After hitting a huge pothole along the farm path, and there being an almighty bang of the bumper and head hitting he roof, I appear to have broken the front left strut. It rattles, the ride is stiffer, but at the same time it's bouncier over dips. There's also some oily residue around the strut itself.

I'm wondering how easy it is to fix myself. Is it something that I can do with a socket set and some spanners? Or does it really need some mechanical know how?

Thanks

You will need some spring compressors to take the spring off the strut.Not overly expensive to buy.
The shock absorber is inside the lower strut and that is replaced complete. Normally buy a pair and do both sides to be sure they are the same and you donot get handling problems.
If you have some mechanical apptitude it is possible to do it yourself.
The spring can be dangerous though if you do not!!!
Rest of the dismantle is pretty straigth forward removing the complete strut assembly from the car.
Download the workshop manual from here on other threads and read up on it. Vee

Youll need about 4 longish spring compressors, otherwise they can slide around and come out, and let me tell you, when they come out their deadly.

When you compress them, do them equally in increments, and be careful not to shag the rubbers below and above the springs cause you can't find them anywhere so you'll need to reuse them

Pretty much sums up my 5 cents worth

Its a lot easier to replace the whole thing, you dont have to take the spring out then. There's 3 bolts under the hood. You just gotta take the tyre off, and the brake line holder attached to the strut, and theres 2 bolts holding it to the steering. They need a 15 and 17mm. A 12 and 14 will do the rest.

Its a lot easier to replace the whole thing, you dont have to take the spring out then. There's 3 bolts under the hood. You just gotta take the tyre off, and the brake line holder attached to the strut, and theres 2 bolts holding it to the steering. They need a 15 and 17mm. A 12 and 14 will do the rest.

Struts dont come with the springs in them, hell still need to use spring compressors to put the spring in regardless, might as well keep the old springs and save money if their still good

Pedders has springs for a ts magna for $98 each for the front and you can pick up a set of king standard or low springs (depending on your preference) for $140 for the two fronts but you'll have to wait because most places don't carry stock for a ts magna as I found out

Really, so when we have been taking struts out of Manga's for all these years we should have had springs flying all around the workshop, I have better let the boys know

OP, just go to a wrecker and see if you can source a pair of decent used ones. Does not sound like you drive the car all that hard so these should be sufficient

Lift the car, undo the 2 17mm bolts on the strut to the knuckle, remove brake hose, undo the 3 14mm nuts up top and the whole strut will drop out. DONT undo the centre nut on the strut top as this is what holds it all together. IF you need to change your dampers get them done professionally.

Also what you do on the left you ALWAYS do on the right side

Actually I said can happen, just like fires can occur when smoking near a workshop, or having a mobile phone switched on while filling up with petrol - it doesn't happen but can and yet everyone does it, fore warned is fore armed

OP, just go to a wrecker and see if you can source a pair of decent used ones. Does not sound like you drive the car all that hard so these should be sufficient

Yeah, I was thinking of going to the wreckers and seeing if I can find a pair. I don't drive it very much, and they would do until I have a job and can actually pay for a new pair.

I was also wondering, when I do need to replace the shocks again later on, is there any point in spending more for Bilsteins or some other expensive name brand? Will they last any longer than a set of Pedders shocks if I drive some pretty rough roads? Or are you just paying for the name?