PontiacBonnevilleClub.com

When changing the front struts on the 2005 Bonneville SE, can you change just the strut itself or do you have to change the entire assembly with the spring?

You have to remove the whole assembly from the car but you can just replace the strut from that assembly. Look on youtube for some visual aids.

You will need spring compressors to safely remove the spring from the strut.

You could also consider replacing with an entire quick strut assembly, which is much easier to do than trying to compress the old springs. I did that instead. Here is a link to Monroe's site that explains and shows a quick strut.

http://www.monroe.com/products/Quick-St ... t-Assembly

vogie01 wrote:You could also consider replacing with an entire quick strut assembly, which is much easier to do than trying to compress the old springs. I did that instead. Here is a link to Monroe's site that explains and shows a quick strut.

http://www.monroe.com/products/Quick-St ... t-Assembly

Not to mention swapping over the old spring can be VERY dangerous, if not done properly.

Yes, if you have never changed a strut out before and used a proper spring compressor, I would recommend taking it to a qualified mechanic. You will need and alignment also.

Ive seen after effects of a guy getting his face smashed by spring that came out of the spring compressor(the cheap kinda you get at the parts store). Not pretty!!!!!

Be warned that the springs on the Monroe quick strut are heavier and your front end will prolly be higher than it should be. Just went through this with my car. Had two sets of them ordered and they both had the bigger stiffer spring on them. Ended up getting some money back and a pair of struts that I am going to put in with my old springs and mounts soon.