'90 244

Took Junior off the jack stands to finally send him off for inspection and alignment, only to hear a massive expulsion of air from the driver front wheel area.

He's been up in the air for 3 months, and when he hit the ground, the driver's side went completely down, no bounce at all.

Came back several hours later, and he bounced like a good strut (came back up, no extra), but with an awful scratchy creaking sound both going down and coming back up. If I sit on the fender (I'm 200 lbs), it will go down and stay down until physically lifted. (I hadn't tried leaving it again.)

Original story - PO took it over a parking divider, which moved the crossmember back, destroyed the steering rack, and broke motor and transmission mounts. I've replaced everything; the crossmember with all arms attached came from a yard.

Is it probable that the strut was bent by PO? Or is there an easy way to eliminate the awful sound - I'm sound sensitive, and this would drive me postal.

I haven't been able to start Junior due to a fuel leak that I'm letting the shop deal with, and if I have to replace the strut, I want to do it before I get it aligned.

I'd like to install the Bilstein HD if I need to, but they are out of my price range at the moment. What is a good second option for replacement?

Thanks for all suggestions!

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can get Junior on the road!
ezsha
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'84 244, Peter, never drove. Robbed to fix Paul, '86 244, drove for 2 years. Now a holey saint, passing parts to Paul Jr, '90 244, yet to drive. Friends with '90 245, jokingly aka Mary, (pregnant sedan & completes PPM trilogy). Daughter to unnamed '90 745