Just did quick struts on a 2003 Impala. I will never go back to compressing springs with an electric impact gun and a metal garbage can lid as a projectile shield ever again! I actually had bought them way in advance in October when Monroe had their "SHOCKTOBER" by 3 get one free rebate.

 

Not a big deal really. You just need a way to jack up the car, a jackstand for each side, and some wrenches or sockets. The bolts that hold the bottom of the strut are splined and must be tapped (knocked) out. Keep in mind that you MUST BE VERY CAREFUL when you replace these bolts. This is how the car is aligned, so you can't just beat them back in. They must match the splines (a little lube goes a long way to help) of the bottom holes. Then you MUST have the alignment set on the car! Happy motoring.

 

Quick struts are the way to go. Bottom bolts were a little stubborn but nothing a hammer couldn't fix. Now if I could only do alignments!

 

Looking back at my recent strut install, I would go the quick strut. I ended up stripping the threads on a new strut and had to pay an additional $90 for a new strut. One other recomendation that I would give you is to buy new end links. I had to sacrifice the ends of the end links on mine in order to change my struts.

 

Replacing struts does not have anything to do with toe. Unless you have added a camber adjustment kit, you do not have any front end alinement issues. Caster and camber are set on the engineers drafting table, you need to run into a brick wall change them . The toe is the only adjustable setting, short of a body/frame pull on a stock HHR. Maybe SS is different.

One of the ways that car mfgs reduce the cost of ownership is using McPherson Strut front suspensions, they are "plug-in" parts. The only real reason to install a camber kit is if you are running wheel that are of different design than what came from the factory, like reverse style rims etc., or you have had a bad enough wreck to bend the uni-body. Maybe SS is different.

The STOCK bolts are straight not offset, and are interference fit, if there is any play you got problems! Maybe SS is different.

And paying extra for a "4 wheel" alinement is crazy, unless you have had a wreck. And at that the alinement dude needs to be really good and have the offset shims for the rear hub bearings on hand. Maybe SS is different here , too.

If you don't mess with the tie-rod ends, no alinement should be needed. Banging curbs etc. could make for toe problems, or if you have had an alinement done by a lazy/incompetent mechanic who did not check for worn parts and you now change parts (like control arms). Mechanics know that it's an easy $80 to aline one of these cars and they really don't inspect the tie-rod ends or ball joints or control arm bushings (these are the parts that might affect camber, caster and toe) like they should.

But, if you just want to keep the alinement mechanic in beer, go ahead it's your money.