If You have the tools and know how to use them, then, with the car on it’s wheels, try get down on Your back, crawl in under as far as necessary and LOOSEN the bolt on the controlarm/strut and also on the HORIZONTAL bushing on the control arm. Do NOT try to remove them. When both has are loose, thighten them back up. Be aware that the car could lower itself a bit as You loosen them. That’s the idea. With a lot of luck, the bushings are under pretension and holding the suspension. I don’t believe that it’ll give that much, but at least it’s ruled out.
Another idea - let the shop do it 'cause something is not right.
Thanks asterix. If the original mechanic just tightened everything while it was on the lift, it does seem like it would explain both problems, 1) the strut was not properly seated the first time around, and 2) the front end still sits high even after struts were corrected. I’ll go back and talk to the shop. I don’t have the expertise to do anything like that myself. But when I go back, I want to be armed with as much info as possible. Anyone else want to add any thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Thanks everyone for your help.
Tester
I wonder if that could be accomplished by a driverway diy’er by positioning the front wheels on ramps before tightening?
Thanks Tester. That helps. So, at the shop, I need to also bring up the possibility that bushings may be have been damaged if, in fact, everything was tightened on the lift. The car has been driven a bit since the struts were corrected.
There’s another possibility that I believe nobody has yet mentioned . . .
Maybe the car’s sitting higher BECAUSE aftermarket loaded struts have been installed, versus the factory parts
We’ve talked about this phenomenon before, in regards to kyb loaded struts . . . I’m talking struts, springs and mounts, all pre-assembled and ready to install
I might add I have seen this with kyb . . . but not with monroe
Abridged instructions I’m seeing for finishing up a front strut replacement:
Study jack stand under the lower control arm away from ball joint. Lower vehicle, then tighten lower control arm bushing nut. Install wheel, done.
The strut replacement job is a 7-8 page procedure. Presumably the shop OP is using has access to the Dodge service data.