Stupid strut cars

You should be able to do the struts yourself, then get an alignment.
At least on my car I don't even need to use a spring compressor to do
tha back ones, so I should at least try to do those (when the time
comes).

I also think air bags are a waste of money. I'd also add anti-lock
brakes and a few other federally mandated things.

Nate Nagel wrote:
A strut type suspension also allows more room for stuff in the
> engine bay, which IMHO is a Good Thing
>

Gotta disagree, there. Those big strut towers invade WAY into the engine
space. Of course, I'm used to torsion-bar front suspensions that put the
spring underneath the car and can completely eliminate the intrusion
caused by a coil spring (look under the hood of a Mopar and compare it
to a similar vintage Ford or GM or a strut setup).

"Alex Rodriguez" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> says...
>
> >Why do so many car manufacturers make cars that require struts these days
?
>
> Cost and packaging efficiency. You can eliminate some suspension parts
> by using struts. Strut suspensions also tend to take up less space.
>
> >Shocks are about 15 to 20 times cheaper to install.
>
> That's abit of an exageration. I doubt it is more than twice the price.

The non-dealer ( tire shop ) quoted me about $800 in Ohio to do just the
front the struts on a Saturn, and wont install the struts I already bought
( and said thats cheaper than a hospital bill ). I got the struts cheap
enough for name brand. Maybe I will do it very slowly and carefully in the
spring, but if I do, will also buy a better spring compressor, so I can do
it safer. ( and keep my hands clear of where the spring will let go, if the
spring compressor(s) slips ).

Progress = a pain in the butt, sometimes.

Tim Kett wrote:
>
> The non-dealer ( tire shop ) quoted me about $800 in Ohio to do just the
> front the struts on a Saturn, and wont install the struts I already bought
> ( and said thats cheaper than a hospital bill ). I got the struts cheap
> enough for name brand. Maybe I will do it very slowly and carefully in the
> spring, but if I do, will also buy a better spring compressor, so I can do
> it safer. ( and keep my hands clear of where the spring will let go, if the
> spring compressor(s) slips ).
>
> Progress = a pain in the butt, sometimes.
>
>

If you're worried about the whole thing coming apart, do what I do with
coil springs and struts - wrap a chain around the spring and through a
hole in the frame. (Don't forget to bolt the ends of the chain
together.) That way, even if the crappy spring compressor comes off
(seen it happen) you still prevent the spring from launching anywhere.

Ray

"ray" > wrote in message
...
> Tim Kett wrote:
> >
> > The non-dealer ( tire shop ) quoted me about $800 in Ohio to do just the
> > front the struts on a Saturn, and wont install the struts I already
bought
> > ( and said thats cheaper than a hospital bill ). I got the struts cheap
> > enough for name brand. Maybe I will do it very slowly and carefully in
the
> > spring, but if I do, will also buy a better spring compressor, so I can
do
> > it safer. ( and keep my hands clear of where the spring will let go, if
the
> > spring compressor(s) slips ).
> >
> > Progress = a pain in the butt, sometimes.
> >
> >
>
> If you're worried about the whole thing coming apart, do what I do with
> coil springs and struts - wrap a chain around the spring and through a
> hole in the frame. (Don't forget to bolt the ends of the chain
> together.) That way, even if the crappy spring compressor comes off
> (seen it happen) you still prevent the spring from launching anywhere.
>
> Ray

Thank you Ray !!! :-)

"Tim Kett" > wrote in
:

> "Alex Rodriguez" > wrote in message
> ...
>> In article >,
>> says...
>>
>> >Why do so many car manufacturers make cars that require struts these
>> >days
> ?
>>
>> Cost and packaging efficiency. You can eliminate some suspension
>> parts by using struts. Strut suspensions also tend to take up less
>> space.
>>
>> >Shocks are about 15 to 20 times cheaper to install.
>>
>> That's abit of an exageration. I doubt it is more than twice the
>> price.
>
> The non-dealer ( tire shop ) quoted me about $800 in Ohio to do just
> the front the struts on a Saturn, and wont install the struts I
> already bought ( and said thats cheaper than a hospital bill ). I got
> the struts cheap enough for name brand. Maybe I will do it very slowly
> and carefully in the spring, but if I do, will also buy a better
> spring compressor, so I can do it safer. ( and keep my hands clear of
> where the spring will let go, if the spring compressor(s) slips ).
>
> Progress = a pain in the butt, sometimes.
>
>
>

$800 to do *JUST* the fronts?......find a different shop.

Local shop here....front end specialist 30 years experience...
94 Sundance... front struts, both half-shafts, both front hub bearing
sets, both tie rod ends, and a 4 wheel alignment, $130 labor total.

He quoted me today, $110 labor to put in 4 new ball joints check the U-
Joints and do an alignment on my truck...





--
Anthony

You can't 'idiot proof' anything....every time you try, they just make
better idiots.

Remove sp to reply via email

On 23 Dec 2004 08:57:50 -0800, wrote:

||You should be able to do the struts yourself, then get an alignment.

