Replaced struts today.

[Wi-Golfer]

My 05 Equinox has been riding pretty damn rough & the other day the struts literally froze up. Picked up new struts from Autozone & headed into work today, wasn't actually working but since we have it nice & warm inside I figured why spend half the day trying to heat my garage up?.

Knocked them out in less than 2 hrs including cleaning up. 1st one took me about 45 minutes but the 2nd one was done in 25 minutes. Damn thing rides just like new now. Alignment seems to be dead on as there is absolutely no way for these struts to move out of place. You have the actual strut going up into the shock tower where it's centered in the cup, & then 2 bolts which which attach to the steering knuckle.

The old struts were totally dead, pulled the right one out & I was actually able to dump water out of it.
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[Fitzpatrick]

My 05 Equinox has been riding pretty damn rough & the other day the struts literally froze up. Picked up new struts from Autozone & headed into work today, wasn't actually working but since we have it nice & warm inside I figured why spend half the day trying to heat my garage up?.

Knocked them out in less than 2 hrs including cleaning up. 1st one took me about 45 minutes but the 2nd one was done in 25 minutes. Damn thing rides just like new now. Alignment seems to be dead on as there is absolutely no way for these struts to move out of place. You have the actual strut going up into the shock tower where it's centered in the cup, & then 2 bolts which which attach to the steering knuckle.

The old struts were totally dead, pulled the right one out & I was actually able to dump water out of it.
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Nicely done.

I've been wondering lately how much money auto repair garages make in the areas that have the type of cold we just went through for a longer period of time. I should think that if the weather is more than -25* for weeks and/or months at a time, they would see lots of this type of work. Or do people take your route and just do it themselves?

As it is, the check engine light came on in my '05 Hyundai yesterday, so I've got to take that in to have it looked at.

 

[warbirdlover]

Can't you kill yourself changing struts if you don't do it right?

 

[Wi-Golfer]

Nicely done.

I've been wondering lately how much money auto repair garages make in the areas that have the type of cold we just went through for a longer period of time. I should think that if the weather is more than -25* for weeks and/or months at a time, they would see lots of this type of work. Or do people take your route and just do it themselves?

As it is, the check engine light came on in my '05 Hyundai yesterday, so I've got to take that in to have it looked at.

A lot of times there are 2 reasons why that light comes on. 1 is the gas cap is either not tight or the seal on is failing. I know it sounds goofy but that's a fact. Another one is plugged catalytic convertor. For the gas cap you can make sure it's on tight, disconnect your battery for a few minutes & then reconnect it. Might be enough to reset the light.

Can't you kill yourself changing struts if you don't do it right?

Hell yes you can, there is an immense amount of stored energy in a coil spring & if you don't compress & release it properly you could get seriously injured or killed if the spring were to release & hit you.

 

[SiberianDVM]

I replaced the strut insert shock absorbers in my 1970 240Z 3 times over its' lifetime. I bought a set of 3 coil spring compressors and I was always nervous about them slipping off. Sure enough, 1 time they did.......no major damage done, though.

 

[ezra76]

Fun job, lol. My dad and I replaced all 4 in my stepmom's Escort last year. If you think those are bad, try springs. I had an F150 and was tired of the 31" tires rubbing due to the beat springs. I replaced them with F350 springs. Tires didn't rub anymore... but when you hit a pothole you'd have to spit a filling out. I thought it was going to break the windshield at first those those things were so damn stiff.