Stupid stock struts.

[1987camry]

I just replaced the front struts in my '87 Camry with KYB sealed struts(rear ones once I get the time), and the front left one that I took out was totally shot (when you set it on its piston shaft it collapses under its own weight).

The couple days before I was able to get my friends with air compressors to help me, the front left of the car would collapse, I guess from the strut being bad. The lowering job it did was beutiful, except for the fact that it was actually the ghetto stock part collapsing and not something that would be functional.

The way I devised to fix this problem was to use the stock scissor jack (my floor jack wouldn't fit under the front or side of my car) and lift the front left corner, thereby releasing the pressure on the shock and letting it reurn to its original setup.

I originaly thought that the cup on the strut (that holds the srping) was getting caught on the body of the car. This, of course was not the case.

I was wondering if anyone knows why the spring wouldn't keep the car up even if the shock is already toast, I was thinking that mabye wherever the leak was that it might have been working as a one way valve of sorts and only letting air out, so when the car went down, it would stay down.

[1987camry]

Sorry I did not realize that these new stipulations had been placed on "first-timers." So here it is:
Me: Nate ("Hi, what up?)
Mines: 1987 Toyota Camry, 3S-FE, 5-speed, white/maroon, 15x6.5in. Konig "Caffiene" (I think), 205/50-15 Kumho Ecsta Supra 712, KYB Gr-2.
Mods: The wheels were already on my car when I bought it. The tires were originally the 711 series Kumho, but, through a series of events, I was able to upgrade to the 712 series, two are VR and two are WR speed rated. I have replaced the front stock struts to the KYB Gr-2 within the past week and plan on replacing the rear sway bar, original is broken, and rear stock struts to the Gr-2, which I already have in my possesion, within the week. Also before I go back to school, a thousand miles away, in a month I hope to be able to replace my head gasket and adjust my valves. Also my power steering is being a dork, and I hope to fix it before school as well. In the not-so-near future, I would like to: 1)aquire a conical conversion kit for my intake, 2)install Intrax springs, and 3) a white shift knob, for contrast to the maroon interior and to go along with the white exterior. And just for kicks: the 3S-gte motor seems rather interesting.