Replace the Front Shocks and Struts in an Eclipse

• 1). Lift the front end of the Eclipse with a floor jack, and support it by the frame with jack stands. Use a tire iron to loosen and remove the nuts holding on the wheels, and set the wheels aside. Pop the hood, and locate the upper strut mounting nuts in the frame. They're directly over the wheel wells.
  
  
• 2). Use a ratchet to remove the three upper mounting nuts connecting the strut to the frame, but don't touch the nut in the center yet. Under the Eclipse, find the damper fork at the bottom of the strut. The strut is a set of hardware behind the wheel hub that has a spring around it with the damper fork at the bottom. Remove the stabilizer link nut holding the top of the damper fork to the stabilizer bar. Unbolt the lower strut mounting bolt connecting the strut assembly to the damper fork with the ratchet and an adjustable wrench. Pull the strut out from under the car, and repeat this step on the other side.
  
  
• 3). Compress the coil spring on the top of the strut, and hold the piston rod or the stem directly below the upper hardware on the strut with a wrench while you remove the upper strut nut. Lay out each piece of the strut in the order you remove it from the assembly so you can put it back together without any problems: upper bracket assembly, spring pad, collar, upper bushing, cup, bump rubber, dust cover and coil spring. Repeat this process on the other strut assembly, and replace the shocks and any other parts showing wear. Reassemble the struts, set the dial on your torque wrench to 16 ft-lb and tighten the upper self-locking nut until you feel the wrench slip. Remove the spring compressor.
  
  
• 4). Position the strut in the damper fork. Insert the mounting bolt, and torque it to 70 ft-lb. Slide the strut studs through the holes in the frame, and torque the upper mounting nuts to 33 ft-lb. Attach the stabilizer link bar nut to the damper fork, and tighten it according to the specs for the model year of your Eclipse.
  
  
• 5). Mount the front wheels, and lower the front end of the Eclipse. Have a professional align the front end of the car.
  
  

Replace the Rear Shocks and Struts in an Eclipse

• 1). Pop the trunk, and remove the access panels over the rear wheel wells. Use a ratchet to remove the upper mounting nuts from the frame holding the strut assembly.
  
  
• 2). Raise the rear end of the Eclipse, and support it by the frame with jack stands. Disconnect the bolt holding the bottom of the strut to the steering knuckle.
  
  
• 3). Repeat Steps 1 and 2 on the other side of the rear of the car.
  
  
• 4). Compress the coil spring, and hold the stem with a wrench while you use a ratchet to remove the upper self-locking nut from the strut assembly. Lay the parts of the strut out in order so you know how to reassemble it: upper bracket, spring pad, collar, upper bushing, cup, bump rubber, dust cover and coil spring. Replace any of the worn parts and the shocks. Reassemble the struts, and torque the new self-locking nut to 16 ft-lb. Remove the spring compressor.
  
  
• 5). Position the strut assembly in the suspension system, and attach the upper mounting nuts on the studs through the upper bracket. Torque them to 32 ft-lb. Insert the lower mounting bolt, and torque it to 71 ft-lb. Lower the rear end of the Eclipse, and pop the access panel back in the trunk. Close the trunk and have a professional align the rear end.