Well, guys.

Its' 2'oclock in the morning. I started job at 5 oclock, but I didn't finish it yet.
The strut bearing is broken and I replaced it. Then, when I reinstall the strut to knuckle, the knuckle is positioned pretty higer than the hole of the strut.
It'* almost 1 inch gap.

Anybody has the same situation? I didn't expect at all.

I have to sleep now and must repair tomorrow. It'* the only car I have.
please help me guys....

1. Remove the strut tower bar.
2. Remove the 3 strut to body nuts from the top of the strut tower.
3. Jack up and support the car, remove the wheel.
4 The knuckle must be retained after the strut to knuckle bolts have been removed. Failure to observe this may cause ball joint or halfshaft damage.
5. Remove the strut to steering knuckle bolts.
6. Carefully remove the strut assembly from the car. When removing the strut, be careful to avoid chipping or cracking the spring coating when handling the front suspension coil spring.

During assembly, tourqe the upper strut mount nuts to 18 ft lbs. Strut to knuckle bolts for a 92 should be 140 ft lbs.

If none of this helps, and you did it this way, try compressing the strut, or turning the steering knuckle. If THAT doesn't work, pull it all apart, and make sure you have the parts in order from top to bottom:

Strut mount
bearing
upper spring seat (make sure it'* turned the right way....it'* wedge-shaped and this may be your problem)
Insulator
strut bumper (this could be cocked in the spring seat)
lower insulator.

You may have to compare to the other side. I'm assuming you're doing BOTH FRONT struts. Am I right?

Thanks a lot willren

I thought nothing wrong with the strut and spring brecause I tighten 24mm strut nut fully. I tried to sleep, but I couldn't. It was a big thunderstorm and it woke me up. My car is still lifted up outside the apartment. It couldn't be worse. I woke up with back pain and thought it might be the wrong with the strut assembly.

I borrowed the spring compressor from Autozone. I didn't realize it would be such a tough job. Anyway I have to go and do one more time as soon as the morning come.

I simply put the jack stand under the wheel to retain the knuckle after I remove the strut from the knuckle. However, it makes me nervous because the ball joint or the drive shaft is damaged.

Thanks willren for your prompt reply.

I 'll let you know the result and the progress.
Thanks again.

You should be able to compress the strut with your hand. The MacPherson strut will let you move it back and forth and it will not retract. Just push up on it.

nothing like a car on jack stands to bring rain....

Thanks guys again.

Finally I did it after 20 hours of job. It'* the first strut job for me and it took me such a long time to get familiar with the spring compressor.

I compressedn the spring and reinstall the strut. It completely fitted into the knuckle. Although spring removal was pretty tough because there was no enough space to use the wrench, I did it.

Thanks willren again. Next time I 'll have mechanic fix strut. It was so painful for me with small spring compressor.

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it.