Haynes Manual way of removing struts

[dmtaurus]

I have 2 Moog quick struts to put on my 2006 shortbase Trailblazer LS with 4 wheel drive. To remove the front struts Haynes says to first remove the 2 top nuts from the upper spring seat tower while the vehicle is on the ground and on the wheels. Then, raise the vehicle, remove the front wheel, and guide the strut assembly so that the two studs fall out of the top of the frame. Next, you're suppose to remove the strut arm from the stud bolt on the lower control arm with a tie rod puller. Then, you are able to remove the whole assembly. Has anyone tried this method? The method seems to be based on utilizing vehicle weight while on the ground.
I didn't see it mentioned that the springs need compressed while the struts are on the vehicle to get them loose enough so the whole assembly can be removed.

 

[Hypnotoad]

They don't need to be compressed to be removed. You only need to compress the spring if you want to take the strut cartridge assembly apart or install a lift.

 

[RedEnvoyDenali]

I have 2 Moog quick struts to put on my 2006 shortbase Trailblazer LS with 4 wheel drive. To remove the front struts Haynes says to first remove the 2 top nuts from the upper spring seat tower while the vehicle is on the ground and on the wheels. Then, raise the vehicle, remove the front wheel, and guide the strut assembly so that the two studs fall out of the top of the frame. Next, you're suppose to remove the strut arm from the stud bolt on the lower control arm with a tie rod puller. Then, you are able to remove the whole assembly. Has anyone tried this method? The method seems to be based on utilizing vehicle weight while on the ground.
I didn't see it mentioned that the springs need compressed while the struts are on the vehicle to get them loose enough so the whole assembly can be removed.

Try this link. I used it to replace the shocks in the struts. This is a dangerous job but can be done at home with a lot of care and attention.

Strut and Shock Install - Truck Test Digest

If you are just replacing the whole unit it is much simpler just don't remove the nut holding the whole unit together.

 

[RPJ 03 Envoy X]

Try this link. I used it to replace the shocks in the struts. This is a dangerous job but can be done at home with a lot of care and attention.

Strut and Shock Install - Truck Test Digest

If you are just replacing the whole unit it is much simpler just don't remove the nut holding the whole unit together.

They don't need to be compressed to be removed. You only need to compress the spring if you want to take the strut cartridge assembly apart or install a lift.

They are correct. The quick strut is an assembly and is the quick in and out method for replacing struts. You DO NOT need to compress unless you want a closed head injury or other bodily injury. Just YouTube the idiots that dont like to compress springs and see what can happen if you are not careful. There is a lot stored energy in those springs (remember middle school science)? Potential energy.

 

[dmtaurus]

Thanks for the responses. I looked at the site on how to change out the struts and it looks pretty simple. One thing I noticed was that the pictures show a 2-wheel drive being worked on, not a 4-wheel drive. I guess that the front drive axles are not much in the way of removing the strut assembly.

 

[Sparky]

Nope, the axles don't really get in the way.

 

[6716]

The method you describe is the method I used a couple of weeks ago.

The hard part for me was getting the yoke separated from the strut assembly. I took it into a shop down the street and had a mechanic with air tools get the old ones out and the new ones in.

Other than that, I didn't have to use too much force to get the job done.

 

[dmtaurus]

Sounds like it was pretty simple. About how long did the job take?

 

[6716]

Well, it took me several hours. I started on a Friday night, and got mad when I couldn't get the yoke separated from the strut piece. I banged on that thing like crazy and couldn't get it apart enough to get that out. Next day I took it to a shop and had them switch out the yoke / strut piece. $20. Seeing what I saved on labor doing most of the work myself, that was $20 well spent.

I will say this, though, that I spent a week spraying penetrating lubricant on all the fasteners I was taking off -- including the rear shocks that I did a couple of days before I did the struts. Once a day I would hit those fasteners. I live in Wisconsin, and a lot of folks up north in the salt/rust belt have complained about getting fasteners off suspension parts, but I didn't have any trouble.

I'd say get the puller from Advanced Auto Parts to get the yoke off the lower control arm. I had pickle forks and that didn't work as well on the passenger side as it did on the driver side. Then I went back for the puller (in the wife's car) and I was much happier.

I was also looking to figure out ball joints and upper control arms at the same time, but that was more work than I had figured, so of all the time I spent not all of it was struts.

I maybe had 6-ish hours into it, but it wouldn't have to take that long.

 

[meerschm]

I did this in August for the first time. I used Monroe quick struts. very happy with the results.

Took my time, they just say to remove the top nuts before you jack her up to save pain since you can get to it. as I recall, advice is to leave installed, but very loose. you can remove the nut from below after the yoke is loose. A floor jack under the control arm helps to keep things lined up. The nut you do not want to touch is also on top, but a different size, so be sure you know what you are undoing.

I used jack stands and put the front up to work on both sides at once.

