For the transversely mounted leaf spring, certain tools are required for the compression of the auxiliary damper and rear leaf spring which can be imported from the specialist tool marketers. Start by removing the wheel lug nuts, lifting the rear part of the car, placing jackstands properly and putting chocks close to the tires of the front part. Take off the wheel and tighten the auxiliary damper with the help of the correct tool. On models from 1991 to 1995 (except 1995 Chevrolet), the exhaust system should be removed if necessary, in cases where it is fitted with dual exhaust. Subsequently, extract the jack pad, and the retention plates from the rear transverse spring, then, ensure the usage of the rear leaf spring compression tool before keeping the rear leaf spring compressed but still in situ. I took the brake hose bracket loose and then pulled the brake caliper up and moved it out of the way; I used a marker to mark the relationship between the strut and knuckle and also draw around the knuckle nuts. Remove the stabilizer bar from the knuckle, place a jack under the knuckle and then remove the strut to body bolts. After that, using a brass, lead or plastic hammer drive out the strut-to-knuckle nuts, disconnect the strut from the knuckle, and take it out of the car. For coil over strut type suspensions on 1997 and later models and early Chevrolet models, follow a similar process: It involves loosening the wheel lug nuts, lifting as well as supporting the car and popping off the wheel. Place the knuckle on a jack stand, pop open the trunk lid and free the strut to body bolts, if fitted with a brake hose bracket, uncouple it andscribe the orientation between the strut and the knuckle. Remove the nut connecting the stabilizer bar link to the strut, unbolt the strut-to-body bracket and then drop the strut assembly out to allow no spring pressure on the knuckle. Loosen and take off the strut-to-knuckle nuts as well as knock off the bolts and then detach the strut from the knuckle and take it out with the coil spring fitted to it. If only the strut is being replaced, then the coil spring and upper strut components have to be transferred from the worn out assembly to the new one, although it is advised that the rear strut coil spring replacement is a job that requires special tools and is extremely difficult to accomplish with a do it yourself approach. Last, reinstall in the order that removal was done and recheck the alignment marks before clockwise tightening of the bolts to the required torque.
