We remove the complete front suspension assembly for replacement or major overhaul.
Required tools and materials:
- — Set of open-end, ring, and socket spanners in sizes 13, 16, 17, 19, 22, and 24 mm;
- — Jack and robust safety stands (axle stands);
- — Specialised ball joint separator;
- — Professional spring compressor (for commercial vehicles);
- — Penetrating oil (e.g., WD-40) and anaerobic thread locker.
Position the vehicle on an inspection pit or a vehicle lift.
Apply the parking brake and place wheel chocks under the rear wheels.
Jacking up the front of the vehicle. Place two robust safety stands under the chassis side members and remove the front wheels.
Place adjustable supports or jacks under the lower control arms of the front suspension and raise them by a few centimetres to simulate the working load.
Disconnect the supply brake pipe from the T-junction of the braking system and from the retaining brackets located on the suspension crossmember.
Remove the front suspension shock absorbers (see article – Replacement of the front suspension shock absorber and stabilizer).
Install the spring compression devices in place of the shock absorbers and carefully compress the springs.
⚠️ Important: Compressing the suspension springs of a commercial vehicle requires considerable force. Do not under any circumstances use devices designed for passenger cars or products of dubious quality. In the event of breakage or slippage of such devices, you risk serious injury!
The safest method for this task is to use a device with a long drawbolt, which is installed inside the spring in place of the removed shock absorber.
Unscrew the nuts securing the tie rod joint pins to the steering knuckle arms, holding the pins with a spanner to prevent them from turning.
Install the ball joint separator and extract the pins from the bosses of the steering knuckle arms.
Unscrew the steering gear mountings from the front suspension crossmember and carefully remove the gear, without disconnecting the power steering system pipes and the steering shaft. Secure the gear to the vehicle chassis with soft wire or a strap to avoid straining the hoses.
To access the bolt of the front right cab mounting, first remove the air filter housing.
Unscrew the front cab mounting bolts on both the right and left sides, and disconnect the cab from the crossmember brackets.
Raise the front of the cab, place wooden or metal supports between the cab side members and the chassis, and lower the cab onto them, thereby unloading the suspension crossmember.
Unscrew the nuts of the four left-hand and four right-hand bolts securing the crossmember to the vehicle chassis.
Remove the bolts from the holes.
Remove the supports from under the lower suspension control arms.
Lower the suspension smoothly and withdraw it from under the vehicle.
Important: Install the suspension in the reverse order. Before final tightening, apply anaerobic thread locker to the crossmember mounting bolts. Tighten the threaded connections to the torque specified in the operator's manual (typically 120–150 N·m for the crossmember bolts).
After installing the suspension, you must bleed the braking system and adjust the front wheel alignment angles (see article – Front wheel alignment adjustment).
