Strut Installation Directions

• 1). Jack up your vehicle and secure it on jack stands.
  
  
• 2). Remove the wheels by loosening the lug nuts and pulling them off.
  
  
• 3). Take off the two bolts that hold the strut to the steering knuckle of the vehicle, using a ratchet, socket and wrench. The steering knuckle is the large piece of metal that holds the brakes and the wheel.
  
  
• 4). Remove the three nuts at the top of the strut with a ratchet and socket. These three nuts hold the strut to the fender. Do not remove the nut in the center as this will decompress the strut and can cause injury.
  
  
• 5). Pry the strut away from the steering knuckle using a pry bar. Slowly pull the strut off of the vehicle.
  
  
• 6). Compress the strut spring using the spring compressor and a wrench. The compressor works by hooking the spring and turning the nuts to pull the hooks closer to each other. This motion relieves the pressure the spring exerts on the strut.
  
  
• 7). Take off the upper bolt of the strut using a wrench. You may need to hold the stud with channel lock pliers to prevent it from spinning with the nut.
  
  
• 8). Remove the strut mount by pulling it off by hand then pull the spring off of the strut.
  
  
• 9). Compare the new strut to the old strut to make certain they are the same.
  
  
• 10
  
  Place the new dust boot on the new strut then place the new rubber bumper on the new strut.
  
  
• 11
  
  Position the still compressed spring onto the new strut. Put the new mount onto the strut and tighten the top nut with the wrench.
  
  
• 12
  
  Release the spring compressor slowly and remove it from the spring.
  
  
• 13
  
  Place the strut assembly back into the vehicle and line up the upper mounting holes with the upper studs and press them through. Place the nuts on the upper studs; tighten them only a few threads.
  
  
• 14
  
  Line up the lower holes of the strut with the holes on the steering knuckle and push the bolts through. Tighten the bolts and nuts using a ratchet and socket. Torque the bolts to the manufacturer's specifications listed in the repair manual specific to your vehicle.
  
  
• 15
  
  Tighten the upper nuts to the manufacturer's torque specifications. Replace the wheels and hand-tighten the lug nuts.
  
  
• 16
  
  Lower the vehicle with the jack and torque the wheels to the manufacturer's specifications.
  
  

Shock Installation Directions

• 1). Jack up the vehicle and secure it on jack stands.
  
  
• 2). Locate the shock. It will be a cylinder with two halves, one cylinder going into the other. It is roughly 12 to 14 inches long and is located near the wheels.
  
  
• 3). Remove the lower shock bolt using a ratchet and socket. Remove the upper shock bolt using the ratchet and socket.
  
  
• 4). Pry the shock out using a pry bar.
  
  
• 5). Put the new shock in place and push the shock bolt through the upper hole.
  
  
• 6). Cut the strap keeping the shock compressed and guide the shock to the lower hole while it slowly decompresses.
  
  
• 7). Push the lower bolt through the lower hole in the shock and torque it to the manufacturer's specifications in the repair manual specific to your vehicle. Torque the upper bolt to the manufacturer's specifications.
  
  
• 8). Lower the vehicle and test-drive it to verify there are no noises or rough ride.