[mlifxs]

Hi, wondered if anyone can give some advice before I dig my hole any deeper. Thanks in advance for any suggestions and comments.

Attempted my struts this weekend, but ran into some issues.

First, the pinch mount would absolutely not cooperate for me on the first strut. I posted per link below, did some more searching, and decided this may not be in the cards...perhaps it needs a good whack from below, while the car is on a lift.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=686856

So...decided I should manage my time here and make sure I can get things back where I started, before too much of the weekend runs away.

Per photo below, trying to put the spring back on, and then the guide supports. Having trouble with the guide supports, couldn't compress the springs with my hands to get the top nut on...so probably proceeded to make a mistake: undid the spring compressors and re-positioned the one on the left to compress the spring a loop higher....haven't fully compressed it yet....put it back on the strut (see picture below)

I'm concerned that, even if I can get the guide support back on, the left spring compressor will be positioned to high to remove it once I put the strut back. I'm guessing I should relax the spring and re-compress as it was before, but thought I should discuss since compressing springs is so much fun

How would you address this? position the spring compressors as they were originally when I took the strut off? Then, how do you fight the spring and get the guide supports and that top nut back on? is it a two person job? a brute strength thing? or are there tricks to it?

[scooby9]

Maybe try rotating the compressors 90 degrees clockwise so the one on the left is under the end of the coil. That way you get maximum compression and hopefully enough clearance to put the top hat back on.

[mlifxs]

Originally Posted by scooby9

Maybe try rotating the compressors 90 degrees clockwise so the one on the left is under the end of the coil. That way you get maximum compression and hopefully enough clearance to put the top hat back on.

thank you for this...decided to improvise with it. Called Autozone up the street and asked if they could lend me a second set of spring compressors.. put two per where they were when I removed, and two per your suggestion which got the top hat back on.

Onward...hopefully