how hard is it to put struts in a 1988 trans am and do you need to replace any thing else when doing it springs ect.and another thing when i turn the wheel sharp it sounds like something knocking on the drivers side like the tire hopping across the ground unstead of rolling..

 

The springs are on the struts themselves. There are ways to do this without special tools, but it can be dangerous if you don't know exactly what you're doing. And you need an alignment of the frontend when done. I'd ask around and shop around at a couple places for a decent price to do the whole thing. Are your's leaking fluid? As for the noise, do you have stock wheels or something different? Maybe a tire rubbing the inner fender panel?

 

Struts are not difficult at all. IMO, the hardest part is breaking lose the two strut to knuckle bolts, and then re-tightening them to factory spects. Shop manual lists the final torque to exceed 200 N.m! (Chilton manual lists it @ 195ft/lbs. I think edmiller (brake board) has some nice pics of the process. You don''t need to replace the springs when pulling out the struts, but if your car has high milage, it is a good time to replace them. One area to check while replacing your struts are the strut bearings mounts. Again, if your car has high milage, then these may need replacing.
I'm not too clear as to the tire issue - can you describe it with more detail for us?
-Andrew

 

the front left side tire its only when you turn the wheel sharp acts like some thing is in a bine. the car has stock tires and wheels.

 

This is normal. Not a good thing but the 3rd gens do the skip at low speeds with a high steering angle.

Your first post mentioned a knocking sound from the drivers side. Check the frame where the steering box mounts. It is common for the frame to crack around the steering box. This causes a popping or knocking sound.

RBob.

 

I am about to replace my struts and mounts. I think I need to support the a-arm. Am I right? Do I just unbolt the mounts from the body, the struts from the a-arms, then pull it out. Then just install the new struts, then mounts and tighten to spec?

I love the jumping they do. Makes people think that their is something wrong with the car....

The springs are on the struts? Not with the factory setup. It is a strut set-up, but the springs aren't on the struts. Unless I've been looking at something other than a 3rd Gen suspension for the past 3 years.

 

Oops, my bad, I was thinking of standard struts/springs. The springs are in the A-frames of course. I'd guess you jack up under the a-frame and do the changeover. Looking at this job myself in the near future, my car is pretty soft too. I'd probably go with Monroe parts, had good luck with their gasmatic shocks on several vehicles. Good control with a still decent ride.

 

I had Monroes with the Eibachs....made the Monroes die. Not made to be lowered, I guess. They are decent parts, though.

 

What I do now is raise the front on jackstands now and load some weight onto the a-arms and put a cinderblock underneath them (your not supposed to though) so the spring stays in plays. An IR 2135 Impact gun makes quick work of all of the nuts and bolts
Air tools kickass.

 

That's what I was wondering. I know some cars that the springs around the struts, but not on third gens.

I also need to change the struts and springs. I would think there's not much to the change over, where as springs you need special tools.