Shock and strut replacement might be risky if you don’t know what you’re doing. Before attempting to disassemble your car, please read these guidelines to ensure the project’s efficiency and safety.
In This Article...
Spring Compressor
Many automobiles have integrated springs inside the shocks and struts, which, if removed improperly, could cause you harm or damage your car. In these situations, you’ll need a spring compressor to safely disassemble everything.
Your neighborhood auto parts store may rent out spring compressors, but it’s crucial to know how to operate them. You must exercise caution because this step is crucial to changing shocks and struts. If you’re unsure about removing the springs, you might want to think about taking your car to a repair.
Raise the Vehicle
When all of your components and tools are prepared, you should use a car jack to raise your vehicle one side at a time. To maintain stability once it is upright, put a jackstand behind the front wheel. Otherwise, a lift is available.
Prior to trying to loosen anything or climbing beneath the vehicle, just make sure it is secured.
Remove Old Shocks and Struts
You must first remove the wheels. Next, using your spring compressor, search for the three bolts holding the shock or strut in place at the bottom. These bolts should be loosened, but not yet totally taken out.
Another bolt inside the engine compartment secures the top of the shock or strut. To loosen it, use an impact wrench with a socket extension. Your shock or strut should come free once you’ve managed to get this loose and finished removing the other bolts.
Installing New Shocks and Struts
You can just swap in the new shocks and struts after removing the old ones. Make certain that all of the bolts are tightly tightened. To perform this, you most likely need a torque wrench.
How much does a Toyota Camry’s rear strut replacement cost?
Because your suspension system is made up of a number of intricate components, repairs can be quite pricey. Your Toyota Camry’s struts will typically cost between $600 and $700 to replace.
The overall price can be divided into the following groups:
- Parts: In addition to replacing the struts themselves, you’ll probably need to repair the strut bellow, strut bumper, spring insulator, and strut mount. Depending on your issue, the price could easily reach a few hundred dollars.
- Labor costs: Depending on the shop you choose, labor charges might range from $200 to $250 per hour. This task might easily take an hour or longer because you need to lift the car, remove the tire, and replace the struts on all four wheels.
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What is the price of replacing the struts on a 1999 Toyota Camry?
Replacement shocks or struts for the Toyota Camry suspension typically cost between $575 and $638. While parts are priced at $333, labor expenses are predicted to range from $242 to $305.
How much time is required to replace the rear struts?
Is the stop of your vehicle taking longer than usual? Is it strangely bumpier? The symptoms definitely indicate that your struts have failed, thus I believe it is time to replace them. Fortunately, you can either do it yourself or hire a professional to replace them.
Most professional mechanics agree that changing struts typically takes one to two hours. As long as you have prior mechanical experience and perform the procedure correctly, the expected time is the same even if you choose to replace them on your own.
The ability to manage and control the vehicle may be compromised if struts are not replaced in a timely manner.
Do you require an alignment after strut replacement?
Here are the responses to the query in brief
After changing shocks and struts, do you require an alignment? Yes, if the automaker advises an alignment following a replacement. Yes, if you made any modifications to your suspension that did not adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions.
How can you tell if your struts need replacement?
Although several factors (hello, potholes) affect the lifespan of your shocks or struts, Reina claims that if you experience any of these seven signs, it’s time for replacements.
- erratic behavior at motorway speeds. On the highway, your car never feels entirely solid and is always going up and down. Despite how little the movement may be, you may feel it.
- Vehicle “In turns, it leans to one side. Your car leans or slides when you exit a ramp or make a sharp turn “It seems unstable and tips to the outside of the turn.
- During forceful braking, the front end drops more than is normal. You might not realize this until you have to use the brakes quickly.
- When accelerating, stoop from the rear. You’ll observe that the front of your car is rising while the back “during rapid acceleration, squats.
- severe bouncing of the tires. You can feel a tire (or tires) reacting or moving after hitting a bump “bouncing briefly. There can also be a clunking sound.
- uncommon tire wear The tread wears unevenly instead of wavy because the tire isn’t being held tightly to the road.
- leakage of fluid from shocks or struts’ outside surfaces. This indicates that the internal fluids necessary for proper operation are escaping because the seals have cracked.
What distinguishes shocks and struts from one another?
You’ll frequently hear individuals use the terms “shocks” and “struts” interchangeably. Shocks and struts, however, are two separate components with different purposes. Both of these components aim to improve the ride and handling of your car, but they do so in different ways. While struts are a significant structural element of the chassis and suspension system, shocks are discrete parts of the suspension system.
