To remove the cowl cover, loosen the strut upper mounting nuts without removing them. Then, loosen the wheel lug nuts, raise the vehicle, and support it securely on jackstands. Remove the wheel and detach the wheel speed sensor harness from the strut body. Mark the position of the knuckle to the strut by scribing or drawing a line on the
Steering Knuckle following the line of the strut. Detach the stabilizer bar link from the strut and support the steering knuckle with a floor jack. Unscrew the nuts securing the strut to the steering knuckle and tap the bolts out with a hammer. Lower the knuckle using the floor jack to allow room to remove the strut assembly, being careful not to overextend the inner CV joint. Remove the top nuts and pull out the strut. For inspection, check the shock body for leaking fluid, dents, cracks, and other damage. Check the coil spring for chips or cracks in the spring coating and inspect the spring seat for cuts, hardness, and deterioration. If any undesirable conditions exist, proceed to the shock absorber/coil spring disassembly procedure. Guide the assembly up into the fender well and insert the upper mounting studs through the holes in the body. Install the nuts to prevent the strut from falling back through, but do not tighten them yet. Use a jack to position the steering knuckle and install the two lower mounting bolts and nuts. Align the strut with the mark on the knuckle and tighten the nuts to the specified torque. Tighten the top nuts to the proper torque and reconnect the stabilizer bar link to the strut. Reconnect the wheel speed sensor harness to the strut. Install the wheel and lug nuts, lower the vehicle, and tighten the lug nuts to the specified torque. Finally, have the front end alignment checked and adjusted if necessary.