How hard is it to install Quick Struts

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Originally Posted By: tommygunn
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Front struts are about as easy as an oil change.
Rear struts are more difficult because you have to take apart the interior of the car.

It is not difficult to do this, but you will need a breaker bar.


I thought you only needed to remove the rear seat in sedans like the Corolla.

The OP has a Vibe. Aren't wagons usually easier in this regard?


Rear seats are usually easy enough to remove, at least in a Camry they are. In my Escort I don't have to remove the rear seats to replace the struts, and this is how it is on most cars.
 
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx


Rear seats are usually easy enough to remove, at least in a Camry they are. In my Escort I don't have to remove the rear seats to replace the struts, and this is how it is on most cars.


Isn't your Escort a wagon though?
 
Originally Posted By: tommygunn
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx


Rear seats are usually easy enough to remove, at least in a Camry they are. In my Escort I don't have to remove the rear seats to replace the struts, and this is how it is on most cars.


Isn't your Escort a wagon though?

I'd think most sedans have access to the strut tops through the trunk. The Neon did anyways. Wagons and hatchbacks are more of a pain as you have to be careful with the interior to get at the strut tops.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: tommygunn
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx


Rear seats are usually easy enough to remove, at least in a Camry they are. In my Escort I don't have to remove the rear seats to replace the struts, and this is how it is on most cars.


Isn't your Escort a wagon though?

I'd think most sedans have access to the strut tops through the trunk. The Neon did anyways. Wagons and hatchbacks are more of a pain as you have to be careful with the interior to get at the strut tops.

The Toyota Camry and variants require removal of the back seat, and so do variants of the Nissan Maxima. Those cars are extremely common, so it wouldn't surprise me if people thought removing the back seats were required for rear strut replacement in a sedan.
 
UPDATE:

I finished the job and it wasn't too bad. Definitely not something I'd like to on a routine basis for sure. :-(

1. The steering stabilizer bar links had to be cut off with a grinder. Allen wrench fitting on the old one and it became deformed easily. Replaced them both at an additional cost of 130. New design uses bolts you can put a socket on, not Allen heads.

2. Busted off one strut tower nut quite easily. The spec per shop manual is 29lbs. I did it to 25lbs after hearing they were easily sheared and sure enough, it broke off. I googled this and it seems to be common enough that I found lots of others who have had this happen to them.

Over all, kind of a pain, but worth it to save myself a few hundred. The alignment went pretty well and had to have a shim installed to align the rear.
 
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