Chapter 1 Routine maintenance and servicing

1595Ford Fiesta Remake10•6 Suspension and steering4.2a Removing cap from front suspensionstrut top-mount retaining nut16 Using a suitable punch, tap the outerbearing outer race at diametrically-opposedpoints and remove the bearing assembly fromthe spindle carrier. Do not allow the bearing totilt during its withdrawal from the housing, or itwill jam and possibly damage the surface ofthe bore. Any burrs left in a bearing bore willprevent the new bearing from seatingcorrectly.17 Turn the spindle carrier over and removethe inner bearing assembly in the same way.18 Thoroughly clean the bearing bore andhub, then secure the spindle carrier in the vicein an upright position.19 Draw the new outer bearing assembly intothe spindle carrier using a length of metal tubeof diameter slightly less than the outer race.Do not apply any pressure to the inner race.Alternatively, a long threaded rod or bolt, a nutand large flat washers may be used to drawthe bearing into position (see illustration 3.7).Once the bearing has been installed, take carenot to dislodge the inner race and seal.20 Using the same method as for the outerbearing, draw in the new inner bearingassembly from the other side of the spindlecarrier. Again, take care not to dislodge theinner race and seal once the bearing is inposition.21 Using the same tooling arrangement asbefore, and with the metal tube or washerscontacting the inner bearing inner race, drawthe hub fully into the bearings. Alternatively, ifa press is available, support the hub facedown on the press bed and using a metal tubein contact with the inner bearing inner race,press the spindle carrier onto the hub.22 Check that the hub spins freely in thebearings, then refit the spindle carrier asdescribed in Section 2.4.2b Slackening the front suspension struttop-mount retaining nut whilst preventingthe piston rod from turning4 Front suspension strut -removal and refitting 3Removal1 Chock the rear wheels then jack up thefront of the car and support it on axle stands(see “Jacking and Vehicle Support”). Removethe appropriate front roadwheel.2 Open and support the bonnet. Prise freethe protective cap from the suspension struttop-mount retaining nut, then slacken the nut,but do not remove it at this stage (seeillustrations). Hold the strut piston rod withan Allen key to prevent the rod from turning asthe nut is slackened.3 Detach the front brake hose from thesupport bracket on the strut.4 Where applicable, unbolt and detach theanti-roll bar connecting link from the strutbracket.5 Undo the two bolts securing the front brakecaliper anchor bracket to the spindle carrier.Slide the caliper assembly, complete withbrake pads off the disc and spindle carrierand suspend the caliper within the wheelarchwith a length of strong wire, to prevent theflexible brake hose from straining.6 Unscrew and remove the strut-to-spindlecarrier pinch-bolt.7 Prise open the spindle carrier-to-strut jointusing a stout screwdriver, and separate thecarrier from the strut. Tap the carrierdownwards using a soft-faced hammer torelease it from the strut if necessary. Once thetwo components are separated, support thelower suspension arm to avoid straining theCV joints.5.2 Typical pair of coil spring compressors in use8 Support the weight of the strut underneath,and unscrew the previously slackened topmountretaining nut and lift off the upper cupseat mounting. Lower the strut and remove itfrom under the wheel arch.Refitting9 Locate the strut through the wheel arch andrefit the upper cup seat mounting and topmountretaining nut. Do not tighten the nut atthis stage.10 Apply leverage to the spindle carrier slotso that the spindle carrier can be refitted tothe base of the suspension strut. Refit thesuspension strut to spindle carrier pinch-boltand tighten to the specified torque.11 Tighten the suspension strut top-mountretaining nut to the specified torque, using anAllen key to prevent the piston rod fromrotating. The final torque will have to beapplied without the use of the Allen key unlessa suitable open-ended torque wrench adapteris available. Refit the cap over the nut.12 Refit the brake caliper assembly to thespindle carrier, and tighten the caliper anchorbracket bolts to the specified torque (seeChapter 9).13 Refit the bolt to secure the brake hosebracket to the suspension strut, and fullytighten.14 Remove the support from under the lowersuspension arm.15 Reconnect the anti-roll bar connectinglink to the strut bracket, where applicable,tightening the nut to the specified torque.16 Refit the roadwheel, remove the axlestands and lower the vehicle to the ground.17 Tighten the roadwheel nuts according tothe specified torque.5 Front suspension strut -dismantling, examination andreassembly4Warning: Before attempting todismantle the suspension strut,a suitable tool to hold the coilspring in compression must beobtained. Adjustable coil springcompressors which can be positivelysecured to the spring coils are readilyavailable, and are recommended for thisoperation. Any attempt to dismantle thestrut without such a tool is likely to resultin damage or personal injury.Dismantling1 With the strut removed from the vehicle,clean away all external dirt, then mount itupright in a vice.2 Fit the spring compressor tool (ensuringthat it is fully engaged) and compress the coilspring until all tension is relieved from theupper mounting (see illustration).3 Remove the spring retaining nut, thenwithdraw the lower cup seat mounting, thrust