2000 maxima has instability in the rear end on hwy. shocks seem ok when depressed. Could this be a problem with the leaf springs? struts?

The suspension on Ford Contours (all years) is what is called a "strut" suspension, on both the front and rear, and DOES NOT USE LEAF SPRINGS! Instead, the shock absorber is built into a "strut" that is the main vertical suspension component, and has a coil spring around it. If someone has told you your Contour has a "bent leaf spring", they do not know what they are talking about, or they are trying to scam you! Take your car to a qualified (and hopefully honest!) shop to get it checked out.

Block the front tires, jack up the rear end. Remove driveshaft from rear end. Loosen but do not remove the leaf springs and the shock absorbers. Remove the brake lines and the emergency brake cable. Return vehicle to ground and finish removing the leaf springs and the shock absorbers. The vehicle will have to be slightly raised to do this. The other option is to replace the ring and pinion as a unit which requires a completely different set of instructions. What will you be doing, replacing the entire axle and housing or just the ring and pinion?

shocks in rear and possible struts in front i

The shocks do not set ride Hightower. The leaf springs set ride hieght in the rear. So ether the leaf springs are worn out or the shackles that hold the springs to the frame are broken (should be very obvious if they are). Most likely the rear leaf springs are the problem.

I’m happy to assist further over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/jeremy_d728a59f986299fa

If the struts are new the springs may need to be replaced. These struts should have a spring around them then there is the leaf spring that could be the issue. You could try using spring stiffiners to tighten the suspension up but I would discuss this with my mechanic first. it really sounds like they replaced the struts with a standard strut assembly and what you wanted was the sport suspension strut.

REMOVE REAR SEAT AND PACKAGE SHELF TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE UPPER SHOCK ATTACHING NUTS.REMOVE UPPER ATTACHING NUTS. RAISE VECHICLE REMOVE REAR WHEEL AND SUPPORT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WITH A JACK REMOVE LOWER SHOCK ABSORBER MOUNTING BOLT. REMOVE SHOCK ABSORBER ASSEMBLY FROM THE VECHICLE. COMPRESS THE COIL SPRING WITH THE PROPER SPRING COMPRESSOR TOOL. REMOVE CENTER RETAINING NUT HOLDING THE UPPER MOUNTING INSULATOR. SLOWLY DECOMPRESS THE COIL SPRING.REMOVE THE MOUNTING INSULATOR AND THE COIL SPRING. REMOVE THE COIL SPRING. TO INSTALL COMPRESSED COIL SPRING ONTO THE STRUT ASSEMBLY. BE SURE TO THE END OF THE SPRING IS IN THE NOTCH ON THE LOWER SEAT.INSTALL UPPER MOUNTING INSULATOR. YOU WILL NEW LOCKNUT FOR THE CENTER RETAINING NUT OF THE COIL SPRING. CENTER RETAINING NUT AND TORQUE THE NUT TO 13 TO 17 FT LBS. SLOWLY REMOVE THE SPRING COMPRESSOR TOOL. INSTALL SHOCK ABSORBER ASSEMBLY IN THE VECHICLE AND INSTALL THE MOUNTING FASTERNERS AND TORQUE LOWER MOUNTING BOLTS TO 72 - 87 FT LBS. INSTALL WHEEL.LOWER VECHICLE. WARNING COIL SPRING UNDER EXTREME LOADS WHEN COMPRESSED.BESURE TO PROPERLY ALIGN THE SPRING WITH THE COMPRESSING TOOL TO PREVENT PERSONAL INJURY FROM THE SPRING RELEASING UNEXPECTEDLY.

Raise the car and remove the wheels. Loosen the bolts holding the strut to the steering knuckle. Before removing them, remove the strut mount bolts under the hood. Then remove the other bolts, the entire strut assembly will slide out. You can either install a complete new strut and spring assembly (more expensive), or you can use a coil spring compressor to remove the spring from the old strut and install it on a new one (less expensive but you must have access to a spring compressor). Make sure when installing the spring that it is aligned correctly on the new strut. A compressed spring is very dangerous, be sure to follow the instructions with the spring compressor. Re-install the strut assembly. Make sure that the knuckle bolts are torqued to spec.

It's a shock, but it still has a spring that fits on the top of it like a strut.

I usually charge a base price on shocks and struts.to change shocks I charge around 30.00 or 40.00 dollars labor per pair.struts i charge 65.00 per pair.i'm cheeper than most guys because of the rural small town i live in here in alabama.but it may be your leaf spring not real sure by the discription,you could mean the shock,or the strut but it could mean the leaf spring which i think montanas have a shock and leaf spring set up not struts.i can't pull up my picture in my head too clearly,i've seen underneath hundreds of those vans just can't remember.hope i helped you with a price,don't let any body rip you off on the labor cause shocks are fairly easy to change.

then they are not struts they are just regular shock absorbers, struts are where the coil spring and shock are assembled as one piece, the struts are in the front only