Hey I need 2 front new struts problem being mechanic wants to charge $200 just to install them when I know it wont take more then and hour to do. So can I do this myself? if so can someone explain to me how to do it>
Thanks A lot.

http://www.2gnt.com/www/corbin/struts.html

:) Its possible to do. Not that hard. I'm not sure about the not more than one hour part tho.

you can do it yourself. just give yourself enough time to get the job done. I just re-did my springs and shocks in march by myself, it was a lot easier than I had expected...just a little time consuming.

Ugh... I have done so many write ups for people about this... so here you go...

Subj: Re: tokico illumina w/ ground control install
Date: 8/9/03 9:20:25 PM Central Daylight Time
From: Nackers Accent
To: IIaZn iLLuzionII

Yeah d00d, but I expect some points on 2gnt : P. It really isn't that hard as long as you know to take the bolt in the bracket holding the front strut all the way out : ). I wasted 5 hours trying to figure that out then I realized, while looking at the Illumnia, that there is a slot for that bolt to slide through to help hold the strut in : ).

Front instillation:

1. Turn on some good tunes : ).
2. Pop and open the hood. Jack up the front of the car and put jack stands under the respected lift points.
3. Take the wheel off and expose the strut.
4. Take the bolt holding the strut on... the one I mentioned up there in the biggining that took me 5 hours to take off : ).
5. Don't take the strut out of the bracket.
6. Unbolt the 3 (10mm?) strut tower bolts under the hood still holding the strut on (the bolts where a strut tower bar would go).
7. Take the strut out of the bracket and manouver it out of the wheel well.

Make sure you have a spring compressor because you will have to use the bump stops from your stockers. I have been told that your supposed to cut the bump stop, but I didn't. They say that it makes a noise if you don't, but I havent noticed anything... yet : ) and its been lowered for about 2-3 months. You may want to post/search on 2gnt about that cause I am not sure about the cutting length (where to cut).

Now do the other side following the same instructions. Then put the new ones on (using reverse instructions) and put the wheel on. This whole thing should only take about a hour or less, depending on how rusty the bolts are and things of that nature.

The back is much easier to do because there is 3 bolts holding the shock on.

Back instructions:

1. Keep your tunes on : ).
2. Pop and open your hatch/trunk. Jack up the rear and place jackstands in their respective lifting locations.
3. Take off the wheel and expose the rear strut. I don't know what model you have or if there is any diffrence from the diffrent models, but on the 95 RS we don't have a rear sway bar so things may be diffrent, but I don't believe that they are.
4. Take the 1 bolt off holding the strut on at the bottom.
5. In the hatch/trunk, there is a little piece of trim that can be removed by 1 or 2 phillips screws. Take that off to expose the strut tower and take the 2 bolts off.
6. Take the strut out.
7. Same as the front, use your spring compressor and get the bump stops. Assemble the Illumnia's and GC's and put them in.

This should take like 20 min tops, cause the rear is so much easier to do. Make sure you are ready to catch the bolts that are holding the strut on in back (the strut tower ones) because if you drop them you may have problems. Luckly the Illumnias I got came with extra bolts and they just happened to fit : ).

I hope everything goes well. It really isn't that hard as long as you have the right tools (wrenches, sockets, screwdriver, ect.) If you need anymore help, just let me know and I will be happy to help... now GIVE ME POINTS BEIOTCH!!! LMAO!!!


Good luck,
Nackers

It took me like 8 hours the first time i had to do it, not including the two hour nap in between. I guess things didn't want to get off like the ways it suppose to. My advice, buy a case of heineken and bring a friend cuz' it can get downright fustrating at times. But, one a brighter note, it took me like 1 hour to do all four coners when i installed new springs.

have fun with the fronts......oh.....installed my springs myself...took 11-14 hours to do the whole car by myself with no info about suspensions what so ever....i could do it in a third of the time now

dfresh

you know what you could do. Install your springs and shocks at the same time. OMG i just realize this, im a fucking idiot! whew.. this could take less than 1/4 of the time.

I did mine the first time in about 2-3 hours.

I can do all 4 springs/struts now in about an hour.

^^^^^^^u must have power tools.....if not.....i admire u......

dfresh

I installed my springs and struts myself and it took me ALL day. The rear only took me 1 hour but the front was a PITA. It really isn't too much harder...I just had to cut both of my stabilizer links off and replace them. I recommend you do it yourself to save the money and learn about how everything works.

The main key on getting your front sway bar unbolted is you must have the front level..as in you can't just jack up one side. There will be way too much pressure against the bolt if you do. (Lesson learned the hard way)