Pitman Arm Puller & Tie Rod Puller

I picked this up, but you should be able to borrow (buy and return) from a local auto parts store. it came in handy to disconnect the yoke. It took a few turns and built up some stress, and made a loud bang when it came loose. I have also read ( I think from the roadie.) you can loosen the nut, leave it at the end of the threads and whack it with a big hammer. I did not have to separate any other suspension parts except the strut and yoke which came out together. I had seen the Truck Digest story, but did not need to separate anything except the strut to make this work.

I had mixed results on getting the yoke separated from the strut, one came ok after some hammer work, the other I took to Pep Boys and gave a mechanic $20.

(as a follow up, after I changed the struts, I took it in for an alignment check, which found toe in out, and tie rods fused, which led me to learn about changing tie rods)


Also, did you see this thread? http://gmtnation.com/f31/quickstrut-install-separate-lower-mount-5276/

 

[dmtaurus]

First, thanks for all the replies and suggestions.

I ended up not getting the Moog struts because of a bait and switch attempt by Worldbestpriceautoparts.com by sending me Chinese struts. They have now conveniently taken off their web site any suggestion that when you order Monroe or Moog struts, that you do get Monroe or Moog struts. In fact, they took all quick struts off. Dealing with them was nothing but a hassle and I won't buy from them again; lesson learned. Instead, I got Monroes from Rockauto.

Yesterday I replaced them and it took about 4-1/2 hours to do them and to also replace the front sway bar rubber bushings. The job is really super easy if you have air tools and a large chisel for inserting into the pinch-bolt split on the yoke. To get the strut/yoke assembly off the lower control arm I first tried the exact same puller that Meerschm suggested, and another three jaw style that converts to a two jaw style that I have, but the fingers were too thick to fit in the space between the arm bushing and the yoke. So instead of grinding the fingers to thin them, a few good wapps to the stud with a hand sledge hammer, of course with the nut threaded on flush at the stud's end and a large straight blade screwdriver inserted in the space, broke the tapered joint fit and made easy removal of the assembly. Once out I removed the pinch bolt, inserted the large chisel in the yoke pinch bolt split, sprayed PB Blaster all around the joint, and the tapped the old assembly out. I used sandpaper to remove some rust scale on the holes at each end of the yoke. I re-assembled using the new strut assembly but did apply a super thin, finger-spread coat, of Permatex Anti-Seeze to the yoke pinch-bolt joint and to the control arm stud joint surface. I made sure it was super thin so that the joints would still perform as engineered but keep out water/salt corrosion in case I do the job again.

Sway bar bushing bolts are super-long but disassembly of the clamp housing and removal of the bushing are easy with a little spray of WD-40.

When I got done I noticed that the front now sits about 1/2"~3/4" higher than before, reminding me of how it was when it was new. The sag has been so gradual over the years that I didn't notice it happened. But now as I see other TB's going down the road, with front ends aiming "down", I can see how much they do sag.

 

[meerschm]

First, thanks for all the replies and suggestions.

I ended up not getting the Moog struts because of a bait and switch attempt by Worldbestpriceautoparts.com by sending me Chinese struts. They have now conveniently taken off their web site any suggestion that when you order Monroe or Moog struts, that you do get Monroe or Moog struts. In fact, they took all quick struts off. Dealing with them was nothing but a hassle and I won't buy from them again; lesson learned. Instead, I got Monroes from Rockauto.

Yesterday I replaced them and it took about 4-1/2 hours to do them and to also replace the front sway bar rubber bushings. The job is really super easy if you have air tools and a large chisel for inserting into the pinch-bolt split on the yoke. To get the strut/yoke assembly off the lower control arm I first tried the exact same puller that Meerschm suggested, and another three jaw style that converts to a two jaw style that I have, but the fingers were too thick to fit in the space between the arm bushing and the yoke. So instead of grinding the fingers to thin them, a few good wapps to the stud with a hand sledge hammer, of course with the nut threaded on flush at the stud's end and a large straight blade screwdriver inserted in the space, broke the tapered joint fit and made easy removal of the assembly. Once out I removed the pinch bolt, inserted the large chisel in the yoke pinch bolt split, sprayed PB Blaster all around the joint, and the tapped the old assembly out. I used sandpaper to remove some rust scale on the holes at each end of the yoke. I re-assembled using the new strut assembly but did apply a super thin, finger-spread coat, of Permatex Anti-Seeze to the yoke pinch-bolt joint and to the control arm stud joint surface. I made sure it was super thin so that the joints would still perform as engineered but keep out water/salt corrosion in case I do the job again.

Sway bar bushing bolts are super-long but disassembly of the clamp housing and removal of the bushing are easy with a little spray of WD-40.

When I got done I noticed that the front now sits about 1/2"~3/4" higher than before, reminding me of how it was when it was new. The sag has been so gradual over the years that I didn't notice it happened. But now as I see other TB's going down the road, with front ends aiming "down", I can see how much they do sag.

I did not modify the pitman arm puller to make it work. glad you got it all to work. with the sag removed, you mignt want to get the allignment checked.