Replacing front struts on 96' pathy

[yearmax]

Has any one replaced the struts on a pathfinder them self. I am try to same some money by making it a DIY project? Is it realy hard ? should I just have a mechanic do it ? Please help

[Mo560]

I am in the middle of doing it. You need the spring clamp for sure. New boots also. It is not difficult. You need to jack up under the control arm and raise it so the spring is most compressed. Then clamp it from two opposite sides, and tighten up until the spring releases its pressure on the top plate, while you gradually lower the jack under the control arm. Once the spring is free from top, open the botto main bolt. Loosen up the top one, and separate all the brake lines. Then rotate the strut towrds yourself. Oh, I forgot to say that you need to open the top nut from inside engine compartment.
Take the spring out, and the rubber boot. Then open the second screw at the base, and rotate the strut towards yourself. Then pull it out and reverse the work.
Good luck

[nate_96_pathfinder]

The struts on my girlfriend's pathy are shot. It feels like riding in a friggin boat. We don't want to spend $300-$500 dollars to have a shop replace them, so I am going to replace them myself.

Can you give me some more details about what's involved?
-How long should I expect it to take? (Is it a one afternoon project?)
-Do I really need new boots?
-Do I need any special tools other than the coil compressor?
-Are there any unexpected surprises I might run into?
-About how much should I expect to pay for the coil compressor and replacement struts?
-Does anyone know of some good resources on the internet for this project? (Diagrams, instructions, etc.)

Thanks!