91lx5sp Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 Can someone tell me what is the easiest way i can replace the rear struts on a 1993 Lumina. The reason i have to change is that on one strut ,the strut boot is broken. Otherwise the strut is fine.I was thinking of just changing the boot. Can i do that? Any info is appriciated. Thank you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SigEpCutlass Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 In order to change the boot, you have to take off the strut anyway. Unless your struts are new(or newer), I'd suggest while you're at it put some new KYB GR2's on there or Monroe Gasmatic Struts. Do it for both sides in the rear, and maybe for the front too! You won't be disappointed! All of us who've replaced our stock suspensions with KYB or Monroe stuff have had no complaints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted August 3, 2005 Report Share Posted August 3, 2005 First thing you need to do is go in the trunk and find the 2 strut mount bolts sticking up from under the wheel well and douse them with WD-40. Next, jack up the one side (leave the other side on the ground) and place it on a jackstand. Find a block of wood narrow enough to slide between the lateral arms that sandwich the monoleaf. Place the block of wood under the jack, and use the jack to jack up the monoleaf (put the jack as close to the strut/knuckle as you can get it.) Now that the tension is off of the monoleaf, remove the 2 upper strut mount bolts. Now depending how rusty the strut-to-mount nut is, you should be able to remove the nut and take off the mount after you compress the piston of the strut. If you can't, then you have to remove the strut completely from the car. The 2 large bolts need to be loosened and smacked out with a sledge hammer in order to remove the strut entirely... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91lx5sp Posted August 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 7, 2005 Well i ended up replacing the whole strut assembly.When i took the strut off i foune the strut shaft is all rusted. So i replaced the whole thing with monroe strut . I used the factory boot with the new rubber jounce. And i was also able to get the aux. Spring( the rubber sping thing ) back where it should go. So next weekend i will also replaced the other side. This is a great site.....thank you all for all your help... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
91lx5sp Posted August 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 A quick question... do you really have to do a alignment when you change the rear struts? the reason i am asking is that when i took the factory strut off the bottom mounting hole wasnt filed off like to make room for the strut to move for the camber adjustment. So i installed the new one the sameway and i did almost 60 miles on the new strut but i didnt feel anything unusual on the car's handling. Thanks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Yes, you are supposed to do an alignment... but I never did and never had any problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fytpyca Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 How did you put the aux spring back to its place? I replaced my rear struts and ended up without aux springs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscoStudd Posted August 15, 2005 Report Share Posted August 15, 2005 How did you put the aux spring back to its place? I replaced my rear struts and ended up without aux springs I actually lost one of mine when my upper strut mount broke :shock: so I left the one remaining one out. It looks to me like you have to insert a long bolt through the upper mount, through the aux spring, and through the bottom mount before you remove the strut to keep the spring compressed and in place. Looking at it from the "spring already removed" perspective, you'll have to remove the strut's lower mounting bolts, remove the upper aux spring mount, then place the spring in between the 2 mounts and try the same thing with an even longer bolt. When you have the spring squished back down, then reinstall the strut's lower mounting bolts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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