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 many hours of labor are required to replace struts?
It takes one to two hours to replace a strut. Any replacement work for suspension parts may come with a guarantee and a general safety evaluation from the mechanic. By doing it yourself, you can completely avoid paying for labor to replace the struts. All you actually need to do is purchase the replacement struts and the equipment required to raise your car. The old strut is then taken off, replaced, and the process is repeated, at least for the other side, while lifting the automobile.
All of your wheels should have strong suspensions to reduce wear and tear over time and save you money. To that end, it’s crucial to research the kind of struts that will fit your car and pick high-quality ones.
Has the Nissan Altima struts or shocks?
Modern Altima models use multi-link independent rear suspension and independent front suspension with independent struts. They also have front and rear stabilizer bars, as well as twin-tube front struts and monotube rear shock absorbers.
Do I 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?
At highway speeds, instability is one of the warning signs of worn shocks and struts. 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. As it turns, the vehicle “tips to one side.
What is the price of replacing all 4 struts?
Most drivers, including you, probably haven’t given their shocks and struts any thought. However, if you need a replacement, you should start planning for it right once.
In 2022, shocks and struts will cost, on average, $500 to $1000 to replace. The price will differ according on the brand and model of your car as well as local labor rates.
What is the price of replacing the shocks on a Nissan Altima?
Best in Automotive Repair Replacement shocks or struts for the Nissan Altima suspension typically cost between $782 and $843. While parts are priced at $550, labor expenses are predicted to range from $233 and $294. Taxes and other fees are not included in this range, nor are your particular model year or geographic area taken into account.
What is the normal lifespan of struts?
Many different things affect this. Shocks or struts can be compared to tennis shoes. They will last a lot longer if you only use them on the weekends to go shopping than if you ride a skateboard, wear them every day, and constantly use the brakes on your shoes!
This means that if you drive less frequently, on smoother roads, don’t drive aggressively, and don’t haul a lot of weight in your car, your shocks or struts will last longer.
If your car has been well-taken care of, you may anticipate that the shocks/struts will survive for roughly 10 years. Five years is probably the maximum you can hope for if you’ve really treated your automobile like a workhorse. This indicates that the typical driver may expect the shocks and struts to last a maximum of 7 or 8 years.
Do Nissan Altima’s back struts work?
The quest for the ideal rear shock/strut goods is finally done, which will make your Nissan Altima pleased. For your car, Advance Auto Parts offers 26 different Rear Shock/Strut available for delivery or in-person pickup.
What is the price of replacing the rear shocks?
Unfortunately, there isn’t much space for negotiation when it comes to this replacement. While labor for replacing rear shocks normally costs around $200, the parts for doing so cost about $900.
There are many other ways to save money on your car, even though this replacement can be expensive. Finding affordable auto insurance is one of the finest, and using the Jerry app makes it simpler than ever.
Jerry will handle the phone calls, paperwork, and renewals for your top choice after giving you a thorough cross-analysis of the best plans across providers so that you won’t have to. They may even assist in modifying your old coverage!
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.
How long does a strut assembly replacement take?
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.
Will vibration be caused by damaged struts?
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. You could find that driving over dips and bumps makes your automobile more difficult to control, even if you are not experiencing a rough ride or vibration.
Can I still drive with faulty struts?
A strut functions by absorbing the bounce as your automobile travels over road ruts. Your car’s front-end struts are also essential for steering and alignment. It will be dangerous to drive with a damaged strut in an emergency and would be quite uncomfortable for you and your passengers. Additionally, it might harm other parts of your car.
How loud does a damaged strut sound?
Bad strut noises are sometimes reported as hollow pounding or clunking noises. The noise is often made when a car crosses a rough patch of pavement. The top of the majority of front strut assemblies also houses a bearing.
What happens if your struts fail while you’re on the road?
Shocks and struts deteriorate over time, much like many other components on your car. Your service technician will probably advise replacing the worn item whenever it starts to negatively affect your car’s performance and ride quality. You endanger your ability to steer, brake, and maintain stability if you decide to put off checking worn shocks and struts. Driving with damaged shocks or struts can have a range of negative effects, from annoyance to serious safety concerns:
- decreased braking effectiveness Your brakes’ performance can be negatively impacted by worn shocks and struts. It’s possible that your car’s stopping distance will grow, which is crucial in emergency braking situations. On slick roads, you run a higher danger of sliding. Don’t delay to have your worn shocks or struts inspected in order to prevent jeopardizing your safety as well as the safety of other drivers.
- loss of control and handling
- Your ability to drive your car is directly impacted while you are driving with damaged shock absorbers or struts. When making a turn, you can notice that your car bounces excessively, rolls or sways suddenly, or that you feel out of control when a crosswind hits. You may experience a lack of control over your car if shocks and struts have lost their capacity to govern weight transfer over time. This could be hazardous since it would be challenging to control your car in an emergency if your tires lost touch with the pavement.
- more abrasion of other suspension components
- Shocks and struts that are worn out might harm the suspension, steering, and braking systems that they are connected to. As the shocks or struts deteriorate, greater suspension movement is permitted, which increases the likelihood that other steering, braking, and suspension components will experience the same problems. These associated parts may wear out more quickly as a result of the added wear and tear. Additionally, this may result in higher repair costs.
- bald tires
- You might assume that tire tread deterioration is typical, but old shocks and struts could be to blame. Examine your tires carefully; if they exhibit cupping or rapid wear, your shocks or struts may no longer be able to assist in preserving tire-to-road contact. Due to the increased potential of hydroplaning, this may become a safety concern, especially on rainy roads. Simply replacing a tire with excessive tread wear won’t solve the issue; you’ll only be treating the symptom. Ask your mechanic to check your shocks and struts, as well as your steering and suspension system, to determine the cause of the problem.
Struts are either in the front or back.
Struts are normally fitted in connection with the front wheels, although they can also be put at the rear wheels, depending on the configuration and driveline of a vehicle. There are various strut types, just like there are various automobile types.