Originally Posted by Duke2.6

Depends on what you mean by special. To remove the strut nut you need a metric hex to hold the shaft, but the replacement Bilstein I bought to replace one failed front shock about ten years ago was Torx.

The two bolts that tie the strut to the knuckle are common metric hex head.

Place jackstands under the front control arms so the weight of the car keeps the springs compressed.

Also suggest you replace the dust boot bellows as they typically don't last as long as the struts.

A couple of years ago I removed the front struts to change the dust bellows and it was not much more than a one-hour job. Also, while the strut is off I suggest you remove the upper strut mounts and give them a thorough cleaning and inspection as they can deteriorate before the shocks need replacement. Mine were like new.

Duke