Is it tough to replace struts?
Installing the new strut is the opposite of removing it, but getting it in place and keeping it there while you start the nuts is exceedingly difficult and occasionally impossible. So ask a friend to assist you with the installation. After positioning it, tighten the strut mount bolts to specifications. Then, insert a bolt by pressing the steering knuckle into the strut flange and aligning one hole with a pin punch. After that, take out the punch and put the other bolt in. Tighten the nuts just a little bit.
Put your angle gauge back on and adjust the knuckle as necessary to get it as close to the original camber angle as you can. Recheck the camber angle after tightening the bolts to specification. If required, modify.
Reinstall the wheel speed sensor wiring harness, stabilizer bar end link, and any other parts you previously removed.
When ought a Toyota’s struts to be changed?
Shocks and struts often need to be replaced every 50,000 to 100,000 miles. They will age more quickly if you drive more aggressively or frequently on difficult roads.
Shocks and struts don’t fail all at once; rather, they lose their effectiveness over time. As a result, you might not realize that your suspension is in trouble until it gets much worse! Keep an eye out for these 4 primary indications that your shocks and/or struts need to be replaced.
Bumpy, rough ride
Do you worry that you might lose control of the car when you encounter a hiccup in the road? Do you notice more than one or two bounces when driving? One of the easiest signs to pick up on is a jerky, jarring ride.
Leaking fluid
A leak of fluid on the shocks’ or struts’ exterior indicates a problem. The shock absorbers won’t be able to absorb impacts while you drive if they don’t have enough hydraulic fluid.
If you are unsure as to whether the liquid on your suspension is coming from the shocks or is an old fluid leak from another location, wipe it off and inspect it again after at least a few miles of driving.
Uneven treadwear
Tire treads with cuppingscalloped, wavy dips are a surefire clue that the shocks and struts need to be replaced. It is brought on by the tires not being properly attached to the pavement as you drive. Your tires’ useable life is shortened by cupping, which also reduces handling and stopping ability.
Instability when braking or turning
When you apply the brakes, does your car skid? or waver as you turn? This indicates that your shocks and struts are unable to adapt to changes in the weight distribution of the car. When your suspension is faulty, it could also take longer to stop, which is never a good thing.
What should the labor cost for struts be?
Although these figures are simply estimates and the actual mileage could be less or more, shocks and struts are typically dependable for 50,000 to 100,000 kilometers.
It is suggested to replace both of them on the same axle when changing shocks or struts.
Shock absorbers are simpler and less expensive to replace than struts because they don’t impact the wheel alignment, steering, camber, or caster angle.
On average, you’ll spend between $250 and $600 on parts and between $150 and $350 on labor to replace the shocks on the same axle.
They cost significantly more when it comes to struts. The entire cost, including wheel alignment, is between $400 and $1000 to replace a set of struts.
The price of a single strut assembly ranges from $150 to $350, while the cost of labor for a pair is between $100 and $300.
To save between $40 and $80, you can decide to merely replace the struts (instead of the entire strut assembly). However, replacing the entire strut assembly when changing struts is likely to provide you with higher value for your money as well as better performance.
How much does it cost to rebuild the rear struts?
Depending on the brand and model, struts typically cost $150 to $450. Usually, it is necessary to replace both struts at once. A pair of struts will cost you between $300 and $900 to replace. It can take several hours to replace a strut.
Should I go to struts from coil springs?
Does changing the coil springs require changing the struts? The spring can still be utilized with the replacement strut if it is in good condition, so the answer is no.
What else should I change when I repair the struts?
Conduct a complete inspection to boost profitability. Bumper to Bumper and Auto Value are the sponsors of this video.
When changing a strut on a car, you should check the sway bar linkages to see whether there are cam bolts that allow you to modify the camber. After the strut is changed, the sway bar links will ensure that the suspension is silent, and they are likely in need of replacement owing to wear. The knuckle’s cam bolts, which secure it to the strut, may accommodate camber changes for the duration of the vehicle. Bumper to Bumper and Auto Value are the sponsors of this video.
Affect struts have on steering?
While shocks and struts deteriorate over time, your car might give you some warning indications that anything is wrong with the parts that determine how it rides. Shocks and struts that are worn out can negatively affect your car’s stability, stopping power, and steering.