Need to know some info about replacing the strut cartridge?

[ron350]

 This thread needs more pictures.

  The round business end of the 10 inch long tool is 2-1/4 inches in diameter. You can see from the picture that the factory nut is slightly wider at about 2-3/8 inches.

 So if the factory strut retainer nut can fit down the shaft (hole) so can the tool in my picture.

Edited 5 hours ago by ron350

[55trucker]

5 hours ago, ron350 said:

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After removing all of the upper strut mount retaining paraphernalia one makes use of that deep extension, it goes right down over the extended shock piston, at the top end is a square 1/2" drive ratchet opening, one turns the ratchet counterclockwise to undo the retaining nut below on the top end of the knuckle. I've never made use of the short extension at all seeing as it will not clear the shock piston that would be extended (assuming the shock cartridge still  has gas pressure inside). If you need to insert the spreader down the shock tower opening first to keep the shock cartridge in loose alignment so as to remove it & reinstall it. The spreader is that wide mouth gray device. The small socket adapter at the upper right is the adapter one uses to both remove & install the shock piston retaining nut, one slides the adapter down over the nut, the short arm is for a ratchet to turn the nut, the opening in the centre is for the #50 torx bit that slips into the female torx thread on the end of the piston shaft. One holds the torx bit still while one turns the ratchet, this prevents the piston from turning inside the shock housing. But note that most aftermarket shock cartridge replacements no longer use that torx thread, you may find that the new shock has an Allen head thread on the end of the shock piston. 

Edited 5 hours ago by 55trucker

[ron350]

 This tool in my kit was useless because it was too big to fit in the hole. Maybe this tool will work on your 98?

[ron350]

  This tool acts as a handle that screws onto the threads on the end of the strut. Once installed you can move the strut around so you can center the strut in the hole. 

On my 96 the strut shaft wanted to move in the direction of the motor. I had to use pieces of wood wedged between the inner-fender and the strut spring to center the strut shaft so the removal tool would fit down the hole to the nut. Without this positioning tool i could not have changed my front struts.

The guy in that video did not have this tool.

Edited 4 hours ago by ron350