools you’ll need:
* Coil spring compressors
* Ball joint/tie rod separator (I used pickle forks since I was replacing them)
* Big hammer (for the pickle forks)
* Large screwdriver (to separate the strut from the steering knuckle/lower ball joint)
* Torque wrench (25–100 ft-lb range)
* 18-inch breaker bar

* Have something solid to mount the strut on before loosening the gland packing nut. There’s a special socket for this nut, but I just used a pipe wrench.