Okay...I haven't had a look at the Haynes manual yet, but what will I need to replace the rear struts...they were supposed to be replaced a while back (when my dad was still alive but he wasn't going to pay for it). Heard some grinding when going in the driveway and it's definately time to change em. I'm looking at Gabriel parts. Rear strut mounts are only like $19 for a pair, do I need strut boots, suppose that depends on the shape they currently are in, but are they usually reusable or should they be replaced? And then struts, trying to find a good price on some Gabriel struts, JCWhitney has them for $64.99 EACH...which is kinda steep...at least I think so....hoping they'll pop up on ebay...but do any online stores carry them cheap?

Thanks,
TOC Admin
Brando

all I did when I replaced was get new struts themselves. The mounts are usually ok, and the boots are just a plastic sleeve on the rear struts.

My replacements were only 64.00 a peice at my auto parts store. Dont buy the cheapest struts, brando, you'll regret it when you've gotta replace them a year down the road.

The procedure for replacing them is VERY easy, as long as you plan to get an alignment after you are done. Those arent very expensive either. I had my struts changed in about 2 hours. You know about those two bolts inside your trunk on each side of the wheel well... There are two HONKIN bolts on the strut knuckle where it connects to the spindle, and the strut just falls right out

Definately refer to your haynes manual before you start ripping things apart, and try to mark everything with a black felt marker so you can at least return the vehicle to a 1/2 decent alignment before you take it into a shop for alignment. I think the last place charged me 54.00 for an alignment (canadian).

Have fun, brando!

Sounds pretty easy, and I know exactly what bolts you're talking about.
So, it should be a fun time, now I just need to order the struts, there's a place on eBay in Clinton Twp., Michigan....said he has a pair for my car (Gabriel, Brand New) and can sell em to me for $67.95 SHIPPED....pretty good price, eh? Gabriel is a pretty good brand.....
Other news, I almost have enough credit built up at Nexxon.com (working on his website) to get my high output 170 amp alternator for my car!

TOC Admin
Brando

Yep...had a look at the Hayne's manual...shouldn't be any trouble, maybe a few tight bolts, but nothing an air ratchet and a little man torque can't handle

TOC Admin
Brando

Those knuckle bolts can be a bitch, especially if this is the first time since 1987 they are being removed. Better have a strong-arm wrench.

Thought about it for a while, and the only other part of the process that may be a problem is removing the lock-nut from the top of the old strut in order to change the mount. They're a little tough too, and the strut shaft will just spin. As long as you've got the new ones, use a set of vice grips or monkey wrench on the shaft of the old strut to keep it from spinning. It will wreck the smooth shaft of the strut, so dont use that method on your new ones.

67 bux for gabriels? thats a good deal! I have never used gabriels. I have monroe sensatrac, some people dont like monroe, but I've had decent experience with them in the past, and lifetime warranty.

you'll also need a magnetic camber gauge to get it all back together in the same place. you'll also need to support the control arm with a floor jack so the spring doesn't fly out.

those are important too! springs are dangerous i know this... almost broke my thumb once.

Yep, the Hayne's manual says to support the A-Arms with a jack and tie the spring to it with chains. Waiting til my finals are done with before working on the car, this thursday, last day (Algebra and Anatomy Finals).

TOC Admin
Brando

Okay, got the knuckle bolts off the passenger side strut, removed old strut, have new Napa strut ($116 for new struts and mounts) ready to be installed, except for the Lock-Nut on the strut mount....I have it hand tightened, but how am I supposed to hand tighten it to 74 ft. lb. when the thing keeps spinning and I definately can't use the vise grips on the shaft....any ideas? I noticed theres like a hex hole at the end of the strut, inside the thread where the bolt goes to hold the strut mount on. Is there some kind of special socket for this?

TOC Admin
Brando

P.S. Those knuckle bolts really are a bitch! WD-40 and excessive 3-in-1 is my friend....and the air impact wrench

I put the lock nut on show that about 3 threads of the shaft were showing on top....to match the stock strut....is that what your supposed to do? Oh yea...and I used an impact wrench on the bolt, and the shaft didn't turn...well, it did a little, but could be controlled with the hand.

Anyways....I got the passenger side rear strut installed, to torque specifications too! Instructions on with the struts mounts said 72 ft. lb. for knuckle bolts and 18 ft. lb. for the strut to body bolts. That what you did too, 88delta88? I put some grease on all the threads too.

Definately taking longer than 2 hours...but well worth it...all new sealed struts, came with new boot covers and everything. They're blue.... My favorite color!

TOC Admin
Brando

Well... From strut to body, I just torqued it till I was happy with the tightness... You should really not use grease on a bolt that you dont want vibrating loose... I would almost use loctite. The hex in the end of the shaft is for an allen wrench so you can use a open end wrench to tighten the lock nut without the shaft spinning, I should have remembered that, and made your life a whole lot easier.

Did you get your car back to alignment fairly well? As long as your wheels look straight vertically when the car is sitting with weight on it, you should be ok. I bet the car rides like a new car!!!

Congrats on doing your own struts!!! It wasnt that hard, now was it? I bet you could do them in 2 hours if you had to repeat the procedure...

Well, I lowered it down off the jack, and put er' on the ground....the tires look pretty damn straight....I made sure that the wheel cylinders looked good before fully tightening the knuckle bolts. I drove it a little and it's a lot better...definately not as bouncy as before....haha.

Now just a million more things to do before I actually get it the way I want! The hubcap on the driver's side was making a rattling noise, but not anymore. Must of just needed some tightening on the lock, which I had a hell of a time finding the tool for...found it one of the tool chests.

With the things I know now...I definately could have done it a lot quicker....you live and learn and then get Luvs... er...you know what I mean

On the grease part, it was some Valvoline grease, it said it was for a bunch of stuff including suspension....so I figured I'd use it....I only lightly coated the nuts and bolts with it. And when I went to straighten a wheel cylinder some more and untighten those bolts...I had to use the Air Impact Wrench to get em off....even with the grease....so I think they'll be fine.


TOC Admin
Brando

ok... but when they say its for suspension, it likely means for the moving parts of the suspension... like in your ball joints... But none the less, if you check them for tightness in a month, you should be fine

do you still have the other side to do yet? It'll go a lot quicker. If you notice after you are done that your car pulls in a way it didnt before you changed struts, you might want an alignment, they're cheap.

Yea.....I changed the other strut last night in a matter of an hour....just like a pro....bwahahaha
Here's the grease I used: http://www.valvoline.com/pages/products ... product=68

It really doesn't seem to pull any which way, pretty straight....but I didn't drive it that much either.

TOC Admin
Brando

sweet... Also, when I did my struts, it seemed to push the ass end of the car up about an inch from what the dead struts did... Doesnt really make sense, but did you notice the back of your car raised up at all?