im dumb and i have tried to search for a post for DIY strut replacement for my dakota on here but havent found anything.

questions are: do i need to remove the springs? is there any tips the guys who have already done their struts can give me? I am going to be doing all 4 this week cuz i want to be able to drive something that feels like a truck and not like my ski boat on the highway.

thanks a lot.

oh yea and any special tools i should get that will make my life easier?

 

Your best bet is to remove the strut assemblies and take them somewhere where they have a wall mounted strut compressor. It is a bitch to try and do it with normal spring compressors. I ended up taking them out and having the local tire kingdom complete it.

Normal tools will be alright. I had to take off the top ball joint out of the knuckle to make the removal of the strut alot easier.

 

so i do have to remove the springs? i looked at the service manual and it says that i can leave the springs in place.

if it makes a difference im 2wd.

 

Struts require a coil spring compressor to replace. Yes, the springs must come off.

 

Like Jkeaton said, it's a strut assembly and them come out as one piece. When you look at the replacement shocks you will see there is a long stud out of the top that holds the whole assembly together.

 

You can rent the tool at the parts store, it's not that bad. I did my old Neon struts and the neighbor brought over his older Lexus and we did those too. Just be carefull, it's a tooth buster if you fail.

 

I did my struts yesterday with a normal spring compressor it wasn't too bad.