Strut replacement on 2008 z71

Hey John, You will need to get a strut spring compressor. -- use the "loaner tool" program from O'Reilly's or Autozone.. - Jack up the vehicle, place JACK STANDS under the frame..leave the suspension "hanging" with the tire off the ground,, get the spring compressor and start compressing the strut spring...once you have the spring compressed about 1 inch.. its time to loosen the mounting bolts/nuts for the top and bottom shock mounts...make sure you have the spring compressing under control... now remove the nuts and bolts from the strut mounts...now finish compressing the spring..and then remove the strut.... NOW - REVERSE the procedure for installation.

daley smiths, Before I take you through the procedure keep in mind that you can purchase what are called easy struts or quick struts. These units have the spring and upper bearing plates already installed and are quicker and much safer than just replacing the strut itself. So instead of just getting new struts, you are getting the whole assembly new. If you want to replace just the struts you will have to rent a spring compressor. Procedure for just the struts follows:
You don't mention whether you are replacing the front or rear struts but the procedure is pretty much the same for both. This is the procedure for the front struts. Jack up one side of car and remove the wheel. Place a jackstand under the vehicle frame to support it. Sometimes there are brake lines, sway bar links and ABS wires connected to the strut. Remove anything attached to the strut. You will see two large bolts holding the bottom of the strut. Remove the nuts only. The bolts are usually splined to keep them from moving so you will have to pound them out with a hammer. If the bolts are threaded all the way to the end then put the nut back on so it is flush with the end of the bolt.. This is so the threads are not damaged as you will need to reuse them. Some bolts are not threaded all the way so you wont have to worry about damaging the threads here. With the hood open you will see three nuts that are holding the top of the strut. Remove them one at a time. Hold the strut when removing the last one so it doesn't drop and damage any break lines or ABS wires. Remove the strut. Place part of the spring compressor on one side of the spring as close to the top and bottom as possible and hand tighten it. Do the same on the other side of the spring with the spring compressor part. Tighten the spring compressor one side at a time two turns at a time. BE VERY SURE THAT THE COMPRESSOR DOES NOT SHIFT WHEN DOING THIS. Keep doing this one side at a time until you can turn the upper bearing plate easily. Place a pair of vice grips as close as possible to the top of the strut shaft and tighten as much as possible. Remove the nut holding the upper bearing plate and remove the plate. Remove the vice grips and any rubber bushings and finally the spring and lower rubber bushing. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH SPRING AS YOU SET IT ASIDE. Place the lower bushing on the new strut and be sure that the spring seats properly on the strut. Replace the upper bushing and finally the bearing plate. Once again place the vice grips as high as possible on the new strut shaft and tighten as much as possible. Making sure the upper plate is properly aligned for reassembly to the vehicle tighten the upper bearing nut. Take the spring compressor off the spring using the same method of two turns at a time. Once again be sure it doesn't shift on you when doing this. Replace the strut back to the vehicle by reversing the procedure. One thing I forgot to mention. Because of the connections of the sway bar links and brake lines there is a right and left side strut so be careful when choosing which strut to put in.
The only difference for the rear struts are the way they are connected to the vehicle. The bottom will have one bolt and the top will have either one bolt accessable from inside the wheel well or have three nuts accessable from inside the trunk or under the panel in the rear window behind the rear seat. Good luck with this.

You need some specialized tools for this job, most notably a strut spring compressor and also a hydraulic floor jack. Without a proper spring compressor there is a serious danger of injury so don't attempt this job without it. You can rent these at many tool rental or automotive supply stores.

The struts are held in place by a single nut on top, accessible from under the hood, and two bolts and nuts at the lower end. The top nuts may have covers over them, which you can just pry off with a screwdriver. Before removal you need to jack up and support the vehicle, remove the wheel, then support directly underneath the strut with the jack in a raised position (ie: don't use blocks on top of the jack to take up the space - you need to be able to lower it). Position the spring compressor over the spring coils and tighten it to compress the spring. This cages the spring so that when you remove the attachment nuts, it will not hurt you - make sure you do this FIRST before removing the attachment nuts. Then remove the upper and lower attachment bolts and nuts from the strut and use the supporting jack to gently lower the wheel hub from the strut, releasing the strut. You may have to persuade the bolts with a hammer. You should now be able to remove the strut with spring compressor still attached and then while on the floor, slowly release the spring compressor to separate the strut from the spring. Replace the strut with the new one and then compress the spring over it and place it in the vehicle in the reverse order of removal. Once reattached, you can remove the spring compressor, torque the attachment nuts, replace the wheel, and move to the other side to repeat the procedure. For torque specs and further information, check Kia Global's site.

The struts model (MacPherson Strut),are both in front and back of this car.
2000 - 2006 Hyundai Elantra Shock Absorber and Strut Assembly - Rear, Driver Side, KYB GR-2/EXCEL-G, Twin tube, Strut Assembly. $72
2000 - 2006 Hyundai Elantra Shock Absorber and Strut Assembly - Rear, Passenger Side, KYB GR-2/EXCEL-G, Twin tube, Strut Assembly $68
1996 - 2006 Hyundai Elantra Shock Absorber and Strut Assembly - Front, Driver Side, KYB GR-2/EXCEL-G, Twin tube, Strut Assembly $67
1996 - 2006 Hyundai Elantra Shock Absorber and Strut Assembly - Front, Passenger Side, KYB GR-2/EXCEL-G, Twin tube, Strut Assembly $63
Of course this is only the cartridge, you have to transfer the spring, and the top mount of the existing strut. You need a pair of coil spring compressor to do the job. The basic procedure to replace a strut is:
Remove the top nuts that secure the strut assembly to the frame mount inside the engine compartment. Do not remove the center nut.
Mark the lower strut mounting location on the hub for installation reference. The alignment will be close if the new strut is installed in the same position.
Remove the bolts that hold the strut assembly to the hub.
Remove the strut assembly from the vehicle.
Mark the top mount for installation reference. Using a side mounted spring compressor, compress the spring and remove the top nut and retaining washer. Pull strut assembly out from the bottom of spring.
Slide the new strut assembly up into the spring and reposition the top mount onto the spring in the same position that it was removed. Install the retaining washer and top nut.
Tighten the top nut to the manufacturer's specifications and carefully remove the spring compressor.
Place the strut assembly back into the vehicle.

