replacing struts

[Bumpysbro]

hey guys my struts are completely gone the ride has gotten so bad that i wana replace the whole setup myself. if anyone can help me im making a list of parts that i need when i do this.

strut assembly
coil spring
strut mounts
strut bearing

i know i need a spring compressor.
is there anything else?

[Bling Bling]

From what I've been told, have a couple of floor jacks available. One for lifting the car(DUH) and one to put under the lower control arm when you remove your spring/strut assembly. There will be a lot of tension on the top bolts and with the jack there, it will make it safer to remove. I'm waiting on my new springs/struts as well. Good luck!!

[Bumpysbro]

ahh cool same to you. are you doing the job yourself? if so hope it goes well. my ride in my car has gotten so bad its horrible and my rear springs rub up against the inside of my wheelwell. lol

[Bling Bling]

That's crazy. I might do it myself as I got a new air compressor for Christmas.

[Bumpysbro]

ya it would save you alot of money, what kind of springs you using? are you gonna lower your car or just do a stock

[PATDIESEL]

Do not load the lower controll arm like that. With the wheel off the ground the strut is not comperssed at all and will fall out when you take the tops bolts off. The real concern is the spring compressor. When you are compressing or decompressing the spring be VERY careful and make sure the spring compressor is well seated on the spring. Also, use a bench vise to hold the strut while you are wrenching down the spring compressor. It will do a good job keeping things steady. Two people to wrench at the same time on both sides is the best way to go. It will keep the spring load on both sides the same instead of one side being tighter than the other. Take a good look at how the strut mount and bearing come off. You need to put it all back exactly the same way. There should be a "tit" on the top side of the strut mount (engine bay side). This tit needs to face the same way as the old one did before the strut came out of the car. Use a pencil to mark the strut tower in the engine bay for the tit direction. If you mess up the tit direction your camber will be off.
Good luck, it is easy, but take your time.

[Bumpysbro]

Do not load the lower controll arm like that. With the wheel off the ground the strut is not comperssed at all and will fall out when you take the tops bolts off.

where did you put the jack stands when you did the job? i usually put them right on the bolt that holds the control arm up, not sure where else to suspend the car.

[Bling Bling]

ya it would save you alot of money, what kind of springs you using? are you gonna lower your car or just do a stock

I'm going with Eibach's and Monroe struts.

[neutral]

hey guys my struts are completely gone the ride has gotten so bad that i wana replace the whole setup myself. if anyone can help me im making a list of parts that i need when i do this.
strut assembly
coil spring
strut mounts
strut bearing
i know i need a spring compressor.
is there anything else?

A few things ya might or will need to add to your list - highlighted below... Applies to the front only - replace the upper spring seats - sometimes called upper spring perch. They usually aren't included when you buy the strut mounts and they are subject to extreme deterioration, even more so than the strut mounts, esp if still the originals. Check out page R-012 of the online shop manual for a good exploded diagram. http://www.mx-3.com/95manual The strut mounts bolt to the body and the spring seat sits just below the strut mount. The thrust bearing sits between these two parts to allow the front spring/strut assembly to rotate against the strut mount when steering. That's why you don't have em or need em on the rear. Upper spring seat is a metal disk with a bonded rubber/metal center, the upper spring coil seats against a rubber collar/cushion lining the underside of the spring seat metal disk. That rubber collar is to dampen vibration and it does not come with the new spring seats but you can either reuse the old rubber collar if it's in decent shape, or replace it with a new rubber collar from the Mazda dealer, or save your $ & just use a length of heater hose shoved onto the topmost spring coil when reassembling.

You'll also need new strut dust boots and bump-stops all-around if your old ones are trashed. If the old ones are still in good cond., when you have everything apart, a cleaning and wipedown with WD40 will help to preserve the rubber. Shop manual shows the bump stop (called a "bound-stopper") and dust boot as separate parts but aftermarket OEM replacements are sold with the bump-stop and dust boot integrated as a single unit for the MX-3. At least my (KYB?) replacement boots came this way...

If you are installing lowering springs ya might need to reinstall the strut assembly using adjustable camber bolts to allow for proper wheel alignment/camber adjustment by the shop. I had to add these when I did mine w/H&R Sport springs a couple years ago - in my case just for the fronts tho - fyi

Spring compressor can be rented at many autoparts places like Advance Auto Parts etc. You pay them the purchase price which they refund when you return the rental tool. Whether renting or buying, get the type specifically noted for Macpherson struts as the jaws can be compressed a bit closer together than with other "regular" spring compressors. This can be especially helpful/necessary when reassembling with aftermarket springs that have fewer coils to hook the compresser jaws onto than the stock springs have. Below is a pic of one Mac strut type, which also comes with safety retainer pins that keep the jaws from slipping off the compressed spring - nice feature. I bought this type from Sears Craftsman - pd $40 to buy a few years ago - Sears price is now $50 - has lifetime warranty - not rentable from Sears. This online vendor offers same item for $35 - good price if you're buying. Tool is heavy so shipping could be high tho. http://www.etoolcart.com/index.asp?Page ... &ProdID=92

btw, your rear springs rubbing against the wheelwell sounds like broken rear strut mounts are allowing the rear springs to make contact with the inside of the rear strut towers. Also, your proper jackstand points for the front are positioned under the squarish frame rails that end just behind each control arm bolt, not on the control arm/bolt itself.

Listen to PATDIESEL cuz ya definitely wanna be sure to orient every replacement part EXACTLY as the old parts were oriented before disassembly. You can definitely do this repair yourself, which will save ya big bucks and the first time you do it successfully, you will say YAY, tho I walk thru the valley of death I shall fear NO EVIL, cuz today, surely, I AM the baddest MOFO in the valley! At least I remember feeling that way my 1st time thru it.

Disclaimer: This advice/post is worth no more the price paid for it...

[Vanished]

Shouldn't/couldn't the jack stands be placed under the weld pinch? Whenever the car is being lifted on a hoist this is were the arms are set, and also with the shitty stock jack.

Thats what i've alwasy done.

[Bumpysbro]

thanks guys that helped out a ton, im gonna start ordering parts today and get everything ready and ill tell you how it went. thanks neutral that was perfect

[rippledabs]

I just replaced my springs and struts with zx2 and eibach. You can take my old stock ones if you want. They're still good. Just missing the bump stop. Just pay for shipping.

[Bumpysbro]

how much do you want for the shipping and ya ill take them let me know and ill see how what my money situation is like. thanks for the help

[rippledabs]

how much do you want for the shipping and ya ill take them let me know and ill see how what my money situation is like. thanks for the help

wats ur zip code. I'll get a fedex quote.

[Bumpysbro]

93223