Vehicle repair: DIY or pay?

[crokett]

You just don't know when you will run into something that you're not equipped to do.

This is exactly why I pay my mechanic to work on my cars. I can't afford to have either of them down for very long.

For something like the OP wants to do, I'd take it to a mechanic. There is a lot that can go wrong.

[mpc]

I do all the wrenching on my little fleet. And I've built up a pretty good pile of oddball car tools so I can handle almost anything short of machine shop work. Not knowing the details of your car's suspension construction, off the top of my head I'd suggest:

* Get a Haynes or Clymer manual for your car as others have suggested, or the factory service manuals. Older Toyota manuals are typically sold in volumes/sections and the price can build up quickly. I have Haynes, Clymer, Chiltons for my Corolla plus the factory manuals. The Chiltons is by far the worst - it tries to cover too many Toyota cars that have nothing in common with Corollas - so you have to already know a fair bit about the car to read it. And much of the info is just plain wrong - the engine/fuel system/emissions stuff is miserable. The Haynes has a lot of good info and a fair bit of rookie warnings.

* Get a can of PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench, or the stuff sold by Toyota dealers to loosen stuck fasteners. Liberally slop this stuff around the day before you plan to start work. Suspension bolts tend to be the most rusted/siezed, especially if the car routinely sees salted roads. A wire brush on the bolt threads before loosening the nut helps a ton - get that rust off BEFORE you run the nut over it and jam the nut.

* Tools you'll probably need:
- breaker bar

- large sockets. Preferably 6-point sockets. (the end that fits over the nut has 6 corners, not 12 like most sockets... 6-points "fit" the nuts/bolts better so there is much less chance of rounding over the nut) Of course, an impact gun with impact sockets is FAR nicer when working on suspension stuff. A beefy one helps a lot - 500 ft-lbs or stronger. Many are rated at "only" 250 or so; not much more than you can apply by hand with a mid-sized breaker bar.

- White-out or paint so you can mark how parts line up. This lets you get the suspension put back together pretty close to aligned; something critical on most independent suspension setups. If your car has a Hotchkiss suspension (leaf springs and a solid axle) then alignment isn't so much of an issue.

- Coil spring compressor. You can rent them from Autozone as others already posted. Harbor Freight sells several styles too. Usually the "alligator jaw" style only works with the strut totally removed from the car (too much of the spring is above the wheel well lip); the ones that are 2 beefy threaded rods and a couple hooks often works on-car (harder though) or off the car. This is the most dangerous part of the whole job - there is a lot of energy stored in a compressed spring. I do this part of the job in the back yard (away from neighbors) on the grass with the parts pointed away from the house. Just in case something gets loose.

- Floor jack

- Solid jack stands. Depending on the suspension/axle type, you might need just 2 or you might benefit from 4. Two to hold the car body (use the factory "service jack" lips on the sides of the body or the pads for repair shop style lifts) and maybe two to hold a solid axle assembly.

- wheel chocks to secure the front of the car while you shake/rattle/pull/push on the rear axle... parking brakes only lock the rear wheels.

- a solid place to work. Jack stands on uneven dirt are dangerous. A big cement slab/garage floor is best.

- lots of rags. Suspensions are dirty. Simple Green gets the worst of the gunk off.

- A can or two of spray brake cleaner (any auto parts store will have this)

Generally you can replace bushings without removing the springs. Unless it's the upper "strut mount" that is the problem... that often means totally removing the spring from the damper assembly. Do one side of the car at a time - so you can use the other side as a reference for "how does this stupid thing go back together?" Use rope, zip ties, or bungee cords to hold brake caliper assemblies, suspension parts, etc. if you have to disconnect pieces. Never let brake parts hang by their hose.

Another factor to consider: can the car sit for a day or two, in pieces, while you order more parts or tools? If you need it done in 1 day, take it to a local shop and have it done.

