Hi all,
I have just replaced my front air struts and thought it might be useful to add a bit to the wiki which already exists on the subject.
The wiki is good. However I found no need to remove the wheel arch liner. Once everything has been unbolted, you can drop the strut down far enough so that you can undo the air line from below with a 12mm spanner. It will become obvious as you go.
The bolts securing the upright to the strut will require heavy duty tooling. Do not attempt this job without access to proper tools. A big breaker bar or a powerful electric or pneumatic driver will be needed to undo the 22mm nuts. But that's the least of your problems. I couldn't shift the lower bolt with a 10lbs sledgehammer after the nut was off. It was truly frozen in the bore. I finally got it out by using a 3/4' 5:1 torque multiplier to twist the bolt while simultaneously hitting the other end with a hammer. Once it starts shifting, you're ok. Apart from that, it's actually dead easy and I did both sides in about two hours. Without the torque multiplier, however, I believe I would still be there.... Heat, as in oxy-acetylene or big propane torch might help, but it might also cause damage to the material integrity of the upright or the bolt. Getting that heat where you need it won't be easy.
You'll need something more than the standard jack to support the vehicle while you're working and a small bottle jack to be able to raise and lower the lower suspension arm at will, so that you can take the tension off things as you pull them apart and reassemble.

All in all a very doable job, but a lack proper tools can be a showstopper.

Henrik

Yeah, bottom bolts were tight when I did mine last week. Used heat from a plumbers torch and a lump hammer which eventually shifted it.
Its a straightforward job apart from that.
Glad i changed the whole strut and not just the bags. The N/S bag had oil from the strut in it which was totally shot.
The strange thing was it didnt drive like the struts were bad. 2007 Vogue TDV8 in Zermatt Silver with Charcoal

Had the same problem when I replaced my front struts, the 22mm bolts came off once I used the breaker bar, plus gas and 18st of me hanging off it.
I would get some new nuts and bolts handy if it’s the first time changing the struts, I ended up damaging the nuts and bolts by bashing them out with a club hammer.
New bolts greased and fitted make it easier if you need to remove them at any time.
That was the worst bit, other that they were easy to change just remember the bolts only go in one way. 2004 Autobiography TD6 Java Black