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How to replace the dampers (front shock absorbers) of a MacPherson strut | Shown on Peugeot 5008

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  • OVERALL DIFFICULTY INDEX: 6/10
  • IF YOU HAVE NO TOOLS YOU SPEND $300 TO GET THEM FOR THIS JOB
  • IF YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE YOU SPEND 6 HOURS TO CARRY OUT THIS JOB
  • RISKS OF INJURY OR DEATH FROM LIFTED VEHICLE AND COMPRESSED COIL SPRINGS. 
BEFORE YOU START
  • This job is technically simple but physically demanding
  • Dismantling the front suspension requires some force to loosen bolts and handle the heavy tools and mechanical parts. Do not attempt this intervention if you suffer from any back / neck / shoulder pain.
DISCLAIMER:
Our pictorials are of informative nature and do illustrate works carried out by ourselves at our own premises for our own use and satisfaction.
Readers who envisage to carry out similar works inspired by the below method shall do this at their own risks and liability.

Preparatory works for dismantling MacPherson struts

Lift your vehicle, take the front wheels out and secure your car on jack stands.
Check our specific page for lifting a vehicle safely.
Make sure to buy one or more good spring compressor tools of different shape so you can compress safely and securely your strut.
See further below.
On some vehicles like the 1st generation Peugeot 5008 MPV, you need first to make access for the MacPherson struts upper fixing point.
Start by unscrewing the windscreen wipers and dismantling the wiper arm.
Take out the rubber seals and then the plastic cover that mounts below the windscreen.

Removing the MacPherson struts

Use your hydraulic jack with a small piece of wood to pre-compress the MacPherson strut.
Do not over do it as this could end up lifting the car again, stop compressing your strut as soon as the car is about to start lifting out of its jack stands, fit the MacPherson strut compressor tools and continue compressing the coil spring with the tool.
Alternate your movements in a manner to compress the spring little by little and while alternating on each of the compressor tools.
Make sure to keep the spring coils as parallel as possible all along the compression.
Stop when the coil spring is freed and moves independently from the strut. 
You can now unscrew the upper strut fixing nut.
Block the shock absorber (damper) rood with an Allen or Torx key and slacken the nut with a combination wrench.
Take out the nut and the strut fixing cup.
Time now to remove the bolts that hold the bottom of the MacPherson strut to the wheel hub.
Start by separating the anti-roll bar linkage then slacken and unscrew the strut fixing bolts
The MacPherson strut is now freed from both the car body and wheel hub. 

Fitting new shock absobers (dampers) and renewing the top of a MacPherson strut

Carefully manipulate the compressed strut as you don't want to take any risk of a brutal spring decompression.
Start by comparing the dismantled shock absorber assembly with the new one.
You should replace systematically 3 parts:
-The strut damper (shock absorber)
-The spring coil bearing (middle).
-The strut support (right)

Do not replace the MacPherson damper (shock absorber) without replacing the spring bearing and support
Dismantle the MacPherson strut by loosening the nut that holds the strut support to the damper rod and take out the support.
Pull out the coil spring then the damper rod protector (bellows).
Transpose the bellows to the new shock absorber.
Refit the coil spring and a new strut support in which you have fitted the new spring bearing (middle and right).

Refitting the MacPherson struts to the vehicle

Apply a thick layer of silicone or white lithium grease to the MacPherson strut support.
Clean well the strut hole on both sides.
Insert the renewed MacPherson strut and start by refitting the lower bolts without tightening them yet.
Lift the strut again with the jack placed under the brake disc.
Put grease on the strut fixing cup, refit it and tighten the damper nut completely.
Now tighten the lower bolts of the MacPherson struts to the recommended torque.
Check our general torque tightening schedule if you do not have access to the manufacturer's recommendations.
Decompress the suspension spring and remove the compression tool.
​Degrease the brake disc and reverse all above steps.
Take your vehicle to a wheel alignment workshop.

See also...

Buy your shock absorbers and damping bearings for the Peugeot 3008 or 5008 here, make sure of the compatibility with your vehicle: