Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting re-install struts on 96 Mystique???

Can someone offer some enlightenment on this topic?
I got the old strut out by cutting the spring with a grinder and zip wheel"KABANGG!!!" scarey and not recommended! I have new springs anyway!
NOW the problem is getting the new assembly installed?????!!!!
I have a spring compressor....a two piece unit I borrowed from a parts store...piece of crap. I've compressed the springs and have them held with several hose clamps" getting more dangerous by the minute" as the compresser won't fit inside the wheel well. I think if I had the fork type compresser it would fit in there.
Now...this hose clamp held assembly "improvised explosive device" still is not compressed enough to allow assembly.
I have removed the lower ball joint via the 3 rivets (or in my case 3 nuts and bolts) and control arm. But the whole thing resists being installed. I'm pissed, and ready to call the tow truck.
Any ideas....maybe the fork type compressor!?

There have been probably 17 million comments about this in previous posts, with some people saying it's easy, and some saying it's harder than the dickens to do. I agree with the latter. The bottom line is that you have to compress the strut as much as possible, and force the control arm down as much as possible. The best way I did it was to use a long pry bar and force the control arm down as far as it would go. I sat on the end of the pry bar in order to get as much leverage as possible. Some have said this may damage the control arm, but the pry bar was the only way I could get the thing installed.

One word though, don't trust those hose clamps. Don't even think about trusting them. You're playing with enough force there to knock your head off when (not if) those things fly apart.

If you already have the ball joint off, it should be fairly easy to install the strut in the knuckle, and then install the ball joint after the strut and knucke are together. Be careful of that strut though, those things can get serious when under pressure.

Do a search for struts in the suspension forum, and you'll find a lot of comments about this.

If done correctly you should not need the compressors to reinstall. You should have the upper strut mount in place and held by the retaining nut so nothing cab go bang. Position the strut assenbly up into the wheel well and loosly attach it to the strut tower via the second retaining nut. Turn and tilt the steering nuckle such that the opening for the strut faces toward the front of the car and swing it under the strut. Once in place straighten it up and the strut will fall into place. To reinstall the lower ball joint first make sure the half shaft is seated properly and push down on the A frame. While pushing down swing the knuckle over the ball joint and insert it into the hole. When done properly this will require minimal force. If you have to force it there is a good chance that you are doing it wrong.

Read the suspension how-to on the main part of the site. You do not need spring compressors when removing or installing the assembly, only to replace the springs once you have the assembly off the car. It is very very simple once you get the hang of it.