Any guide to How to replace rear top shock mounts? Options

[johndps]

Hi guys.
Been searching and researching this for many minutes now.

Is there a guide on the forum on how to replace the rear top shock mounts?
Top damper mounts?
My poor wee Celica gen 6 convertible is clunking from the left rear.
Is there anything that can be done with the old one to refurbish or is it case of only a replacemnet will do?

Thanks.

[Galcobar]

I always advocate spring compressors -- I'd rather be bored than get a surprise. It's the unlikely and unanticipated that gets people hurt.

However, for the OP: are you certain it's the strut mount that's causing the clunk? The Celica's rear suspension is notorious for a very specific failure, that of the No. 2 suspension arm outboard bearing, which causes a clunk. The suspension arms are the shorter bars running in pairs from the middle of the chassis laterally to the rear wheels, sometimes referred to as lateral links or (erroneously) as rear control arms. The forward of each pair is the No. 1 arm, while the rearward of each pair -- the one with the threaded toe adjuster on the shaft -- is the No. 2 arm. http://www.6gc.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=35515&st=0 You can test for this by getting the vehicle up on a ramp or lift and manipulating the suspension -- use your ears to trace the noise or hands to trace the vibration. Alternately, you can often get the bearing to react by prying at the bar.

Another common source of clunking -- rathe than creaking or groaning -- is worn out stabilizer bar bushings. These are also a cheap fix, and easy to test since you can disconnect the stabilizer bar from these bushings and then manipulate the suspension.

Strut changer how-to: http://www.turbomr2.com/MR2/HowTo/Suspensi...ringStrut-1.HTM

This post has been edited by Galcobar: Apr 18, 2013 - 7:30 PM