I'm pretty much committed to replacing the front struts on my wifes car - was going to do it today, but she needed the car. The bonus on this replacement is I also have to replace the front brake hoses, and service the front brake pads/rotors. So it's like a full meal deal all at once.

Anyway. Here's what the question is about. I bought the 'quick strut' assembly (mostly because I don't feel like farting around compressing springs and transfering a strut cartridge and boot, then redoing the springs. Also - everything is 16 years old and new is going to be better)

After the strut assembly has been replaced as a unit, DOES THE CAR NEED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT? I'm leaning to yes, but don't know with Macpherson strut cars. Your input is appreciated.

 

That will depend on how positively the top end of the strut and the bottom end attach to the car. If the top end has a bit of wobble built into it, then you will lose your adjustment when you loosen it, but most I have seen have a tight sleeve attached to a plate that can be loosened and moved, so if you don't move the plate, you keep your adjustment.
On the bottom end, there are usually two big bolts, and if everything bolts up in a positive way with no play before it's tightened, that should be good to go, too.

Of course if you finish up and the car pulls to one side, then I'm wrong .

- Eric

 

My answer would be YES, an allignment is absolutely necessary-Did the strut assembly on a maxima,and about 60 miles from home after a road trip,on half the tire the belts were showing on a brand new michelin-cost of allighment-100,cost of new tire-180-just my 2 cents

 

Yup, that much I figured out too. This quick strut has the bearing plate, coil and strut already done. It's a straight across install. Even comes with new nuts for the bearing plate and new bolts for strut mounting! I don't need to index the strut because everything gets replaced. That was my biggest conundrum. If it's already preassembled, shouldn't it just be 6 bolts and yer done? (4 bearing plate - 2 strut mount) 1 brake hose

Yikes Ted! That's horrible. I only would have to drive 5 km to Fountain tire. These tires I don't care about because they're getting replaced this year anyway. You probably noticed quite a handling problem on that 60 mile trip though...

 

Yup, but when I really noticed was when shards of metal started hitting the car

 

I will say that, aside from the '71 Celica I drove for 10 days in 1980, I have exactly Zero experience with Japanese cars.

On my a BMW E36, Porsche 911, and '87 T-bird (Mustang front end), though, the alignment did not change when I changed struts.

- Eric

 

Yeah, I have 0 with Japanese cars too. My wife's car though is a 96 GM not a ricer. So when you changed your beemer and stang struts, did you use quick struts or rebuild the originals? If you indexed your strut mounts that's probably why the alignment didn't change?

My situation is that the front suspension and brake hose is original. I replaced the calipers/rotors/pads 3 years ago. The rest of the front suspension is really corroded after 16 years of northern winters. Since this car has not cost me anything except the routine mtce over that time I think it's time - 140K.

 

I'm about to go through the same suspension adventure on my nissan Sentra (1994 classic).

It's been in the family since new, ive had it for about 10 years and its starting to REALLY need suspension attention. I guess thats normal after 18 years of driving. My lady keeps telling me to get rid of it and get a newer car. But in retrospect, i have a hard time throwing out beat up 1971 cutlass grilles, nevermind a whole car!

I'll probably slowly rebuild this one once the cutlass is up and running.

I digress, On the positive side, it'll be a classic in 7 years

 

Ha! That's funny, but I really get it. You know how you want to keep stuff because you'll never know when you'll need another one? When I crushed my 98 last year, it went with some all new parts (like alt, IAC-remember that one, temp sensor, oil pressure sensor etc). I also cleaned out the replacement parts including the original IAC -which I had tested and found good. Must have been 2 boxes of Olds 98 parts I tossed.

Well, in addition to the struts, one of the things happening with the wifes car is an up and down 'surge' in idle. Not much; only about 75rpm, but it's there. Also has a sticky throttle.

I'm pretty much 100% the sticky throttle is caused by carbon buildup on the throttle plate. The surge is 99.9% caused by a build up of carbon on the IAC pintle. Not likely a bad IAC because the car starts into high idle, and comes down to normal after about 30 seconds. The low idle when warm pulses between 600 - 675 instead of the normal 700 - 750. Oh! Guess what IAC her car uses? Yup, the ones that I threw out. New from Rockauto they're 35 + 24 shipping. Locally? They're 75.00 That's retarded, especially for the same Delphi part.

Classic Nissan?? Good luck buddy. The only thing that will make it 'classic' is the lack of parts and it's age. Much as it's cruel to say, Nissan doesn't fall into what most people consider to be the classic car niche. I still have a hard time accepting that 1984 Olds 98 is a classic car.

 

They're definitely easier than front springs on our old cars.

Grab a floor jack and a good thick punch.
Support old strut underneath with the jack before removing the 2 bottom bolts. Then lower the jack and bottom down, and remove the top bolts.

Installation is reverse of removal.
I start bolting the tops in to make sure the lower positioning will be correct.
Lower holes are the hardest part.

Hopefully your assembly came cable tied with the shock compressed into the correct position for assembly. Most of the time, you will have to cut the tie, and wrestle with it.

eyeball a good position and height to have the jack in before you cut the cable.

