- Remove the trim cover made of plastic.
- Remove the vapor barrier (for removal of power mirror wires)
- Two of the three 10mm nuts keeping the mirror in place must be removed.
- In order to grab the mirror from the opposite side of the door, you must first loosen the third and final 10mm nut.
- Remove last nut once you have the mirror in your hands.
In This Article...
Can I change my own rear struts?
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.
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.
What is the turnaround time for a rear strut replacement?
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.
What is the price of replacing the struts in a Toyota Corolla?
Cost estimation for replacing the shock or strut in a Toyota Corolla. The typical price to replace a suspension shock or strut on a Toyota Corolla ranges from $547 to $610. The cost of labor is expected to be between $241 and $304, while the cost of parts is $306.
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 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.
How can the back seat of a 1999 Toyota Corolla be removed?
The process of removing the back seat is not particularly difficult. Only two plastic clips, which are roughly aligned up with the two front seats, hold the bottom cushion to the car’s structure. By rubbing your hand around the outside edge of the cushion, you can even feel them. They ought to yield if you suddenly pull on them to get them out.
The three bolts attaching the rear cushion to the frame should then be removed. Near the locations where the seat belts connect to the frame, there is a bolt in the center and two at the ends. Remove the backrest from the car and place it aside outside. To make working in the automobile a little more comfortable, you can now reinstall the bottom cushion. The black plastic cache that separates the interior of the trunk from the trunk must then be pushed out.
Stop here if you only wanted to remove the back seat temporarily. In this stage, the car is completely safe to drive. Given how much noise insulation you just removed, you could notice that the road vibrations are getting a little louder, but that is quite normal.
What else has to be done when struts are replaced?
It’s crucial for driving safety to replace your shocks and struts when they become worn out in order to avoid harming other parts of your car, such as the tires and suspension.
Various safety features are included in today’s cars to help with control, stability, and accident prevention. You are kept safe by a combination of systems including automated braking, anti-lock brakes, stability control, and traction control. In an emergency situation, your shocks and struts may not function effectively if they are in bad condition.
Getting Your Shocks & Struts Replaced
Whether you observe any of the aforementioned symptoms, get your alignment checked, or put on new tires, the best way to know when to repair your shocks and struts is to have a skilled technician check your suspension. Get your car’s suspension inspected at the very least once a year.
Replace front or rear axle shocks and struts in pairs at all times. It is even better to replace the shocks and struts on all four wheels at once. This keeps the vehicle’s handling and responsiveness on both sides uniform and dependable.
We always advise obtaining an alignment as well, following any suspension work. Wheel alignment of your car could also vary if your suspension is altered. Additionally, even little adjustments to wheel alignment can have expensive long-term effects (accelerated tire wear, more suspension problems, difficult handling).
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.
Is it challenging to swap out 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.
How durable are Toyota struts?
What do shocks and struts in cars do? What is the lifespan of shocks and struts? Most drivers probably don’t give their car’s shocks and struts much thought because they don’t need to be replaced frequently like oil or other parts do. Although shocks and struts have quite distinct purposes, they both support the weight of the vehicle and contribute to overall stability. Although they serve the same purpose, the parts cannot be joined to build a vehicle or used interchangeably. This implies that a car will typically have either one or the other. Some automobiles will feature shock absorbers in the back and struts up front.
Ask a Mechanic How Long Do Shocks and Struts Last
What is the lifespan of shocks and struts then? Under optimal driving conditions, shocks and struts can typically last 510 years or 50,000100,000 miles. The lifespan of these parts can be impacted by a variety of variables, including the manufacturer, poor roads, big loads, towing, severe braking, and aggressive driving. It is preferable to start routinely checking these components after 40,000 miles or when the car starts to bounce, sag, have longer stopping distances, or exhibit other suspension issues.
If you suspect your shocks or struts may be damaged, you should have your car checked out right away. Both shocks and struts have the potential to produce dangerous circumstances like bouncing or shoddy braking that can result in accidents. Front struts, as opposed to shocks, are an essential component of the steering system and their failure could seriously impair steering. The car will probably not be drivable if these components entirely fail.
Are shock and strut interchangeable terms?
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.
Struts or shocks are present in Toyota Corollas?
However, the Corolla can be vulnerable to premature wear over time and with use. Its struts and shock absorbers are particularly weak. Toyota produces its own original shock absorbers and strut assemblies for the Corolla. Additionally, the carmaker purchases parts from its 200 component suppliers.
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.
Will vibration be caused by damaged struts?
Your passengers could complain about the bumpy ride even if you are unaware of it. If the shocks and struts are old, you can also experience odd vibrations in the steering wheel or hear unsettling clanks as you brake or steer.
Do I have to swap out my springs for struts?
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.