How to Replace the Shocks and Struts in a Mitsubishi 3000GT

The Mitsubishi 3000GT is a popular sports car with top-of-the-line handling. It rides close to the road and it can seem like a bumpy ride. You need to stay on top of your suspension system maintenance to avoid damaging the undercarriage of your car. The key is replacing your shocks and struts after 60,000 miles.

Instructions

Replace the Front Struts in a 3000GT

1

Pop the hood on the 3000GT and use a wrench to remove the negative battery cable from the battery. It's marked either blue, black or with a negative symbol. Lift the front end of the car with a floor jack and support it by the frame with jack stands. Use a tire iron to loosen and remove the nuts on the front wheels and set the wheels aside.

2

Find the brake hose to the wheel hub, which is the only hose there, and follow it back until you reach the strut assembly--a spring with hardware on both ends. Remove the bracket holding the brake hose to the strut, but be careful not to pry or force it. Disconnect any other brackets attached to the strut.

3

Slide a jack stand under the lower control arm and support it. Find the bolts at the bottom of the strut connecting it to the steering knuckle and remove them. Don't let the knuckle rest on the brake hose. Outline the upper side of the strut on the frame with a permanent marker so you know how to orient it when you replace it. Remove the bolts and pull the strut assembly out of the 3000GT.

4

Compress the coil spring with a compressor, and remove the nut at the top of the strut. Pull out the upper mounting bracket and the bushings, which are the parts between the nut and the spring. Remove the spring. Replace the strut and any other parts that are worn and reassemble the strut assembly. Set the dial on your torque wrench to 16 foot lb and tighten the upper nut on the strut assembly until you feel the wrench slip. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 on the other side of the car.

5

Align the strut with the marks you made earlier and install the upper mounting nut to the strut assembly. Torque it to 33 foot lb. Attach the lower side of the strut to the steering knuckle, and torque the bolts to 65 foot lb.

6

Reconnect the brake hose bracket and any other brackets you removed from the strut assembly, and mount the front wheels. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 on the other side of the car. Lower the front end of the 3000GT and reconnect the negative cable to the battery terminal. Shut the hood and have a professional align the front end.

Replace the Rear Shocks in a 3000GT

7

Disconnect the negative battery cable from the battery terminal and lift the rear end of the 3000GT with a floor jack. Support it by the frame with jack stands. Pop the trunk and remove the trim over the wheel wells that allows access to the upper side of the shock assembly.

8

Pop the active ECS connector off the top of the strut assembly and the cap. Unbolt the upper mounting bolts. Remove the rear wheel and locate the shocks under the rear of the car. They look like two tubes that slide in and out of each other and meet the control arm right behind the wheel hub. Remove the lower mounting bolt from the shock, pull the shock out of the suspension and repeat this step on the other side of the 3000GT.

9

Align the shock with the control arm and hand-tighten the lower mounting bolt. Install the upper mounting nuts to the frame through the access hole, and torque them to 33 ft-lb. Pop the cap and the active ECS connector back on the top of the shock assembly. Repeat this step on the other side of the 3000GT.

10

Mount the rear wheels, and lower the car. Torque the lower mounting bolt on each shock to 65 foot lb.