Spring compressors only to assemble them, not for install, so if the are assembled NO

 

Oh and the new ones are (should be) shorter since the car is going to lower - that makes them easier to install, the stock ones are a little tougher to remove, but I was always better at taken chit apart anyhow

 

cool beans

 

OK - just to wrap this up, for posterity.

The installation of these struts is a snap. Totally DIY-able although you need a reasonable selection of tools including some deep sockets and a big hex head socket for the brake calipers. I also *really* appreciated my new electric impact wrench for some of the heavy twisting. Other than needing those tools, which like my mom for instance doesn't have, this rates about a 4or 5 on a scale of 1-10 for difficulty.

This link was extremely useful for research....thanks to whoever put it together: http://www.renntech.org/forums/index...nsion-install/

I used two floor jacks, one on each side. I did the rear first and then the fronts. In each case the first strut took an hour, the second strut took about 15 minutes. The rears were *really* easy. I started with those.

In both cases also I left the sway bar unhooked until both sides were done, because the new struts were so much shorter than the old struts, so the bar won't line up until both sides are done. I also tried to do the front without unhooking the sway bar - which resulted in my bending a link (visible in the photo below) Easy to straighten out though so no harm, no foul.

Here's some pictures at perhaps the most difficult part of the job...it should take no effort at all to get the strut out from under the fender - I pulled like a bastard, because I was bending that sway bar link Once it was undone the strut pretty much fell out.

 

Are you working under the car while it's on a floor jack?

 

Not really, no. The job is done from the topside.

I know where you are going with this, but if one jack failed the other one would keep the whole shebang from coming down hard. Not that this would be a desirable event, but I'm sensible enough....not too worry.

 

Well yes you do know where I was going. PLEASE get some of these and use them! http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...ment+%26+Jacks

 

Of course I already have two sets of those...(duh) just felt they weren't necessary for this job.

Not my first ride on the turnip wagon mate.