How to Replace Porsche 914 Struts

The Porsche 914's struts act as rugged shock absorbers to dampen the trauma that is transferred to the car's suspension and frame.

The struts on your Porsche 914 act as shock absorbers to dampen the trauma that is transferred to the car's frame and suspension while driving. Their rugged design makes them more effective than conventional shock absorbers at performing this task. If you have noticed that small bumps in the road are jolting the car more than usual, then you will need to replace the struts. The procedure for doing so is easy enough to perform yourself, which will you save you a lot of money. Allow yourself one to two hours to replace both struts.

Things You'll Need

• Ratchet and socket
• Jack
• Jack stands
• Tire tool
• Pliers
• New struts

Instructions

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable using a ratchet and socket, raise the front of the car with a jack, allow the car to rest on jack stands, then remove the tires using a tire tool.

2. Press down on the tab attached to the washer for the nut used to secure the strut to the strut tower on the upper strut mount. Unbolt the nut using a ratchet and socket.

3. Unbolt the dust shield using a ratchet and socket, then pull the roll pin and strut insert from the strut housing with pliers.

4. Install the new strut, push the roll pin and strut insert into the strut housing, and bolt the dust shield back in place using a ratchet and socket.

5. Bolt the strut to the strut tower using a ratchet and socket, then repeat the strut replacement process for the other wheel.

6. Reattach the wheels, lower the car and reconnect the battery cable.

References

• "Porsche 914 (4-cyl.), 1969-1976 (Haynes Manuals)"; John Haynes; 1989

Resources

• Autozone: Free Online Repair Guides for All Vehicle Makes and Models (Free Membership Required)