99 NEON. DO I NEED A SPECIAL TOOL TO HOLD THE SPRING WHEN I CHANGE THE FRONT STRUT ?

1- remove the strut and spring assembly
2- compress the spring with special tool
3-remuve the damper shaft nut and change the new strut
4- install the damper and the nut remove the tool
disassembling a strut is dangerous be careful

Hello teri_townsen,

Working on strutscan be dangerous because the spring is under great pressure so caution must beused at all times. Unless you have a suitable spring compressor I wouldrecommend you install complete strut assemblies. They come assembled with all newparts and you don't need to deal with the spring. 1. Remove thethree strut mount nuts from the top of the struts. 2. Raise andproperly support the car on the frame allowing the front control arms to hangfree. 3. Remove tiresand wheels. 4. Before youremove the strut to knuckle nuts and bolts mark the position of the bolts toknuckle so when you reinstall you can keep the camber correct. 5. Remove strutto knuckle bolts. Note: care mustbe taken that no damage to the ball joint or CV axle, so retain the knucklewith a bungee strap or something suitable. 6. Remove strutfrom vehicle. Install inreverse order. Tighten the top threenuts to 30 foot pounds. Tighten the strutto knuckle bolts to 90 foot pounds. Tighten lug nutsto 100 foot pounds. If you are notsure if you kept the proper camber alignment you should have the front endaligned. Again, care mustbe taken at all steps to avoid injury. Regards, netvan

there is a special tool that screws on the top of columb you can get this at local autoparts

1 Raise and support the vehicle with safety stands. While the vehicle is raised, remove the wheel and tire. This will give you access to remove the two lower bolts and nuts from the strut. Remove the upper flange retaining bolts.

2

Slide the strut spring assembly out from the vehicle. Using a strut spring tool, collapse the spring. Remove the center nut, upper bearing flange assembly and collapsed spring. Discard the old strut and replace with new strut. Discard the upper nut and replace with new nut. Do not release the spring tool from the spring.

3

Install collapsed spring with tool in place onto the new strut. The spring does not need to be replaced unless it is broken. Be sure to note the position of the spring ends on the strut. Install upper bearing flange, making note of the position of the spring end on the flange. Install center nut and tighten to specs. Then remove the spring tool.

4

Put the completed strut and spring assembly back onto the vehicle. Tighten nuts and bolts to manufacturer specifications. Install the wheel and tire. Lower vehicle.

good luck
yz-maniac......

One needs a special tool called a 'spring compressor' to compress the front strut spring enough to remove the nut on the strut. Very dangerous without the tool. Must use the spring compressor to service the strut assembly, or get a loaded strut/spring assembly to replace old strut assembly.

Good luck on this.

the only tool would be a spring compressor to remove the strut once out off car.you will need it to compress the spring to release tension then remove the top nut and slide strut out.

Yes you do need a spring compressor tool, to do this job, if your not sure how to do this, best to have a repair shop do this, if you remove the wrong bolt you could get hurt, the spring hold a lots of pressure, be careful.

Its simple to unbolt them,but then you will need to go to your locale parts house that has a loaner tool program,and get strut spring depressors,with these special tools it is no big problem,Spring depressor fits on coils of spring and will hold spring depressed while you take center nut off and change strut.

Raise and safely support the vehicle.
Remove the tire/wheel assembly.
Remove any brackets or sway bar endlinks that may be attached to the strut.
Remove upper strut mount bolts (NOT THE BIG ONE IN THE CENTER) Should be three bolts.
Remove two strut to knuckle bolts and remove the strut.
Using an external spring compressor tool compress the spring. FOLLOW THE TOOL MANUFACTURES INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. COIL SPRINGS HOLD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF POTENTIAL ENERGY AND CAN CAUSE VERY SERIOUS INJURY AND/OR DAMAGE IF THE TOOL IS USED INCORRECTLY.
Remove the top nut of the strut.
Remove the spring noting how the strut mount and other parts are oriented.
Remove the spring compressor.
Compress the new spring and install the new spring with the strut mount and other parts in the same orientation as it was removed.
Reinstall the top nut.
The rest is opposite of removal.

i would not recommend doing it with a jack you may get hurt try to get a spring compressor tool from a rental place
there is allot of pressure in those springs

will the spring flop around if you move it a little if the spring is allready lose and NO pressure on it you can remove it without a spring compressor