Changed Struts and Shocks On A 95 Maxima GLE?

[eightballsidepocke]

Have any of you folks attempted and succeeded in changing your own struts and shocks?

I've been quoted some real big prices for doing it.

Even though my Maxima is in great running condition for 142k miles on the odometer, it isn't worth the expense to pay over a grand to have a repair place do the work.

I guess if I was Mr. Getty........I wouldn't complain, and just get it done at a shop............but I'm not.....and I would like to improve the ride of my Maxima. I know those shocks are ready for replacement as I feel every bump on the highways now.......

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Whose done it.........and what tools need to be rented purchased.......and how dangerous or hard is it to compress your springs.........etc.
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Any how to pictures from earlier postings on this forum?
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[BP2K2Max]

i did mine myself. IMO it's best if you have two people. it's not hard to do, just kind of tricky getting things lined up. i used this "how-to" to do it.

http://www.innerbean.com/housecor/strut_install.html

it's for a 5th gen maxima, but i'm sure it's no harder to do on a 4th gen, maybe just a little different. a little trick is to put the spring comressor on the spring while the car is on the ground so the suspension is compressed, then jack the car up, it'll save you like 15 minutes per side instead of trying to tighten the spring compressors after tha car's in the air.

[Nahkapohjola]

Originally Posted by eightballsidepocke

Have any of you folks attempted and succeeded in changing your own struts and shocks?...

Here the stealer$hip swap price is 1600$, and nissan has succesfully 'negotiated' insult to this injury: most aftermarket shops are in the EU-cartel and refuse to sell, now yearly inspection wont pass with worn shocks. Luckily heres one hole in the communism to get em: spanish LIP; 300$ all four. You'll get them cheaper.

The job is piece of cake if you accept dirty hands - notlike getty. See one writeup Link on my CDomain page. If you have 2 reliable spring compressors (one has four good hooks, two on both ends), there is no danger: dont work with poor compressors, if spring slips, projectiles may kill.

Rear shocks: I used stanza/bluebird cartridges in the rear (3gen), ½price here. Note: leave the mech road noise amplifiers out, see link page18.

[FixUrNissan]

I don't know how much of a handy man you are. Struts can be a bit tricky and you should have some air tools and a spring compressor. If you don't have a good spring compressor , It can be VERY dangrous. I highly dont recommend people i don't know to change there own .

[khurramahmed]

I have 95 maxima GLE too, and i got the rear shocks done at the price of $250 with life time warranty on them, in phoenix , Arizona. the estimate for the front struts was also close to this amount. they were around $100 a piece and my mechinic accepted 50 for one hour job, but he finished in just 40 minutes.

[eightballsidepocke]

Originally Posted by FixUrNissan

I don't know how much of a handy man you are. Struts can be a bit tricky and you should have some air tools and a spring compressor. If you don't have a good spring compressor , It can be VERY dangrous. I highly dont recommend people i don't know to change there own .

I certain agree with you!

[eightballsidepocke]

Originally Posted by khurramahmed

I have 95 maxima GLE too, and i got the rear shocks done at the price of $250 with life time warranty on them, in phoenix , Arizona. the estimate for the front struts was also close to this amount. they were around $100 a piece and my mechinic accepted 50 for one hour job, but he finished in just 40 minutes.

That's a great deal/bargain!!!

Now if I could find a reputable mechanic/shop in the San Jose, California area that would do my 95 GLE for around that price.......I'd be singing, "Happy Days Are Here Again.". lol

Thanks for the encouraging post.