Instructions

Vehicle Disassembly  

1. Measure the vehicle from bottom edge of rim to edge of guard on all four corners prior to starting work or raising the vehicle off the ground. Note these measurements on the provided vehicle measurement card.

2. Raise the vehicle off the ground using a vehicle hoist or sturdy jack stands. Ensure the vehicle is stable prior to beginning work. Remove the front wheels.

3. Undo the top three nuts of the strut top. Be certain not to undo the large centre nut.

4. Undo the lower eyebolt, noting the location of the tab holding the nut in place. Remove the bolt and set aside for later installation.

5. Undo the sway bar nuts and push the sway bar connecting rod out of the way. Remove the fixtures holding the ABS line in place. There is one bolt to remove on the hubcarrier assembly, and a clip on the upper control arm. It is important both are removed to ensure damage does not occur to the ABS line during installation procedure.

6. Remove the safety pin from the upper control arm ball joint. Loosen the nut from the ball joint in order to spread the upper control arm and hub carrier assembly. Leave the nut on the end of the thread until the upper ball joint and carrier have been separated. To separate the ball joint, strike the side of the assembly. Do not strike the end of the ball joint connection. Once the unit has been separated, the nut can be removed completely.

7. Lever the lower eyering of the strut out of its mounting, and remove the strut as a complete unit. It may be necessary to use two people to help spread the lower control arm enough to remove the strut. Ensure that the lower control arm is pushed downwards only far enough to facilitate removal. Pushing the lower control arm too far can result in CV damage due to over extension.

8. If you’re building struts using separated components, mark the removed original equipment to ensure that the struts are returned to the vehicle.

IF USING TOUGH DOG COMPLETE ASSEMBLY STRUTS SKIP TO STEP 16

Strut Assembly

9. Compress the strut using a wall or bench mounted strut machine untilthe pressure of the coil is completely removed from the upper strut Mount

WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE STRUT TOP FROM ANY VEHICLE WITHOUT COMPRESSING THE COIL OR USING HAND HELD SPRING COMPRESSORS. SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH MAY OCCUR.

10. Remove the top centre nut holding the strut top on the complete strut assembly. Ensure that the strut is supported to guard against falling during this procedure.

11. Remove the OEM dust shield and bump stop from the OEM strut. Refit both of these units to the Tough Dog strut prior to assembly.

12. WARNING: FAILURE TO FIT BUMP STOP WILL RESULT IN SHOCK FAILURE AND VEHICLE DAMAGE DUE TO EXCESSIVE COMPRESSION TRAVEL

13. Carefully remove OEM coil from compressor and compress your new Tough Dog coil so that the strut can be installed. Ensure that sufficient compression is achieved so that the strut top can be installed without pressure being applied from the spring.

14. Place the strut top on the top of the coil and insert the strut through so that the thread protrudes. Ensure that the strut top locating pin is positioned to the right when viewed from the front of the machine.

15. Tighten the flange nut supplied fully while there is no pressure from the coil. It is important to ensure this nut is completely tightened.

16. Loosen the compression of the coil and remove the strut from the compressor. Place the strut onto a flat surface supporting the strut pins and the lower eyering. Ensure that the eyering on the base of the strut sits at the same angle as the original factory eyering. The specifications of offset are listed below.  

Driver’s Side 9^o Left 

Passenger’s Side 9^o Right

Vehicle Reassembly

17. Place the strut into the vehicle top end first, ensuring to locate the cotter pin through the same hole as originally removed from. Using assistance, push the lower control arm down and locate the lower eyering in its mounting location. 

18. Perform steps 3 through 8 inreverse order, ensuring to reattach and tighten the sway bar, ABS brackets,upper ball joint and safety clip.

19. Place the lower eyering mounting nut into its locating slot. Besure that the locating tab is installed as pictured. If the tab is not located properly, it is likely to rotate during installation or operation which will damage the CV boot. Push the eyering bolt through and tighten slightly. Ensure not to tighten the bolt fully at this time as this will damage the lower strut bush. Repeat steps 16 through 18 for the other side of the vehicle.

20. Complete the installation of the rear suspension components of the vehicle.

21. Lower the vehicle to the ground and ensure that the vehicle is supporting its own weight. Tighten the lower eyering bolt at this time.

22. Measure the vehicle from rim toguard height on all four corners and note the completed heights on the vehicle measurement card from step 1. Store the vehicle measurement card in the glove box of the vehicle.

Check all components for tightness after 500km of driving.