myirocz94

I'm gonna be changing my struts and springs this week and was wondering how hard it is to change them.

Anyone have a quick walkthrough?
Also what are the required tools? Will I need a spring compressor or will the spring free up when the strut is removed?

Any info is great, thanks

midnightfirews6

iTrader: (1)

There's a lot of good info on the boards. Also consider picking up at least a cheap Haynes/ Chilton manual, or shell out the dough and get a factory service manual (by far the most informative). You'll be glad you did.

For the struts- take the front wheels off, take the front brake calipers off and wire them up out of the way, remove the cotter pin and nut that place tension on the bearings and hold the rotors on, remove the rotors/ bearings, remove the dust shield (3 bolts) that goes behind the rotors. Place a floor jack under the a-arm (IF YOUR BALL JOINTS HAVE GREASE NIPPLES/ ZERK FITTINGS AND YOU ARE GOING TO PUT THE JACK THERE, REMOVE THEM FIRST). Use a vice grip and a wrench to remove the nut to the strut mount, and use a breaker bar with a large socket and some other wrench to remove the two bolts holding the strut to the spindle. Remove the old struts, install the new ones. Run the bolts in, get the strut to knuckle bolts as tight as you can and get the strut to mount bolts good and tight but don't torque the hell out of them. Put the dust shields back on, repack your bearings and put them and the rotors back on, set bearing preload (DO NOT OVER OR UNDER TIGHTEN THESE) , put cotter pins in, put wheels on, torque wheels and get them good and tight.

If you need to replace your brake pads, bearings, rotors, and/or ball joints or if you want to put in lowering springs this is the prime time to do it since almost everything's apart. Don't drop the a-arm down super low when the strut is out- if the springs are weak/ short enough to fall out you'll have to reinstall them, but as long as there is tension on them they won't go anywhere. You won't need a spring compressor as long as the springs are seated on the a-arm. If you install lowering springs, obviously you'll have to take the stock ones out to put the new ones in, and you may or may not need a compressor to do so.

For the shocks, undo the bolts (1 per side) holding them to the axle, peel your carpet back from behind the seats, remove the foam padding in the corners behind the seats, undo those nuts (also 1 per side). Take the old shocks out, install the new ones. Tighten the nuts and bolts, replace the foam pads and carpet, drive away.


Shocks are straight forward- anyone should be able to knock them out in about a half hour without rushing. Struts take longer and are pretty involved. If you use the car to get to work or school, try to start on a day off early in the morning... once you've done it a few times it's about a 1-2 hour job but your first time may take several hours. If you have questions ask or search, and if you're still unsure, find someone who's done them before to help you. If you get the bearing preload wrong the car will be downright dangerous to drive... and it's always nice to have a second set of hands and eyes anyway.