DIY guide · Advanced
How to replace struts and shocks
Worn struts make a car bounce, dive and wear tires unevenly. It is a satisfying job, and a dangerous one if you use a spring compressor wrongly, so the safest route is a complete strut assembly.
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Time in the bay
- 3 to 5 hours
- Best bay
- 2-post lift
- Bay cost, plus tax
- $90 to $150
This is a general guide, not a manual for your car. Your vehicle's service manual comes first, especially for torque values, fluid types and capacities. Support the car on the lift locks or jack stands before you go under it, wear eye protection, and if a step feels wrong, stop and ask us. We do not do welding, grinding or painting in the bays.
Look these up before you book
- Whether you need a complete assembly or a bare strut
- Torque values for each bolt
- How your car's alignment is affected
Tools
- Sockets and wrenches
- Breaker bar and torque wrench
- Penetrating oil
- Pry bar
- Jack stands rated for the load
- Spring compressor only if you must (not recommended)
Parts and fluids
- Strut assemblies or shocks, replaced in pairs
- New nuts and hardware if the old ones are damaged
- Strut mounts if they are worn
There is an AutoZone nearby, and during business hours parts usually reach the shop in about 10 to 20 minutes. Forgot a filter or need a different size? Order it, keep working, and do not lose your slot.
The retailer's own vehicle picker confirms what fits your car. Always compare the part number with your old part.
Step by step
- Spray bolts a day ahead if you canPenetrating oil makes rusty bolts easier to remove.
- Raise the car and remove the wheelSupport the suspension if you have to.
- Disconnect the sway bar link, brake line bracket and ABS wireDo not stretch the hoses or wires.
- Remove the lower strut boltsSupport the knuckle so it does not drop and put stress on the brake hose or CV axle.
- Remove the top nuts and pull the strutIn the engine bay or trunk, undo the top mount nuts and lower the assembly.
- Fit the new assemblyReverse the steps and tighten the bolts to spec with the suspension loaded where the manual says to.
- Do the other side, then get an alignmentAlignment will be off after strut replacement, so plan for it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using a spring compressor wrongly, which can injure you badly
- Tightening suspension bolts while the car is hanging when they need to be loaded
- Replacing one side only
- Skipping the alignment
Stop and ask for help if
- If you do not have a complete assembly, do not take a coil spring apart without the right compressor and the experience to use it.
- If a bolt snaps or a hub is rusted solid, stop and ask us.
Doing it in our bays
Book the 2-post and plan a half day. Do not rent the bay if you do not yet have all your parts.
Every bay has air, power, work lights and jack stands, and the lift bays come with a short safety walkthrough. Bring your own hand tools, parts and fluids. New to lifts? Read how your first visit goes.
Questions
Will I need an alignment?
Yes. Book one after the job.