Replace bump stop from top? Avoid alignment?
 

Wondering if anyone has tried replacing the front bump stop on the shock from the top?

I was thinking of jacking up the car, removing the strut mount at the top, and compressing the strut down to pull the old (seriously deteriorated) bump stop off. Unclear if the strut's stiffness will let me do it.

Anyone tried it?

You can't remove the strut mount out the top. It goes down to get it out. You also have the upper spring perch on top of the spring to get out of the way. The whole thing is under tension from the spring.
Once you lift the car and remove the 22mm nut on the shock rod top, the strut and shock will drop out of the top mount. (Place a jack under the front control arm near the strut) You'll probably have to disconnect the front sway bar to get the suspension to droop enough to pull the strut outside the fender well so you can get to the bump stop.

When I removed my struts...I used a razor blade to very carefully scribe the metal on mating surfaces critical to alignment. When everything went back together, the car drove exactly as before.

Do keep in mind that this only works if you are re-using parts critical to alignment. But a bump stop is not one of these.

All of which implies I will need to get an alignment afterwards (scribing notwithstanding, which I've tried before). Thanks for the wisdom.

if all you are doing is replacing the bump stop, and you don't disconnect anything but the upper mount center nut and the sway bar, you will not need an alignment. there is no need to remove the strut completely to change the bump stop. you leave it connected at the bottom, and just drop it down to gain access to the top.

benzor,
+1 what flash said. No alignment needed.

Got it, thanks guys.