Okay, this posting is being done on September 14th, 2025, but the work started on August 28, 2025. What needed to be done? The PO told me it needed shocks. In looking at the Rimmer's catalog, if the shocks need replacing, then the suspension needs to come apart. Then, that means all the rubber parts.
On top of the basics, some upgrades. The first is the lowering kit for the anti-roll bar and the roller bearing for the top of the strut. This roller kit was supplied by Ted at TS Imported Automotive.
Hindsight is 20-20 because once I started into this, I would have grabbed other parts as well. Oh well, getting into this.
Cranked the pedal and removed the top bolt. The entire strut came apart 😃
Picking up the parts LOL
That shock is really toast LOL
Glad I ordered new boots LOL. Need to get the ball joint out. In prep for the shop press, heat up the arm and the joint
Some fire and smoke are always needed LOL. After the mandatory BANG in the press, the joint came out. Oh, don't forget to remove the snap ring. Need to ask why? LOL
The parts went through a round in the media blaster and the sonic cleaner. Ready for paint.
Gloss black tremclad and let it dry. Any paint runs, I don't care about 😂 The next part took a while to get fully clean, but it did come clean, and a visual inspection for cracks was done.
For all of the hardware, it needed to be cleaned as well. Back to the trusty sieve clamshell
Back to the media blaster now.
The new shock comes with a new locking nut.
Waiting for the hub in the sonic cleaner, the ball joint gets pressed back into the control arm. And yes, a new snap-ring LOL. Yes, I sourced a set of ball joints and tie rod ends. from all places, my local MOSS vendor. He had a set on the shelf from the inventory he kept for an old customer that raced '7s
The hub is clean and inspected as well.
The next day, the paint was set, and the strut was ready for reassembly. Start installing the new roller bearing
Using the strut tool again, it all went back together in a couple of minutes
Time to press in the new outer bearing races into the hub. Yes, using the correct socket size in the shop press
Putting the strut back in the car was simply using the floor jack to lift it up for the top three nylon nuts.
That is the driver's side back in. Before going much further, refresh the anti-roll bar. Cut off the old rubber mounts. By spraying the rubber and bar with Teflon lube, the new rubber mounts slid into place. The blocks are attached, and the end rubber is put to keep track.
When it came to reinstalling the anti-roll bar, it was a fight. I needed to use the floor jack, but other suggestions were that ratchet straps can be used. The main mounting bolt alignment was the hardest. But once one bolt in each mount, it fell into place. This was mounted a couple of days later.
Install the shock and the new retainer nut
Install the boot. Now I added an extra zip tie to the top.
Install the insulator ring
Install the new Teflon retainer ring for the bearing
The lower bearing race
After packing the bearing the top race
Then the top cone
Put the spring and the top assembly back in the strut tool. It should be noted that the main strut with the new retainer nut needs a little playing to get past the bottom of the spring. Without this strut tool, I would have been nervous to do this.
Then goes the top nut. Relieve the pressure on the spring, and then attach the boot to the lower part and zip tie it up.
Passenger side back in.
Now the bearings were packed and the hub seal installed.
New rotor attached to the hub. Installed, and a new dust cap was added.
The new rim and tire were installed temporarily. Yes, two nuts were missing. Unfortunately, the vendor gave me wheel nuts but no tool to prevent scratches. I needed to order new wheel nuts with the tool.
I received new brake pads from the previous owner. They were just the pads and the silence shims. More importantly, no new cotter pins. Managed to source stainless ones from a local hardware vendor, Spaenaur. So I got eight, just in case.
After using clamps to push the pistons back, I installed the new pads, the anti-rattle, and new cotter pins
The driver's side went back together easily
When installing the passenger side caliper, the last bolt to be installed, the long caliper bolt snapped!!!
Two issues.... One, how to get the rest of the thread out, and second, where to get a replacement. This is not exactly a simple metric bolt. The thread is shortened from regular bolts. Could fabricate one. Then contact someone who lives in the same town as I do, who has a TR7 and a TR8. He had a spare strut in a shed. Replacement bolt found within 400 meters of my house. What kind of luck?
Then the second part, how to get the thread out. As I was ready to drill and use an extractor, it moved!!! After about 30 minutes, I got it back out without any other tools
The next fight was the tie rod ends. The driver's side just came off. Good, replaced in 20 minutes. The passenger side would not budge. It didn't want to come off with penetration oil, heat, and oil cycles. Four vice grips could not hold it. I was trying to remove the end of the rod. Last night, I was thinking this is not working, so it's time to remove the rod from the end. Today, with a pipe wrench on the rod, it started to turn. Each 1/4 turn was a fight! My arms and core are fully tense, but after 35 minutes, it finally gave up and spun off.
The day ended with the '7 back on all fours
After lowering the front to the ground. Needed to press down to get it to compress to the proper height.
Now to put the airbox and vacuum lines back together
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