help installing strut assembly

[lekmedm]

Hi all! Well, the front right coil spring on my '96 Mystique broke! Now, I have a replacement strut assembly, but I'm having troule putting it in. Is there any trick to this? Do I need to disconnect the steering doo-dad that goes to the spindle? I just can't seem to get anyhere near to getting the base of the strut into that mount point on the spindle.

HELP!

TIA.

[getsum111]

Yes. Check out the sticky under the suspension forum. You will also need a spring compressor. Check out autozone.com for a repair manual, they have great pics for this. Good luck

[lekmedm]

Yes. Check out the sticky under the suspension forum. You will also need a spring compressor. Check out autozone.com for a repair manual, they have great pics for this. Good luck

Thanks for the tip about the Autozone site. I completely forgot about that. I have the whole assembly, so I don't need a spring compressor for this job.

Does anyone have any tips on getting a rusty cotter pin out of the tie rod end?

[Tony2005]

.Does anyone have any tips on getting a rusty cotter pin out of the tie rod end?

Use a pair of pliers to push it together. Then tap it out with a hammer. If it breaks, just use a small hammer and small nail to tap it out. Either way, you need a new cotter pin. What is the brand and part number of the "easy struts" you are installing? I think mine are due.

[projectSHO89]

Monroe's "Quick-Struts" are available almost everywhere. You can look up the application data at Monroe's website which should be findable in under a minute using Google.

Steve

[Tony2005]

I went on Monroe's website 2 or 3 months ago but it did not list one for the Contour. If you know of an application which is acceptable for the Contour, kindly post the part number. Thanks.

[lekmedm]

I just got my whole strut assembly from a junk yard.

Anyway, I finally found the time to get the tie rod end off, but I still can't get the new assembly in. There's just not enough room. Is there a trick to putting one of these back in? It looks almost like it's too long, but it's the same length as the old one. (Now I can't believe I got the old one out to begin with!)

This project is taking way too long. Help!

[BrApple]

first you need to get the ball joint out of the hub, to aid in this loosen the strut pinch bolt and slide the hub as high as possible on the strut, then use a pry bar or a helping hand to push the a-arm down separating the ball joint from the hub, you can also loosen the top retaining nut on the strut to allow it a little more room to move

to install just reverse

[lekmedm]

first you need to get the ball joint out of the hub, to aid in this loosen the strut pinch bolt and slide the hub as high as possible on the strut, then use a pry bar or a helping hand to push the a-arm down separating the ball joint from the hub, you can also loosen the top retaining nut on the strut to allow it a little more room to move

to install just reverse

Please forgive my ignorance, but I don't understand what you mean by getting the ball joint out of the hub. I did pretty much the procedure givien at the AutoZone repair site. There was no need to get the ball joint out of the hub. My problem now is getting the assembly onto the spindle.

[BrApple]

hub/spindal is the same thing. you need to have it free to get the strut assemble into the car then the hub is put onto the strut and then the ball joint is connected.


so did you remove the drive shaft becasue I don't know how else you would be able to get teh hub and strut out at the same time, it is much easlier to serarete the ball joint on the control arm from the hub then remove the hub from the strut and pull the strut from the car then reverse ...