Hey guys so I am trying to change the rear struts on my 2001 neon and its not going so well. I had everything off and open, and was trying to get the bottom 2 mounting bolts off the struts but it was just too difficult and I gave up because I need my car. So there was a cable running to my brakes (I have drum brakes) and a big plastic piece that it ran into in the way of the bolt heads so I couldn't get my electric impact wrench on to the bolt on the right side of the car at all. On the left side I was able to swing the cable out of the way and get the wrench on but the bolt wouldn't budge. On top of that I could not for the life of me figure out what size wrench I needed for the nut, is it an 18mm? Anyway assistance would be much appreciated.

 

You will need a special tool like a puller to take those bolts out.
If something is on your way, you have to remove it, and make room.

 

i removed my driverside strut ***. with hand tools. you remove the 2 lower bolts 1st. simply unwrench the nuts so there about 3 mm off the bolt and take a block of wood and hammer the stud till it loosens. then unthread the nut and take off the bolt. then take a small wrench and remove the brake line braket, or just snap it off. then remove the 3 nuts from inside the trunk and pull down on the drum and it will come out. NOW putting a new one in - I had to use a spring compressor that i rented from autozone ( you get all you $ back when u return it) i left the spring compressor on till i was done bolting everything back in. then I centerd the spring to make sure it seated properly then slowly loosend the tension and then i was done.

 

We bent one of those bolts on our Toyota Camry.
It wouldn't come out no matter how hard we hit it.
We ended up took our car to a shop.
Next time, I will use a puller, or something similar to that.

 

I usually will thread the nut onto the bolt a couple threads and hit the head of the bolt and then I'll switch to a punch so I can hit it all the way through the hole.