Rear struts are done.

The front end will scrape if i go up or down a curb that is steep, front end is mushy.

For cartridge replacement, the instructions are lackluster at best in the chilton manual...lots of J part #* i don't know jack about.

What common tools can i use to replace these cartridges? The manual says that the front end can remain weighted to compress the spring, but maybe you can explain the procedure better.

After i do this, I was going to get the car aligned at a shop.

I am not familiar with the exact procedure on this particular vehicle, but until proven otherwise, I am pretty sure that being a McPherson setup, the strut/spring assembly will need to be removed, and then the spring compressed. I will let someone more qualified give a definite answer however.

Got er' dun. Seems i needed to rent the W-Body strut cartridge kit (Autozone). pretty much a cakewalk w/ that kit. The airtools helped alot mainly with the large 15/16" nut on top of the shock. I almost missed the part where you have to put 30 c.c. of hydraulic oil in the tube before you put in the new strut (in my case a gabriel).

Front end is much stiffer when i push on it and less mushy. The spring is old, but this is definitely an improvement on where it was beforehand.