You will need to stuff the punch in one of the 2 bottom holes to keep it lined up long enough to get a bolt started in the other hole

If you try and jack uncompressed struts in order to compress them, you will most likely lift the whole car, so it's better to start too high with the jack, and lower it to where it needs to be, before the shock has time to transfer all that fluid to the other chamber, and overshoot your mounting holes.

If a 72 cutlass is a classic, than I'd venture to say the 84 98 was, too. They are pretty much the same car when you break them down. And they were both definitely slow,heavy, and not muscle cars.

 

I'm more looking forward to not having to do emissions inspections...

I'm a strong believer of keeping cars going strong as long as monitarily possible. The repairs i've had to do on the sentra have been a minimum, and it's been oiled every 2-3 years religiously. So rust is under control.

I know it'll never be a classic, and to be honest, the reason why i'm probably not getting rid of it is because it was my first car. No matter how crappy it is, a man's first car is always something to look back on! Hopefully the old ball and chain won't kill me for keeping it as a lawn ornament

"Breaking Montreal News: Julie Poutine is charged for killing a man on the grounds of keeping an old rust bucket around too long"

It might be crappy, but i think it has charachter, i'd never be able to restore it completely... It'd lose it charm

 

Absolutely yes. Get the alignment done. I worked as a mechanic for 12 years & saw a few cars come in after the front struts were replaced but were not aligned after. At least 1 or both tires needed to be replaced.

 

Well I can certainly appreciate the sentimental attachment to a 'first car'.

Julie Poutine??? Sounds Cheesy to me! On the other hand, poutine is a high calorie fun to eat dish....

The irony of my question just came into effect. I OPENED THE STRUT BOXES and READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.
1. These struts are fully extended and not tied up.
2. They come with new bearing plate nuts.
3. The bottom line on the intstructions says after installing to 'Have wheels aligned to manufacturers specifications"

So based on your experience as a mechanic, it shouldn't matter if they are fully extended when they go in because the old ones will be fully extended when they come out, right?

 

Yep. Replacing them as a complete assembled unit makes it alot easier. Then you don't have to mess around compressing the springs & pulling it all apart to replace the strut only. Back in the day I remember doing front springs in alot of rear wheel drive cars. Having to get them compressed & banded, then once they are in the car & everything is bolted back together, using a torch to cut the bands. Lots of fun.

 

Agreed with what was said above, i know you plan on changing your tires soon. But i would guess that getting the alignment done right off the bat would be less work. What does an alignment cost now-a-days anyway?

I'm replacing the A-Arms on my cutlass too... I should probably get an alignment done to make sure everything is good. Heck i wish i had the know how and i'd do it myself.

 

Wait, didnt rob do a wheel alignment on his own??

Must.. dig up.. thread..

 

Same deal with A-arm replacement. Alignment right after. Think I saw that post about self alignment, with the peice of angle iron & 2 tape measures. Keen idea but personally I would just rather get it done on an alignment rack. Alignments around where I am are about $99 (4 wheel alignment). Thats if nothing else is wrong.

 

Depends on who you go to, but figure around 100 - 120.
Yes, but I'd rather have warranty on an alignment. By the time I buy all the stuff, ship it and learn how to do it? I could have had the car aligned 12 times. If you want the thread for the alignment, here it is: https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post341590

Pretty close to the same. Why bother with 4 wheel alignment if I'm just doing front; is there any particular reason I'm not aware of? On my 72, the alignment is only on the front.

 

Seems most shops you go into these days say they only do 4 wheel alignments. In the case of rear wheel drive cars they put cameras on all 4 wheels but just line up the front wheels.

 

This rings true with me. I have to use the ol' angle iron and yard sticks way, because I swapped a different rear axle in, and all 4 wheels will definitely not "line up" anymore.

I-I

I--I

^ Wheels look more like this now (exaggerated of course)

 

I've done plenty of GM front struts. Usually opt to do the work (assembly) myself to save $$$. The quickstruts are a good buy and come setup to install. They will compress somewhat when installed and the weight of the car is back on. If you're changing from originals the two bolt holes will not have any adjustment on the old ones. Some replacements come with elongated holes to set the camber when installed or employ eccentric bolts. When I changed them out I just jacked up the car and pushed down on the lower control arm when separated. I usually employ a truckers bar for a little leverage. But once all is said and done the alignment should be done. Usually a 2 wheel will do it as caster is not affected.

 

The ones I bought are Monroe premium. They are already fully extended in the box. I just checked them and the top mount hole is round, the bottom is elongated. I'm wondering if I put a plumb on the strut before I take it out, whether I can use that to line up the elongated hole more precisely before I snug it down. Can't believe these suckers need 140 ft/lbs of torque!

I called around today for alignment costs. Fountain Tire - 110.00, Economy Muffler - 120, Canadian Tire - 100.00 All of them are 4 wheel alignments. We've had this car since new (16 years now) and it's never had a wheel alignment yet. Never needed it. Still even has the original front windshield with hardly any pitting. Just lucky I think. We used it quite a bit on the highway when it was new, but mostly in the city over the past 12 years.

 

Most of my other beaters have been front wheel drives. Always had the four wheel alignment just because. It's good to know that it's not dog legging. E-brake slides tend to touch things like curbs. But I was younger then . Only other thing the four wheel alignment will tell you is whether or not the camber is out on the rear wheels as well. I had a trailing arm go on me on my Buick and had to have it done as a result.