Installing the front strut shock absorber cartridge (models produced before 1983) (Peugeot 305)

1. On early models, the A-pillar is made in one piece with the hub holder. To reduce the cost of replacing the strut, since October 1987, closed cartridge shock absorbers of the front strut began to be produced. The replacement procedure is described below.

2. Raise and support the front of the machine.

3. Remove the front wheel.

4. Have an assistant depress the brake pedal hard and hold it in this position while you remove the hub nut.

5. Unscrew the fixing bolts of the brake caliper and tie it aside so that it does not interfere.

6. Disconnect the tie rod

7. Disconnect the lower suspension arm from the machine body.

8. Remove the nut at the end of the anti-roll bar where it connects to the lower control arm.

9. Disconnect the upper rack mount from the mudguard cup. Do not touch the shock absorber rod nut at this stage.

10. Remove the hub holder from the end of the drive shaft. If the splines of the drive shaft do not come out of the hub, you can press the shaft out with the center screw of the three-point puller.

11. After removing the rack, compress the coil spring with a special tool, making sure that it does not come off the spring.



12. Unscrew the top nut of the shock absorber rod and remove the mounting parts. The end of the stem may have a slot or hex socket into which a tool is inserted to hold the stem from rotating while the nut is removed. Carefully remove the compressed spring from the strut.


13. Unscrew the clamping nut, pull out the piston with the rod and pour out the hydraulic fluid remaining in the rack tube.



14. Install a new shock absorber cartridge into the strut tube and tighten the clamping nut to a torque of 12 kg m.

15. Install the still compressed coil spring onto the strut and tighten the stem nut to the correct torque. Carefully remove the tool used to compress the spring from the spring.

16. Install the stand on the machine and tighten all fasteners to the desired torque (see specifications for chapter 8 and chapter 9). Apply thread locking fluid to the end of the drive shaft, install and tighten a new hub nut and lock it by driving its collar into the groove on the shaft. Apply threadlocker also to the threads of the brake caliper mounting bolts.

17. Upon completion, firmly press the brake pedal 2-3 times in order to adjust the position of the brake pads.