Changing rear struts on Lumina w/transverse spring?
 

This is on a 1992 4-door Lumina sedan. The factory manual calls for a rather
large tool that fits across the whole spring to compress it when changing out
the rear struts. Has anyone replaced the struts, and do you really need the
special tool? Perhaps the spring is slack enough with the wheels drooped that a
simple pry bar can pull each knuckle down enough to slip the strut out?

--
Dennis

Changing rear struts on Lumina w/transverse spring?
 

On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:28:06 -0500, DT > wrote:


>This is on a 1992 4-door Lumina sedan. The factory manual calls for a rather
>large tool that fits across the whole spring to compress it when changing out
>the rear struts. Has anyone replaced the struts, and do you really need the
>special tool? Perhaps the spring is slack enough with the wheels drooped that a
>simple pry bar can pull each knuckle down enough to slip the strut out?

Usually the strut's "shock" will bottom out when you remove the assembly --
ie: if the wheel is dropped then the spring is still loaded with enough force
to take your head off.

Either spend the $30 to rent the tool, or get used to driving around with
a bouncing suspension. If you can't come up with $30, then you have no
business trying to do a strut job.

Changing rear struts on Lumina w/transverse spring?
 

>Usually the strut's "shock" will bottom out when you remove the assembly --
>ie: if the wheel is dropped then the spring is still loaded with enough force
>to take your head off.
>
>Either spend the $30 to rent the tool, or get used to driving around with
>a bouncing suspension. If you can't come up with $30, then you have no
>business trying to do a strut job.


That's fine, I didn't realize it might be available to rent.

--
Dennis