Can the front struts on my wifes 1995 v6 camaro be replaced without removing the wheel assembly. it looks like it is just simply bolted in top and bottom. are there any special tools i would need or helpful tips for an inexperienced do it yourselfer.

 

No, I don't think so. Why are you trying to avoid wheel/tire removal?

For one thing the weight of the car is supported by the struts. At the very least you have to raise the front end high enough to get all weight off the front suspension. That means the wheels must be off the ground.

Also, the extended strut/spring thing is pretty big and you'd have a tough time getting it away from the upper control arm and out of the wheel house while the wheel/tire are in place.

BTW, you're probably going to have to unbolt the brake master cylinder to get the clearance necessary for loosening the big Torx head fasteners that hold the driver's side strut mount in place at the top. I tried to loosen them with the BMC in place but feared I would round out the Torx recess. If that happens you're in a world of hurt.

Keep in mind that once you have removed the strut assembly you are handling a hand grenade that packs a lot of destructive power. You'll be fine if you don't mess with it. If you (foolishly) loosen the nut at the top of the shock, though, the spring will instantly extend, seriously injuring (or even killing) yourself and/or bystanders.

You need to use a claw type spring compressor to compress the spring before you loosen that nut at the top of the shock. Better yet, take your struts to a shop and have them use a very safe wall-mounted spring compressor to do the job painlessly. I've heard that some chains like Advance will do the swap for you if you buy the new shocks/struts from them.

Good luck.