replacing rear struts? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

90celica · 10-20-2009, 09:30 AM

how hard is it to replace the rear struts. what is involved? how do you get to the top nuts?

Mike Gerber · 10-20-2009, 11:45 AM

I suggest you go to the Camry forum over at AutomotiveForums.com and download the generation 2 Toyota factory serivce manual. The manuals are stickied there at the top. It will have the procedure you need in the suspension section, along with a lot of other information about your car.

Mike

90celica · 10-20-2009, 01:02 PM

thanks for the website!

white90dx · 10-20-2009, 01:19 PM

If you can get the two main lower strut bolts free and have the correct spring compressors, its not too hard.

The strut tops are reachable by removing the rear seat back and removing an access panel on each side. Don't try to remove the rear package shelf! The springs are under a lot of pre-load so take your time when compressing them. Make sure to get an alignment when you are finished.

Good luck!

-Charlie

TBayToyotaBoy · 10-21-2009, 01:17 PM

Be prepared to replace both of the swaybar endlinks when you swap the struts. The little hex notch in the ends of the pins tend to strip-out when you're loosening the flange nuts...I have never once been able to remove them without a sawzall--which destroys them.

Read the link below from our friend in the Gen3/4 forum:

DIY: Replace your endlinks and rear sway bar

It's very similar to ours...

white90dx · 10-21-2009, 01:40 PM

Someone needs to move to a non-salt state... I've never once had to cut them off.

-Charlie

TBayToyotaBoy · 10-22-2009, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by white90dx

Someone needs to move to a non-salt state... I've never once had to cut them off.

-Charlie

...or maybe a non-salt country! Aside from Victoria BC, I don't think there's a single place in Canada that doesn't get the salt treatment five months of the year!