Front Strut Top Cover not flush protruding from

rear shocky or strut nylon bush worn or missing

daley smiths, Before I take you through the procedure keep in mind that you can purchase what are called easy struts or quick struts. These units have the spring and upper bearing plates already installed and are quicker and much safer than just replacing the strut itself. So instead of just getting new struts, you are getting the whole assembly new. If you want to replace just the struts you will have to rent a spring compressor. Procedure for just the struts follows:
You don't mention whether you are replacing the front or rear struts but the procedure is pretty much the same for both. This is the procedure for the front struts. Jack up one side of car and remove the wheel. Place a jackstand under the vehicle frame to support it. Sometimes there are brake lines, sway bar links and ABS wires connected to the strut. Remove anything attached to the strut. You will see two large bolts holding the bottom of the strut. Remove the nuts only. The bolts are usually splined to keep them from moving so you will have to pound them out with a hammer. If the bolts are threaded all the way to the end then put the nut back on so it is flush with the end of the bolt.. This is so the threads are not damaged as you will need to reuse them. Some bolts are not threaded all the way so you wont have to worry about damaging the threads here. With the hood open you will see three nuts that are holding the top of the strut. Remove them one at a time. Hold the strut when removing the last one so it doesn't drop and damage any break lines or ABS wires. Remove the strut. Place part of the spring compressor on one side of the spring as close to the top and bottom as possible and hand tighten it. Do the same on the other side of the spring with the spring compressor part. Tighten the spring compressor one side at a time two turns at a time. BE VERY SURE THAT THE COMPRESSOR DOES NOT SHIFT WHEN DOING THIS. Keep doing this one side at a time until you can turn the upper bearing plate easily. Place a pair of vice grips as close as possible to the top of the strut shaft and tighten as much as possible. Remove the nut holding the upper bearing plate and remove the plate. Remove the vice grips and any rubber bushings and finally the spring and lower rubber bushing. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH SPRING AS YOU SET IT ASIDE. Place the lower bushing on the new strut and be sure that the spring seats properly on the strut. Replace the upper bushing and finally the bearing plate. Once again place the vice grips as high as possible on the new strut shaft and tighten as much as possible. Making sure the upper plate is properly aligned for reassembly to the vehicle tighten the upper bearing nut. Take the spring compressor off the spring using the same method of two turns at a time. Once again be sure it doesn't shift on you when doing this. Replace the strut back to the vehicle by reversing the procedure. One thing I forgot to mention. Because of the connections of the sway bar links and brake lines there is a right and left side strut so be careful when choosing which strut to put in.
The only difference for the rear struts are the way they are connected to the vehicle. The bottom will have one bolt and the top will have either one bolt accessable from inside the wheel well or have three nuts accessable from inside the trunk or under the panel in the rear window behind the rear seat. Good luck with this.

As far as I am aware, you need to disconnect strut at bottom (moving any brake pipes first) remove bolts on top of strut (except centre one on strut itself) you should then be able to drop the strut out, replace bush, refit strut securing at top first, then secure bottom of strut and replace any pipes you have moved.
You may have to turn your wheel (brake disc) to get it out and be careful not to damage any collars or sleeves. Hope that helps, Jonjo.

Here are the instruction on how to replace your control arm bushing. please not that there is a special tool needed that you will need to get from you auto parts retailer. you can usually rent these tools.

1. 1. Turn the control arm over in the arbor press, then position the arm so that it is supported by the receiver tool MB-990799 as shown.
2. Position the new bushing into the control arm so it is square with the bushing hole. Position the installer tool MB-6644-1 or equivalent on top of the bushing, with the bushing setting in the recessed area of the installer tool. Press the bushing into the control arm.
   
3. Press the control arm bushing into the control arm until the installer tool squarely bottoms against the surface of the control arm. When the installer tool squarely bottoms on the control arm, the bushing is installed in the arm in the correct position.
   
4. Install the tension strut into the strut bushing in the control arm. Position the tension strut in the control arm with the word FRONT stamped in the tension strut positioned away from the control arm. With an open end wrench on the flat of the tension strut to stop the tension strut from turning. Tighten the NEW tension strut-to-control arm retaining nut to 110 ft. lbs. (150 Nm).
   
5. Install the lower control arm and tension strut back onto the vehicle. Refer to the Lower Control Arm procedure earlier in this section.
   

Control Arm-to-Tension Strut Bushing
To replace the control arm tension strut bushing, the control arm and tension strut assembly must be removed. The removal of the bushing requires the use of an arbor press.

1. Thoroughly lubricate the replacement tension strut bushing, control arm and installer tool 6644-3 or equivalent with a silicone lubricant.
   
2. By hand, install the tension strut bushing into the large end of the installer tool. Press the bushing into the installer tool as far as it will go by hand.
   
3. Position the control arm in the arbor press so that the tension strut hole in the control arm is centered on the receiver tool MB-990799 or equivalent. Position the installer tool with the previously installed bushing, inside of the tension strut bushing hole in the control arm. Position the installer tool on top of the tension strut bushing. Using the arbor press, press the tension strut bushing into the control arm. As the bushing is being pressed into the arm, a pop will be heard. When the pop is heard, the installer tool will slightly move up off the control arm. At this time remove the control arm assembly from the press and pull the tool MB-6644-3 off of the tension strut bushing in the control arm.
   

I belive you talking about strut tower bushing.
Yes you can replace it without repl. strut , but you have to take strut apart. Very common on Toyota's.
You need a strut compressor for this job.

1. The top bushings on the Mac' struts have DRIED out, where the strut rod passes thro' the top mounting anchor. Disconnect using a Spring clamp, and use Molybdenum anti seize grease.
2. A broken strut suspension coil spring.
3. A dry idler arm shaft bushing.
Regards, DT

try not to kill yourself.
You need a spring compressor for this job.
Three nuts on top , two at nuckle , disconnect any brake hoses or wires attached to strut if present ,
If brake hose goes through the bracket on the strut , and there is no options but disconnect brake line , I usually cut bracket carefully the way I can split bracket and take hose out without disconnecting the brake line.But make sure that it cut really nice so you can put it back together with locking spring.
After that , take strut assy. out and COMPRESS THE SPRING (spring compressor) ,after-take center nut on top of the strut out and you done. Memorize the way (mark it) spring was sitting , and sequence
for the parts and put it back together .
Installation - opposit of removal.

Well there are stabilizer bar bushings, control arm bushings and strut mount bushings. The stabilizer bushings are usally bolted around the the stabilizer bar and attach to the frame. The control arm bushings are usally pressed into the control arms. The strut mount bushings are on top of the struts. Normally they are replaced as needed. The strut mount bushings are good to do when replacing the struts.

You must remove the strut assembly. You will need the use of a coil spring compressor, to compress the spring to remove the strut, make sure the spring is collasped enough to relieve all the pressure of the spring on the strut and top spring seat. I would replace the strut mount bushing, when these go bad they will cause a knocking or rattle in the front.

upper strut bushing will adjust that somewhat it sits just straight up from the strut sits in a cap you can see looking down at the wheel with the hood open you will see the top of you strut sticking up out of the fender.