Hi all,
I've determined I have a bad rubber spring seat on top of the front strut by using the quick "wiggle the bolt" test suggested in a few other threads.
I understand that to change the rubber spring seat I need to remove the front strut. What I'm unclear about is do I need to remove the strut mount plate when removing the strut (metal plate with 3 bolts), or can I just remove the top nut plus the X shaped strut mount bushing retainer nut and remove the strut?
I realize I need to use spring compressor tool plus undo the lower strut bolts, I just don't know about the upper portion of the assembly. Any clearance issues with getting the coil spring compressor in the wheel well?

Thanks.

 

Hello. Don't try replacing the spring seat with the strut in the car.
1. Jack up car so suspension is hanging.
2. Remove the tire
3. remove the brake lines from the strut.
4. unbolt the sway bar from the strut
5. remove the 2 lower strut bolts
6. remove the 3 upper strut nuts (support the strut when you do this as the whole strut will fall out)
7. remove strut from car.
8. compress spring with spring compressor, can be rented from advanced auto
9. take the top bolt off strut.
10 There is a second nut you must remove and can be hard, I had to put the end of the strut in a vise (if the bolts are super hard to turn you don't have the spring compressed all the way and there is tension on the nut.)
The rest you should be able to figure out
Check utube for strut replacement, there should be a couple video's to help you out.

 

Thanks Seamonkey,
It went pretty much as you said.
I found if you unclip the abs wire, you can just snake out the whole assembly without disconnecting either the brake line or abs sensor. I learned you need to get those spring clamps as close as possible to each end of the spring, you were right, even that last half a coil has tension in it.
The rubber spring seat was indeed torn so that was the issue.

Now for the surprise; there was no second "star" nut. For whatever reason, some other mechanic must have ditched it, or, is it possible some strut assemblies don't have them/need them?

I'm wondering if I should order some, and install it? If it is truely required, I'll order two and check the other strut as well to assure it's there. Otherwise, no telling how long the previous owner was driving around without it.

 

I would order and install the cross looking nuts.

 

That cross nut comes OFF? I tried and tried even with a vice and I just figured it was pressed on the end of the old strut- I really wanted to bash that thing flat to take off the old mount kit. I still have it maybe I can put some WD 40 and let it sit and I'll try it again.

 

Yes the cross nut comes off.