warchild95

So I attempted to replace my front Struts, and I had a heck of a time with the only one I accomplsihed, barely. I read two books and saw an Advance Auto video on how to do it, but its confusing. The video shows the guy putting on the spring compressors and barely tighenting down while its still attached to the vehicle prior to removing any bolts and he doesn't explain it at all whatsoever. But the book says you need to put the spring compressor on when the strut has been removed from the vehicle. So which is it?

Since I accidentally removed the top Strut Nut first before anything ( and I have no idea WHY) it made everything almost impossible and practically killed me in this process. Now that I have a complete understanding of how and why. I just don't understand if the spring compressors need to be on prior to removing the steering to knuckle bolts, or what? Any help will greatly help me Thanks

Plus I think I had a broken/ stripped spring compressor. What looked like a 15 minute project turned into an 11 hour, 2 broken socket wrenches and lots of pain for just one replacement.

birdsflyingover

why the hell would you compress the strut when it's on the car?? haha, where did you get this instructional video? a walgreens check out line? good that you didn't get hurt.

struts are super easy most times, fords are a little diffrent as the strut slides into the knuckle rather then just bolt up to it. kind of a pain. vws are a diffrent also.

raise car
take top bolts out. NOT CENTER BOLT
blast knuckle bolts out, mark them for alignment if you are anal.
done.

warchild95

Yeah, I didn't think you needed to compress the spring while it was on, but I didn't know either cause there may have been something I didn't know like all that pressure or something. Also I had a mechanic friend of mine, ( who didn't seem to know anything, even I knew more than him). So that didn't help. I accidentally took off the Middle Strut Nut, ( even thought I read the 3 nuts at the top) I guess my head was up my %$#, and I thought maybe that larger nut was holding on that pressure. Well, I learned real fast. 10 years of corrosion and rust are on the bolts and I didn't pre-lube the bolts the night before, so I ended up breaking 2 socket wrenches. I now know, what the heck I am doing and I am glad you responded to reenforce what I just heard yesterday as well. I will attempt this again this weekend. Thanks for replying
The video I saw was at Advance Auto Parts NAPA Stores Louisville, Jeffersontown, KY, Kentucky, Battery, Alternators, Starters, Oil Filters, Spark Plugs, Brake Pads on the Video clinics called Strut replacement. He put them on prior, hand tightened them, thats probably why I got the impression you had to put them on.

John_inDenver

I'm sure (actually I would certainly hope) this reply won't help you given you posted almost 2 years ago but one tip for anyone else stumbling over this post is that if you don't trust your spring compressor (or your ability to use one) is to take your struts down to a local autoparts store. Pep Boy's will swap them out for $20 apiece.