Rent a spring compressor before you start removing the old struts and putting on the new ones. You can rent a spring compressor at any auto store. You can also buy one, but if you are only going to use the compressor once, it's best to simply rent it. Jack up the car and remove the tire. Then place one jack stand on the side you are working on.

2 Loosen the two lower bolts that hold the brake line to the strut you want to remove. Remove the cap covering the top of the strut, and while holding the coil over the strut, remove three nuts. Pull out the cover to the strut assembly.

3 Tighten the spring using the spring compressor and remove the nut at the top of the strut. Decompress the spring, and the strut will be freed from the spring. Remove the front strut.

4 Put in the new strut and bolt it back up. Replace the tire. You now have the old strut removed and the new one in place.

5 Repeat Steps 1 through 4 when removing and replacing the rear strut.

I hope this helps!!! Thanks!!!

You will need a spring compressor first of all. You have to remove strut, compress sring to get cartridge and spring apart and then replace new spring on strut and replace into vehicle. This is a nasty job without a hoist

Okay....here is the steps first....and then the directions on how to use the tools:

1. Raise and properly support the vehicle.
2. Remove the front wheel.
3. Detach the shock absorber lower mount by removing the two bolts.
4. Remove the retainer nut, retainer, cushion and shock absorber.
5. Detach the cushion retainer from the shock absorber.
6. Compress the coil spring with a commercially available spring compressor.
7. Detach the stabilizer bar.
8. Support the upper suspension arm and steering knuckle securely.
9. Remove the cotter pin.
10. Loosen and remove the nut.
11. Using a ball joint removal tool, detach the lower ball joint from the lower control arm.
12. Loosen the suspension arm set bolt.
13. Remove the suspension arm set bolt nut.
14. Remove the nut from the strut bar front set bolt.
15. Pull out both set bolts.
16. Remove the lower suspension arm and coil spring. To install:
    
17. Installation is the reverse of removal. Note the following torque specifications:
    1. Strut bar front set bolt: 221 ft. lbs. (300 Nm)
    2. Lower suspension arm set bolt: 148 ft. lbs. (200 Nm)
    3. Lower ball joint nut: 80 ft. lbs. (110 Nm)
    4. Lug nuts: 83 ft. lbs. (110 Nm).

Raise and safely support the vehicle.
Remove the tire/wheel assembly.
Remove any brackets or sway bar endlinks that may be attached to the strut.
Remove upper strut mount bolts (NOT THE BIG ONE IN THE CENTER) Should be three bolts.
Remove two strut to knuckle bolts and remove the strut.
Using an external spring compressor tool compress the spring. FOLLOW THE TOOL MANUFACTURES INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. COIL SPRINGS HOLD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF POTENTIAL ENERGY AND CAN CAUSE VERY SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR DAMAGE IF THE TOOL IS USED INCORRECTLY.
Remove the top nut of the strut.
Remove the spring noting how the strut mount and other parts are oriented.
Remove the spring compressor.
Compress the new spring and install the new spring with the strut mount and other parts in the same orientation as it was removed.
Reinstall the top nut.
The rest is opposite of removal.

You will need a strut spring compressor. You can probably buy a cheap one for about as much as a shop would charge you to install a new spring on your strut.

Sometimes you can even "borrow" these from your local parts store with a deposit.

It is probably faster to do it yourself than bring it to a shop.

You need to compress the spring before you put it in the strut housing. Directions should be included with the spring compressor kit.

Here's the general directions:

Take the two bolts on the bottom off

There may be a bolt holding the brake line in place (remove it)

Take the three bolts on the top off

The strut assembly should be free now.

Pull strut assembly out and set it on the floor

The top nut holds the top bearing plate and that holds the spring in place.

Remove the top nut

Remove old broken spring

Compress new spring and put it in place on the strut

Put strut top plate on and secure locknut

Release spring compressor.

Reinstall strut assembly in car.


Good Luck!

coil spring:
buy/rent a spring compressor.
hook it upside down over the second last coils of the spring(second last coil of the unbroken part) (bolt heads down and accessible) so that the compressor clears the spring seats.
Use all parts of the compressor.
Do up the spring compressor till it is just tight.

Put the car up on a 2 post, as the load comes off the suspension the spring will tighten in the compressor and flop around loose on the strut. Unbolt the top strut mounts. lower the axle until there is clearance and lift the spring off the strut.
Slowly take the tension off the spring compressor
Put the new spring in the spring compressor, (second last coils to clear the spring seats when reinstalling).
tighten the spring compressor, evenly and compress the spring, till it fits over the strut.
lift the axle, bolt on the top strut mounts, slowly release spring compressor, ensure top n bottom spring coils seat in the spring seats.
lower two post hoist
test drive

Always replace springs together as a pair