How to Replace Your Ain Struts

Replace struts yourself and relieve $300

Introduction

If you've put 80,000 or more than miles on your struts, they're worn out and must be replaced. We know they're expensive (about $700 for front end struts replaced at a store). Just in the long run, driving on worn struts actually costs y'all more than.

Strut Replacement

Driving on worn struts actually costs you more because the unchecked bouncing destroys your tires and quickly wears out other expensive interruption components similar ball joints, control arm bushings, stabilizer bar end links and tie rod ends. And worn struts are dangerous because they increment your stopping distance past well-nigh 10 ft. from 60 mph and cause steering instability, especially on curves at college speeds.

Replacing struts used to be a unsafe job for a DIYer. Yous had to compress the spring and remove the strut while praying the spring wouldn't let go and accept out an center or a limb. Plus, removing the rusty nut at the top of the strut could turn into a nightmare if the internal hex stripped out. But these days you can buy a complete strut assembly that eliminates the strut/jump/mount disassembly process. These assemblies allow y'all to replace both of your forepart struts yourself in less than two hours. Y'all'll have to become an alignment done afterward (about $100), simply you'll still save about $300 past doing the job yourself. You lot'll demand rust penetrant, wrenches, a pin punch or big screwdriver, and a sparse piece of plywood. You may need to buy a few large sockets and a breaker bar. Here are the steps.

Projection step-by-step (10)

Step i

How to Tell If You Demand New Struts

replace struts

The old 'bounce test' for testing stupor absorbers doesn't utilise to struts-a severely worn strut volition pass that exam with flying colors. Instead, y'all have to rely on physical inspection and a road examination. Always replace struts in pairs, never one at a time. Replace your struts if you lot notice any of these issues:

  • They're leaking. A very light flick of oil nearly the acme of the strut is OK, but fluid leaking downward the side of the strut means it's shot.
  • Y'all notice bounce, sway or front-stop swoop during braking.
  • It's hard to go on your vehicle in its own lane on bumpy roads and curves.
  • Your tires show evidence of 'cupping'-shallow craters caused by tire bounce.
  • The strut boot is damaged or the strut body is dented.

Step ii

Complete Strut Assemblies are Just That, Complete

car strut assembly

A strut assembly comes assembled and includes all new parts (where applicable): strut, spring, leap seat insulator, strut kicking, jounce bumper, strut mountain and begetting plate. Find consummate strut assemblies (Quick-Strut past Monroe, Strut-Plus by KYB, and ReadyMount past Gabriel are iii brands) at any motorcar parts store or online auto parts supplier. They're available for about makes and models. Complete strut assemblies cost more than than just the strut, but they're a much meliorate selection because they let yous to practice the chore yourself and get all new parts. The new spring restores factory ride height and firmness, and the new strut mount and begetting provide smoother turning and quieter operation.

The strut assemblies for this 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan cost well-nigh $135 each (the strut alone is $70). The strut-to-steering-knuckle nuts and bolts are fairly large, and then you'll need 18mm through 23mm ane/2-in.-drive deep sockets and a beefy 1/two-in.-drive breaker bar and ratchet. Some strut bolts are a single-apply 'torque-to-yield' (TTY) style that tin can't be reused. Enquire the parts store clerk if yours are TTY. If so, buy new bolts and follow the proper shop transmission torque procedure when installing the new struts.

To become the strut and wheel aligned close enough to drive it to the shop for a professional alignment, you'll need an angle gauge. Utilize a digital or mechanical angle estimate.

Stride three

Measure out the Camber Bending

camber angle struts

You'll have to disconnect a few components from the strut. Replace one side at a time and note the position and location of all nuts and bolts as you remove them. Apply the other side as a reference.

Enhance the vehicle and support it with jack stands. Get-go past soaking the strut flange nuts and bolts with rust penetrant. And then popular the hood and spray the strut-belfry mounting nuts. Spin two lug nuts onto the studs and tighten to secure the rotor to the hub. While they're soaking, mount the angle gauge to the height of the rotor and note the angle.

Step 4

Disconnect the Stop Link

disconnect end link struts replacement

Side by side, disconnect the stabilizer bar end link and whatever brake lines that may be secured to the strut. Hold the stabilizer bar end link with a wrench. Then loosen the nut with a socket and ratchet. Button the cease link out of the strut pigsty and movement it to the side. Disconnect the cycle speed sensor wiring harness and put that aside.

Footstep five

Loosen and Remove the Nuts and Bolts

Loosen and remove the nuts and bolts

Lean in and put some muscle into loosening the strut nuts. Remove them and then loosen the bolts. Button the steering knuckle in and out to jerk the bolts out of the holes.

Footstep 6

Divide the Strut and Knuckle

Separate the strut and knuckle

Jam a pry bar between the strut and the knuckle and pry the knuckle toward you until it pops out of the strut flange.

Footstep 7

Remove the Strut Mount Nuts

Remove the strut mount nuts

Identify a thin piece of plywood under the strut flange to preclude information technology from damaging the CV kicking once you disengage the peak portion of the strut. Use a ratcheting wrench or socket/ratchet to loosen the strut mount nuts located on the strut belfry. Loosen all of them and remove all but one.

Step 8

Remove the Strut

Remove the strut

Then reach into the wheel well to support the strut while you remove the terminal nut. Grab the strut bottom and spring and tilt the bottom out toward you. Then lower the strut until it clears the strut tower and lift information technology out. Residual the strut on the plywood and remove the onetime strut

Step 9

Install the New Strut and Reset the Angle

reset strut angle

Installing the new strut is the reverse of the removal, simply it's very tricky and sometimes impossible to go it into identify and agree it in that location while yous get the nuts started. So enlist the help of a friend for the actual installation. One time information technology's in place, torque the strut mount nuts to spec. And so push the steering knuckle into the strut flange and utilize a pin punch to align 1 hole so you tin insert a bolt. Then remove the punch and insert the other commodities. Snug up the nuts, but don't tighten fully.

Reattach your angle gauge and push button the knuckle in or out to come every bit close as possible to the original camber angle. Torque the nuts to spec and recheck the camber angle. Adjust if necessary.

Reinstall the stabilizer bar end link and wheel speed sensor wiring harness or whatsoever other components you lot removed before.

Originally Published: Baronial 27, 2022