Advice on changing z31 front struts

[AZ89two4Tsx]

Ok, my cousin has a leaking front strut on his z31. He wants to change it himself, but isn't quite sure how to do it. I was going to help him but I've never worked on a z31 so I thought I'd ask you guys first. It's a non turbo, 85 or something near that and has the non-adjustable suspension. Looks to even be the ORIGINAL strut too, (his car only has 80K miles).

Anyways, I just need pretty much a rough step-by-step of what needs to be done. Like anything I need to watch out for or tips, whatever.

So yeah, if you can offer any advice, please post. Thanks.

[evildky]

it's pretty simple, the frnt struts use an insert so once you get it out of the car you'll have to take off the gland nut which can be a challance to get the insert out, new inserts should come with new gland nuts, the only realy difficult part is compressing the spring to get it back together, if you go with lowering springs they are short enough you won't have to use a compressor

[Bleach]

I was going to say you have to have spring compressors to remove the factory springs and install them again. Undoing the nut and letting all the preloaded tension out will cause the strut and spring to fly apart with tremendous force. Someone could die!

[evildky]

if you get killed by tearign down a strut darwin did hsi jhob

you lay the strut on the floor and pput you foot ont he spring and cap area, then you tak off the top nut with an impact, the strut goes flying otu the back and the impack will recoi a bit and the cam wil fa bounce off, thats the way I've done them for yeras, no deaths yet, i'll keep you posted putting them back together requires a spring compressor and patience

[Crimsin]

When I changed springs in my 72 buick, and my camero I had a place where there were some bolt eyes in a concrete slab, a friend a friend and I straped the car down to the bolts, put a hydraulic car jack under the A arm and eased it down. I do not know if it would work here though

[BadQ45t]

You should tell us if this is a turbo or non, that makes a little bit of a difference in which struts you pick up as replacments. If these really are original on a NA you can count on an oil explosion when you opent them up. You need a commercial spring compressor either way or bad stuff can happen.

I remember when i got my struts replaced on my 84' in 1990 (it was already at 90k) and the mechanic opened it up one of them and it sprayed him in the face, it was like something from the 3 stooges!!

If you do not have the spring compressor you can rent one from Auto zone, you need one for sure.