[luckyse7ens]

There is a lot of good information floating around in this thread, but experience vary too. I'm not trying to start anything over the strut/shock argument, just a general FYI, as technically we have shocks. No doubt it's so commonly referred to as a strut because it looks like a strut, but coil over shocks are still pretty common.

I personally didn't need to use a spring compressor to remove/replace the coil-over assembly, so a quick strut would be as simple as popping out the old one and popping in a new one. If you were you keep the stock spring, you would stick a spring compressor on either side of the spring, and slowly and evenly tighten down both sides until the pressure is off the mounts, then you stick an 8mm wrench on the shock shaft and losen the top shock bolt with an 18mm wrench until removed, then take the shock mount, isolator, and spring off, put the isolator, spring, and new shock mount on the new shock, tighten the shock bolt, then loosen and remove the spring compressors. The problems I usually run in to with spring compressors is the compressor hooks binding in the spring (insurmountable, it turns out, on my progressively wound lowering springs on the sports car I did this on, but not as relevant to the Jeep), the reach not being adequate to compress the spring enough, or the spring compressors slipping off (really unsafe, and something I experienced when I swapped mine out most recently [this is why you want high quality spring compressors!]). Beyond this, you'll still need to take off the bottom clevis mount and tap it on to the new shock.

None of this is too difficult, but I'm not the biggest fan of spring compressors because of the aforementioned reasons.

Those things sure scare the crap out of me. It's good to have a healthy respect for the amount of stored energy you have there when they are cranked all the way down. I had one slip while i was reinstalling one of the front strut assemblies. That's going to be a hard habit to break calling those struts, I've always seen them referenced as such

 

[luckyse7ens]

Years ago I would correct people on the terminology of shocks vs struts vs coil over shocks.... but then realized that words do evolve with time and that industry (not just people on forums) have deemed "strut" an acceptable term for our shock (hence they're listed as struts in many catalogs and you can even buy a monroe "quick-strut"... and I wish Rancho would make a QuickLift Strut Assembly for us...). It was hard... but I finally accepted this (not being facetious, it was a pet peeve of mine) and stopped trying to correct people for using a term that need not be corrected.

Its new info to me, I know that macpherson struts are different, just not that technically that is not the proper term for these. Thanks for the info guys.

 

[luckyse7ens]

You can do like others have said. For the price getting 5100 is probably a good idea. You could just put it on the lowest setting if you don't want any lift. Or dial it in to kinda level out the Jeep and get a new look. Bilstien and OME I know will give a nice ride because so many XK WK guys are using them. Also Mongo mentioned in his post what other parts to replace while you're at it.

For a how to check this link out I didn't read it word for word just kinda skimmed over it but it looked about right. Except I just hit my upper control arm with mallet to brake the ball joint out.

FYI the lowest possible setting DOES lift the front end .75" which Should be level

I popped my ball joint with a hammer as well. No puller needed. Just let it hang with the bolt backed out most of the way but still on so that the weight of the assembly helps you, and leave the bolt on enough threads to catch it when it falls.

 

[luckyse7ens]

would it be best just to get these and be done with it?

MONROE Part # 171377R
MONROE Part # 171377L

People have gone that route with success. That being said, your likely going to have to compress the spring a bit to get the whole assembly out in the first place, and again to install the new assembly. It doesn't seem like much saved time or effort to me, as assembling spring and shock is not difficult in any way.

Spring compressors are available for rent for zero dollars @ your local autoparts stores. I replaced mine and I am running bilstein 5100's in the front @ a slight lift. For the same cost as those monroe quickstruts, I got a higher quality shock, and a lift. (5100's have an adjustable spring perch for .75"-1.5"-2" front lift.)

This was my first coil over shock replacement that I had ever done unassisted, I did it by myself in my driveway in half a day while keeping an eye on the kids. It's not terribly difficult with the noted possible exception of the clevis bolt (no problems for me) that isn't even required to be removed for replacement of the front shocks/struts.

I did neglect to fully tighten down the top strut bolt and had to go back in and retighten a week later.

 

[luckyse7ens]

Shocks and struts and sway bar bushings go a LONG way.

I have bilstein struts and moog sway bar bushings and the XK handles surprisingly well @ 100k miles