I replaced the front struts yesterday and rear shocks go in today.

First off, big :tup: (no thumbs up smilie?) to njmaxseltd for the i/2 inch ratchet, breaker bar, and WD-40 tips. Fronts would have been ipossible without those.

The questions:

1) This is a two-wheel alignment right?
2) Some threads suggest letting the car settle for a couple of weeks with new springs. I'm not changing the springs so is there any reason to wait to get the alignmment?
3) Any tips on doing the rears to make things easier?
4) How do you guys get the front strut back on the car working alone? any trick to that?

Thanks for any help.

 

It's a 2 wheel thrust angle alignment. Should cost around 50 bucks. They shoot all 4 wheels to make sure the car tracks straight when the steering wheel is straight. Adjustments are only made up front.You don't have to wait, just have it done soon.You can access the top rear shock bolts by just removing the rear linning on the back trunk wall. (hope that makes sense) Just pop out the snaps up top twards the middle and pull that linning down. You'll see the 2 bolts with nuts on them in the corners. You don't have to pull all the sides down.

Use your 1/2 inch drive 17mm 6 point & breaker bar on the lower bolt and snap it loose. When the assembly is out of the car you must get the nut off the shock. Here what I do. The old shock is trash anyhow, so put a vice grip on the shaft to hold it in place and take the nut off. You really don't need spring compressors on the rear if you have an SE. They arn't under to much load. They only pop a little bit. Your choice here, I don't use them. When you put the new shock on, you CANNOT grap the shaft with the vise grip!!! Use a nice big adjustable wrench and grap that little square nip on top. Then use a wrench & tighten up the top nut. Just make it nice and firm. Your only tightening it down into rubber so it ain't gonna hit a stop!!Get the strut in place up top and one or two top nuts caught first then work on the lower bolts.

Good luck!

Tom

 

Thanks for the info. I got all four done. Ended up just cracking the nut on the shocks. The only dificulty on the rears was getting the upper mounts and the bottom lined up correctly. Really didn't see any good way to be sure they were correct before trying to get them back in. So I just had to try it, loosen it up, adjust a little, and try again until it fit right.

Also I went in through the back seat to get at the mounts in the trunk. Took longer but there was a lot more room to work with.

The ride is nice and solid again. Feels like a new car.

 

$hit, that was one thing I forgot to tell you. You line up the lower bolt hole on the shock with the studs on the upper spring mount and it fits perfectly. Sorry about that.

Glad it all worked out for you. Pics?

Tom

 

I thought there should be something that would let you know the assembly was lined up before trying to re-install it but there just wasn't anything obvious. Now that you mention it though, lining up the studs and the sleeve makes sense.

I can probably do some pics later today.

Thanks again for your help Tom.