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Disclaimer: This product is for racing purposes only. I nor anyone associated with the design or construction of this product will be held liable for property damage or personal injury. Use this product at your own risk.
Application: 1st Gen '95-'99 Dodge Neons (I'm sure 2nd Gen is similar if not identical)
Time Required: 4 hrs
Scale of Difficulty: 3 (5 being the hardest)
Tools Required:
Please read through all of the instructions beforehand to familiarize yourself before starting this project.
Since we are moving the top of the strut up ~1", we will have to cut out a section of the hood bracing that sits above the strut when the hood is closed to make room.
1. With your hood open, put a thin film of dirt on the hood bracing in the general area of where the strut mount sits and place ~2" high mound of clay or playdough on top of the strut mount.
2. Slowly close the hood until it squeezes the clay and then open it again. The clay/playdough will leave an imprint in the dirt that will show you where you need to cut a hole in the hood's bracing. Now, cut a hole that is roughly 4" x 4".
1. Loosen, but DO NOT REMOVE the top nut on the strut. If you don't have air tools or an impact wrench, you will need to take your 21mm spark plug socket and remove the rubber washer inside of it. Take the 10mm socket and put it on the top of the strut. Next, put the 21mm socket over the 10mm and onto the strut nut. Then, place the extension through the 21mm socket so that it will fit into the 10mm socket. (if the extension doesn't fit through the 21mm socket, take a 1/2" drill bit and drill out the hole in the 21mm socket -- the extension should now fit) Now, with your ratchet on the extension, you can keep the strut shaft from spinning while you take your Crescent wrench and turn the 21mm spark plug socket to loosen the nut.
2. Loosen your lug nuts and put the front of the car on jackstands. Remove the wheels.
3. Remove the 10mm bolt holding the brake line to the strut.
4. Mark a line showing the alignment of the heads of the "strut-to-knuckle bolts" to the strut with an awl. Then, remove the (2) 21mm nuts holding the bottom of the strut to the knuckle. Use a breaker bar to loosen them and make sure you hold the heads of the bolts still and turn the nuts. This is because the bolts are splined to keep them from turning and need to be hammered out.
5. Remove the top (3) 15mm nuts holding the strut assembly to the car. Remove the strut assembly from the car. Compress the spring with your spring compressor and remove the top nut. Now, you will be able to disassemble the strut assembly.
2. Get a four wheel alignment.
Check all of your bolts the next couple of weeks to make sure they are torqued down properly and that none of them are coming loose.
Please read through all of the instructions beforehand to familiarize yourself before starting this project.
2. Get a four wheel alignment.
Check all of your bolts the next couple of weeks to make sure they are torqued down properly and that none of them are coming loose.
