Is there a write up on front strut replacement?

[1990lumina]

I know quite a few members this year have upgraded their suspensions. Wondering if any of you guys had taken any pictures along the way/could give me some words of wisdom. I'd like to replace the upper mounts and front struts in my Lumina when I bring it home Saturday. I recall there was "memory steer" and a crunching sound coming from the left side strut. The ride quality would probably improve with new struts in the front too (rears are a yr old), and there won't be any wierd noises this winter hopefully.

 

Anyone lend a few words of wisdom to me, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

My Haynes manual says to take the struts out the top of the car, so I have to remove the hood. That sounds a little extreme because I've seen pictures of member's cars on here with much less removed to take the whole srping assembly off.

[White93z34]

front struts are cake on these cars first time doing them it took an hour from start to finish.

 

first off you will need the proper tool as seen here

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GM-W-Body-Strut-Service-Tool-Set-OTC-Tools_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ43996QQihZ002QQitemZ120156311937QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

thats the same one i have it is good, however i had to file down the 2 little tabs a little so it would actually fit over my strut shaft.

 

anyhow, what to do....

 

remove the black cover atop of your strut, 3 15mm nuts.

and you will probably need access to an impact gun to get the top bolt off the strut cartridge, i think it is 19mm

once that is off push down on the fender till the mount pops up then remove the mount by hand.

take the tool and slide it over the strut shaft and let it lock into place and use a 1/2 drive ratchet to loosen the retaining nut.

remove tool and pull old strut cartridge out.... be careful the OE struts are hydraulic filled and it will make a mess coming out.

insert the new strut into the tube... you will probably have some of the remaining hydraulic fluid squirt out, but thats ok.

tighten down the new nut with the strut tool

replace mount

use the impact to tighten new nut down

and put the cover back on.

[1990lumina]

Does the hood have to come off to do this?

[White93z34]

nope!

[1990lumina]

And to verify I can replace the upper mount (the one with the bearing) using this method? There is definately something grinding up there.

And, will I need to get an alignment after this? I am assuming not because I haven't removed any suspension near the wheel..but doesn't hurt to ask! I need to have the rear aligned anyways but maybe I'll wait and get a 4 wheel alignment done after the struts are in!

 

Monroes are on sale right now too!

 

Chris your the best!

[White93z34]

The upper mount is not the bearing, the strut bearing is actually within the bottom spring seat, and that requires removal from the car and a spring compressor to get at.

 

When i did my struts, and every other one I've done i have never needed an alignment.

[1990lumina]

Hmm, I see. I guess I should verify that the strut bearing is actually the cause of my problems before I take it all apart. I'm sure it isn't too much harder though. I can buy a spring compressor for less then $20.

 

What would cause a "memory steer" condtion other than a bad strut bearing? Like if I turn to the left the car will pull to the left, and vice versa. Sometimes if I quickly move the wheel the opposite way of the pulling it'll go straight too.

[1990lumina]

What tools will I need to remove the whole spring/strut assembly if I need to replace those bearings? I know I'll need to remove the hub right? What size is that bolt? Reading about it in the Haynes manual sounds like a lot more work then I want it to be lol.

[Pabz]

What would cause a "memory steer" condtion other than a bad strut bearing? Like if I turn to the left the car will pull to the left, and vice versa. Sometimes if I quickly move the wheel the opposite way of the pulling it'll go straight too.

 

Over torqued nuts on the ball joints will cause memory steer.

[Pabz]

no need to remove hubs.

 

Just remove tire, brake caliper & bracket, rotor, driveshaft, disconnect ball joint and tie rod end. Then the whole assemble should be free to rotate, remove 3 nuts holding the strut plate on. then the whole strut/knuckle assembly should come out. Do not remove the strut cartridge nut or the nut ontop ot the the strut, or your spring will fly out.

 

There are some older post showing pics when installing the intrax courtesy of TurboSedan

 

http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php/topic,38569.0.html

 

Its heavy and not to hard. I would recommend doing the upgrade to the 96 front strut knuckle assembly with bigger rotors. That will give you practice on some junk cars.

 

 

 

 

[1990lumina]

This car will serve as a DD, and the brakes are good enough for what I use the car for so I don't think I'lll upgrade anything there, but thanks for the tip!

 

How do I remove the driveshaft on this car?? Hopefully the ball joints won't be a bitch to seperate either! So, if I want to replace the struts I should do it using the method Chris outlined above, and then I'll replace the strut plate before I do the struts. So, Pabz, using your method do I have to utilize a spring compressor as well?

[pwmin]

driveshaft will just pop out (after you remove the nut and washer, of course). might need some persuation with a deadblow or prybar, though.

[1990lumina]

I know I'm gonna fuck up the driveaxles removing them..shit lol

[White93z34]

getting the driveaxles out is easy, getting the balljoint out without destroying them is another story.

[Pabz]

. So, Pabz, using your method do I have to utilize a spring compressor as well?

 

yes, the spring compressor will fit on the outside of the spring, which is why you need to remove the whole assembly

[1990lumina]

Hmm, well I may just replace the struts for now and worry about the plate later one - I can't have the car down at all I need it every day, and I know I'll fuck something up if I take that whole assembly out, etc. I've neevr seperated a ball joint or tie rod end before - though I've watched my friend's dad do it numerous times on my friends old cavalier.

[Regal_GS_1989]

 

I've used one of these before to remove the ball joint and have done it several times and have never done any damage to one.

[GP1138]

getting the driveaxles out is easy, getting the balljoint out without destroying them is another story.

 

I've never had any problems with either. And if I fucked up the balljoints, they're not all that hard to replace.

 

The axles just pop out of the transaxle, unless you're talking about removing them from the hub, in which case the axle nut comes off, but that's it.

[1990lumina]

But my manual says if I don't do it right I can pop the CV joint as well...don't wanna screw that up.

[Pabz]

i would leave the drive shafts connected to the transmission, you don't need to remove them completely. Just disconnect the hub side and make sure you don't pop the cv boot off either side.

[GP1138]

But my manual says if I don't do it right I can pop the CV joint as well...don't wanna screw that up.

 

I always pull from the end of the shaft, between the trans and the shaft end. That way I'm not putting stress on the joint itself.