Suspension work is generally physically demanding but not mentally tough. Parts are big and generally aren't fragile - you can "see" how things ought to go. Fighting the rusted bolts is the problem typically. You might end up having to replace a few too: they bend/strip during removal, you might find rust has weakened them or eaten pits into the smooth shanks of bushing bolts, etc. Never lay underneath whatever you're pulling apart - always take a moment to think safety and what could fall - and where will it fall? You hands WILL slip off the wrenches a few times and smash into things - gloves help. I wad up towels and duct tape them or bungee cord them in place so I "punch" towels, rather than metal edges, when my hand slips. No matter how careful you are, you'll end up with a greasy fingerprint on the brake rotors or pads too... that's what the spray brake cleaner is for. Just spray and spray to wash those parts - don't use a rag or anything. A metal tray (aluminum pan from grocery store cinnamon rolls) as a catch tray reduces clean-up time.

mpc

[Bill Anderson]

There are stabilizer bushings/energy isolators that wear out, and this allows the stabilizer bar to excessively move up and down when you hit a bump, or a pothole. They are about $10 each and you need two for the rear, and two for the front. The rear ones are a little easier than the front, but both sets should take about an hour to install. They are held in place with a "U" type bracket/clamp and two bolts. Make sure to use a little heat from a propane torch if the bolts are rusted, this will allow you to remove the bolts without breaking them off. Makes a world of difference for very little money. If the struts are leaking, IOW you can see oil on the sides of the struts, then you can replace those as well. Definitely get a Haynes manual for that job, the strut springs are under alot of pressure and you can get hurt pretty bad if things go wrong. Haynes manual is not a bad idea anyway. If you don't see any oil leaking from the struts, I wouldn't worry about those. Good Luck, Bill

[dlminehart]

I've found it really difficult to isolate the problem. The squeaks are really loud, but the sound carries through the entire area of the vehicle due to metal attached to metal. I tried WD40 on likely places, with no results except that I'd now be unable to see whether struts have been leaking oil. I did notice that the rubber boots are pretty perforated, so they should be replaced.

Speaking of which, is this the kind of situation where I should just have anything iffy replaced, once they're in there? Or is it simple enough to go back in later to do something if it goes bad? I.e., if doing struts, should they also just go ahead and replace the suspension supports, bumper, etc. that are part of the same assembly?

[mpc]

Labor $ is usually the big part of the job; most soft suspension parts are in the 5 to 10 dollar neighborhood. If your shop will swap the soft parts without going crazy on extra labor charges then I'd have them do it. Check with them first though... many times dealers use the "standard labor and time charge" book to compute how long a job should take. But they don't give you credit for duplicated work - i.e. you can get charged for removing the strut twice because the book says "strut upper mount" is one job and "strut dust cover boot" is another job. Doing the dust boot is 5 to 10 minutes of extra work but the "book" says to charge you the full 1.5 hours or whatever it takes to pull the strut assembly. Most small repair shops will do the 5-10 minute jobs and charge you only for a couple minutes.

mpc

[eccentrictinkerer]

Check with your local library to see if they subscribe to 'Alldata'. Alldata is a really comprehensive of auto repair info. It's fairly easy to navigate and is one of the services commercial garages use.

When the heater fan speed module on my Chrysler mini-van failed, I got estimates of $115 to $155 to repair.

After I found the module location on Alldata, I bought the resistor module from the dealer for $20 and it took 5 minutes to replace.

I spent the money I saved on woodworking tools!

[JimD]

I used to do a lot of car repairs because I didn't have much money. I do not enjoy car repair but I can do it. These days I do oil changes, plug changes, batteries, brakes, and I will check valve clearance, not sure if I will change it if it's out. I paid to have my wifes Cat replaced, timing belt replaced, and clutch replaced. My last two vehicles have been Suzukis and they needed nearly nothing done. In my earlier years I overhauled several engines and one manual transmission. I have also pulled A-arm springs (bigger than struts) to replace front bushings.

To me, the key questions are if you enjoy it, if you can easily afford paying somebody, and if you can be without the vehicle while you do the work. Things like this rarely go smoothly, at least for me, so it makes it pretty hectic if you have to get done to get to work. If you can get around the vehicle being out of commission for a week while you are waiting on parts or tools or a hand from a friend, that helps.

As far as what to replace, if you plan to keep it, I would replace all the bushings and the shock or strut - anything that will wear out. If it is not bad now, it will be soon. I generally get a new vehicle when mine gets about 10 years old so I do not drive them at 250K. Others I know do, however.

Jim