Or align it yourself. I don't generally align mine when I change struts, unless
it indicates a need after a little driving. In fact, I haven't had an alignment
done by a shop in 10 years.

||At least on my car I don't even need to use a spring compressor to do
||tha back ones, so I should at least try to do those (when the time
||comes).

You can buy a strut spring comrpessor for $30.
Might also need an impact wrench for the top nut.

||I also think air bags are a waste of money.

Maybe, but I want my loved ones in a car that has 'em.

|| I'd also add anti-lock
||brakes

ABS has some benefits. The ABS on my '94 F150 does not work. Did not concern me
until I had to make an emergency lane-change while braking. The back end came
around pretty quickly, enough to catch me off-guard. With ABS that would not
have happened. Luckily the other vehicle corrected in time to give me my lane
back.

Texas Parts Guy

"Anthony" > wrote in message
...
> "Tim Kett" > wrote in
> :
>
> > "Alex Rodriguez" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> In article >,
> >> says...
> >>
> >> >Why do so many car manufacturers make cars that require struts these
> >> >days
> > ?
> >>
> >> Cost and packaging efficiency. You can eliminate some suspension
> >> parts by using struts. Strut suspensions also tend to take up less
> >> space.
> >>
> >> >Shocks are about 15 to 20 times cheaper to install.
> >>
> >> That's abit of an exageration. I doubt it is more than twice the
> >> price.
> >
> > The non-dealer ( tire shop ) quoted me about $800 in Ohio to do just
> > the front the struts on a Saturn, and wont install the struts I
> > already bought ( and said thats cheaper than a hospital bill ). I got
> > the struts cheap enough for name brand. Maybe I will do it very slowly
> > and carefully in the spring, but if I do, will also buy a better
> > spring compressor, so I can do it safer. ( and keep my hands clear of
> > where the spring will let go, if the spring compressor(s) slips ).
> >
> > Progress = a pain in the butt, sometimes.
> >
> >
> >
>
> $800 to do *JUST* the fronts?......find a different shop.
>
> Local shop here....front end specialist 30 years experience...
> 94 Sundance... front struts, both half-shafts, both front hub bearing
> sets, both tie rod ends, and a 4 wheel alignment, $130 labor total.
>
> He quoted me today, $110 labor to put in 4 new ball joints check the U-
> Joints and do an alignment on my truck...
>

WOW !!! I will check around !

>
>
>
> --
> Anthony
>
> You can't 'idiot proof' anything....every time you try, they just make
> better idiots.
>
> Remove sp to reply via email

In article >,
says...

>The non-dealer ( tire shop ) quoted me about $800 in Ohio to do just the
>front the struts on a Saturn, and wont install the struts I already bought
>( and said thats cheaper than a hospital bill ). I got the struts cheap
>enough for name brand. Maybe I will do it very slowly and carefully in the
>spring, but if I do, will also buy a better spring compressor, so I can do
>it safer. ( and keep my hands clear of where the spring will let go, if the
>spring compressor(s) slips ).
>
>Progress = a pain in the butt, sometimes.

Are Saturn struts different than those on other cars? I've done struts on a
few cars and the following compressor has worked fine:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=3980
It comes with safety hooks, so unless you so something really stupid, you
should be fine. Had it not been so much more expensive, I would have preferred
to buy http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47890 .
That would have made the job go faster.
--------------
Alex

Anthony wrote:
> "Tim Kett" > wrote in
> :
>
> > "Alex Rodriguez" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> In article >,
> >> says...
> >>
> >> >Why do so many car manufacturers make cars that require struts
these
> >> >days
> > ?
> >>
> >> Cost and packaging efficiency. You can eliminate some suspension
> >> parts by using struts. Strut suspensions also tend to take up
less
> >> space.
> >>
> >> >Shocks are about 15 to 20 times cheaper to install.
> >>
> >> That's abit of an exageration. I doubt it is more than twice the
> >> price.
> >
> > The non-dealer ( tire shop ) quoted me about $800 in Ohio to do
just
> > the front the struts on a Saturn, and wont install the struts I
> > already bought ( and said thats cheaper than a hospital bill ). I
got
> > the struts cheap enough for name brand. Maybe I will do it very
slowly
> > and carefully in the spring, but if I do, will also buy a better
> > spring compressor, so I can do it safer. ( and keep my hands clear
of
> > where the spring will let go, if the spring compressor(s) slips ).
> >
> > Progress = a pain in the butt, sometimes.
> >
> >
> >
>
> $800 to do *JUST* the fronts?......find a different shop.
>
> Local shop here....front end specialist 30 years experience...
> 94 Sundance... front struts, both half-shafts, both front hub bearing

> sets, both tie rod ends, and a 4 wheel alignment, $130 labor total.
>
> He quoted me today, $110 labor to put in 4 new ball joints check the
U-
> Joints and do an alignment on my truck...

Is this a repair business or a building in someone's back yard?.. With
labor rates in this area, $130 is less than two hours labor. The Lexus
dealer is at $100/hr, Range Rover is higher, and even the local Ford -
Case - New Holland (farm tractors and equipment) dealer is $78/hr.

Regards,

Jim

>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Anthony
>
> You can't 'idiot proof' anything....every time you try, they just
make
> better idiots.
>
> Remove sp to reply via email