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Nissan YD22DDTi engine factory workshop and repair manual download

1) Purpose and failure theory (short)
- The spring seat (perch) provides a concentric bearing surface and axial stop for the coil spring and usually locates a rubber insulator. It transfers spring load into the strut/axle and keeps the spring indexed so the coil ends sit in their seats.
- Failures: corrosion, lip wear, crushed or pitted bore, broken/missing insulator or fractured perch. Result: spring moves off-seat (noise, clunks), reduced/uneven ride height, poor spring preload and alignment, excessive localized stress on strut or body, accelerated wear of other suspension parts.
- Repair goal: restore the correct seat geometry, height and seating surface (and insulator) so the spring bears over its full circumference and is retained axially. That restores load paths, ride height and eliminates lateral movement and noise.

2) Preparatory diagnosis and safety
- Symptoms that point to a bad seat: clunking over bumps, spring visibly shifted, low corner/uneven ride height, metal-on-metal contact or missing rubber pad, visible rust-through at perch.
- Safety: Always work on a flat surface. Use a hoist or properly rated jack and stands. Coil springs are high-energy parts — use a suitable spring compressor for struts or securely support the axle so the spring is unloaded before removing retaining hardware.

3) Tools & consumables (minimum)
- Jack and stands or hoist, wheel chocks
- Spring compressor (strut-type) or floor jack to support axle
- Sockets, ratchet, torque wrench
- Penetrating oil, wire brush, grinder
- Replacement spring seat/perch or new strut assembly OR welding equipment and filler rod if rebuilding
- New rubber insulator/pad, anti-seize, rustproof paint

4) Ordered repair procedure (MacPherson front strut — adjust for rear/axle coil per notes)
A. Lift & initial inspection
- Lift vehicle, chock, remove wheel.
- Visually inspect spring seat, spring ends, insulator and strut tube for corrosion/pitting or lip breakage. Confirm fault.

B. Unload spring and remove strut
- Support lower control arm or hub with a jack so the spring is not carrying weight (unloaded).
- Remove any stabilizer links / brake line brackets restricting strut removal.
- If removing strut as an assembly: loosen top strut nut (do not remove fully), unbolt lower strut bolts, remove strut from vehicle.
- Use a proper spring compressor on the coil (compress coils evenly to release spring preload) and then remove top nut and mount to free the spring and seat.

Theory: you must remove preload safely because the spring stores substantial energy; compressing removes load so you can separate parts without the spring forcing components apart.

C. Remove and inspect seat and insulator
- Take the spring and insulator off and clean the perch area.
- Measure/inspect dimension and profile of the seat lip and the bore where the spring seats. Note corrosion depth, lip thickness and concentricity.

D. Decide repair method (replace vs rebuild)
- Replace whole strut or replacement OEM perch: best reliability and alignment — restores original dimensions and material.
- Replace only perch insert (if available): good if part is serviceable.
- Rebuild by welding/build-up: acceptable if no parts available and done correctly — requires skilled welding, machining/grinding to original profile and to the correct diameter/height. Poor welding will change seat geometry, create stress risers, or burn the strut tube.
- Why replacement preferred: guarantees correct geometry, heat treatment, and surface finish. Rebuilding must restore concentricity and radial lip to retain spring forces.

E. Rebuild or install new seat
- Replacement: install new perch/seat and rubber insulator. Clean contact surfaces, apply anti-seize where required, ensure correct orientation.
- Welding rebuild (theory & key controls): strip paint and rust, weld incremental small passes to build the lip or fill pitted zones, allow cooling between passes to avoid warping, grind and machine to the original radius and height so the spring seating step is continuous and concentric. Finish with rustproof coating and fit a new rubber pad.
- Important: final seat height and circumferential surface must match the spring coil end geometry so coil end bears fully. Any gap or sharp discontinuity lets the coil tip dig in or move sideways.

F. Reassemble
- Refit spring with new insulator into the rebuilt/replaced seat, compress spring evenly, fit the strut mount and torque top nut to specification while the spring is compressed.
- Reinstall strut into vehicle, torque lower and top fasteners to factory spec, reconnect links/brackets.
- For axle/perch types: lower axle slowly so spring bears full load in the new seat; check that spring is centered and sits in the seat groove.

G. Final checks
- Verify ride height and compare to spec. Check spring indexing: coil end in correct groove and insulator seated.
- Road test for noise, clunks, and handling. Re-torque fasteners after a short test drive.
- If ride height or alignment changed, perform wheel alignment.

5) How each repair step fixes the fault (concise)
- Removing preload and inspecting isolates the failed component so you can confirm the cause (seat geometry vs spring vs insulator).
- Replacing or rebuilding the seat restores the axial stop and radial support so the spring no longer shifts off-seat; that removes metal-to-metal clunks and prevents the spring from unloading locally (fixes noise and restores consistent spring rate and ride height).
- A proper rubber insulator isolates high-frequency vibration and prevents squeak; replacing it removes noise and wear between coil and seat.
- Restoring concentric bearing surface corrects load distribution so the strut and hub do not receive eccentric loads; that stops accelerated wear and poor handling.
- Correct reassembly and torqueing restores the original suspension geometry and preload, ensuring predictable handling and eliminating secondary faults (alignment, uneven tyre wear).

6) Common pitfalls and warnings (short)
- Never release a compressed spring outside a proper compressor. Spring energy can cause severe injury.
- Welding the strut body without controlling heat can destroy material properties; if unsure, replace the strut or the seat component.
- Restoring only one corner and not checking ride height/alignment can mask problems — always check all corners and perform alignment as needed.

Done.
rteeqp73

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