strut replacement

[funky technician]

hay guys, well I finally decided to put all new suspention in my rig, but I have yet to order the parts, I'm going with NAPA parts (if they stock them) but I need to know what I need, if I order front struts, will they come with new bearings or will that be separate, or are they part of the strut mount, which I also have to order, is that one nut at the top holding the whole mount and strut into the car in the front?(other then the 2 bolts in the hub below) and same question with the back, what do I have to order, and how does it all come apart? and what holds it on in the back on the top, how much do yo u think its all gonna cost?
I know its alot of questions, but I'm currently deployed in the middle east and i'll be hear for a few more months and my girlfriend is gonna install them so she needssome good data to get started, so how bout it guys, can ya help me out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GenevaDirt]

Well I am terrible at describing how to do stuff....but it is not that bad of a job...but I would definately get a spring compressor. You can rent one from autozone for free. They charge you for it then when you return it you get all the money back. Didn't need anything special really for replacing.
The rears are the worst....there is a sleeve that the bolt goes through on the bottom that likes to fuse to the bolt and makes removal without cutting almost impossible.

[GenevaDirt]

And by the way......keep your head down and come back safe!

[Festy46]

For the front strut:
To remove the strut, first take a hammer and a screwdriver and tap the spring clip off the brake hose where it is attached to the strut. Remove the brake hose from the strut and then renove the 2 large bolts that attach it to the spindle/hub assembly. From the top of the shock tower remove the 2 nuts on either side of the center bolt. It can now be removed, but before you do, take note of the big round part of the top of the strut mount. You will notice it is not centered perfectly in the hole in the top of the shock tower. It will favor one side over the other. Make sure you rotate the new strut mount to favor the same side when you re-install the strut.
That one nut at the top in the center is holding the strut assembly together. DO NOT REMOVE THAT NUT until you have compressed the spring with a a good spring compressor. You can be seriously injured if you remove that center nut without first compressing the spring. The spring compressor should have some safety clamps that are used with it. Be sure to use these, too. Once you have compressed the spring enough that it becomes loose on the strut, then you can remove the nut from the top of the strut.

The strut bearing does not come with the strut. It should be with the new strut mount.
When you install the new strut, take note of the offset in the spring perch (the base where the spring sits). The end of the spring coil needs to be in that offset (notch) to fit correctly.

I don't have time to write a whole repair manual, but this should get you safely started. I'm sure others will add to this.

[funky technician]

thanks man, I also should have included the make and model, its a 93 festiva auto, so is the spring compressor for the rear? does the front come as a strut assembly and the rear is just a shock replacement and the old spring goes over it upon installation? do you know if the front or rear need soem sort of mounts too, like I know the front strut bearings are gone, are these separate or part of the strut when you buy it, or is that what they call the mount? is the front just that one nut on top? (sorry for all the questions, but I'm tring to visualize)

[funky technician]

thanks festy 46, i think we posted at pritty much the same time LOL, so the front strut mounts are where the bearing is housed, correct? I buy new front strut mounts from NAPA, I assume that will incorperate the bearing? could I remove the strut and replace just the mount/bearing? If I get new struts from NAPA, will it have a new spring on it or will I have to remove the old spring from the old strut using the compressor

[GenevaDirt]

You will have to remove the old spring and reuse. Yes you could remove the strut and just replace the mount...if that is all that is wrong. If I remember correctly you do not need the compressor on the back spings. Have the car up on jack stands and use a jack to keep the axle raised up until you take off the nut on top of the strut. Then drop the axle down if you were able to get the bottom nut out, pull it all apart and put it back the same way. Then use the jack to raise the axle back up into the rear mount and attach the bolt. Again I believe this is how I did the rears on mine....but I may be confussing it with another car.....someone will yell if I am wrong.

[Festy46]

thanks festy 46,so the front strut mounts are where the bearing is housed, correct? I buy new front strut mounts from NAPA, I assume that will incorperate the bearing? could I remove the strut and replace just the mount/bearing? If I get new struts from NAPA, will it have a new spring on it or will I have to remove the old spring from the old strut using the compressor

The bearing fits between the underside of the strut mount and the cap that is on top of spring. It doesn't look like what you think of when you say "bearing". It looks like a big flat washer. When you buy the strut mount, the bearing will just be inside the box with the mount, like an extra bolt or nut. If your mount is good, you should be able to buy just a strut bearing kit that contains the bearing, a rubber seal and a plastic "thingy". A complete spring and strut assembly is available for some cars, but I have never seen any for a Festiva. They are a lot more expensive than just a strut and mount. One for an Escort is over $200.00 each.

If you are replacing the strut bearing because it steers hard, you can try this before you go to all the trouble and expense of replacing everything. It might work for quite awhile. Turn the strut assembly upside down and pour some oil in the bottom of the strut mount between the mount and the plate that fits on top of the spring. Let it sit all day and then do it again at the end of the day and let it sit (upside down of course) until the next day. The next day put the lower end in a vise or something that will hold it and grab the mount and try to turn it. You should be able to turn it using both hands without resorting to a bar or lever stuck in between the 2 top bolts.

[spiko]

I got KYB GR2's from Tirerack & AutoPartsWarehouse for the same price or less than the standard replacement struts.

[gdawgs]

thanks man, I also should have included the make and model, its a 93 festiva auto, so is the spring compressor for the rear? does the front come as a strut assembly and the rear is just a shock replacement and the old spring goes over it upon installation? do you know if the front or rear need soem sort of mounts too, like I know the front strut bearings are gone, are these separate or part of the strut when you buy it, or is that what they call the mount? is the front just that one nut on top? (sorry for all the questions, but I'm tring to visualize)

s


I have never had to replace fronts, but I have done the rears a few times. I never used a spring compressor. You can get the springs out pretty easily without a compressor.