How To Replace Front Struts On 2008 Toyota Tundra

Driving on old struts actually results in higher costs since the unregulated bouncing quickly wears out expensive suspension parts like ball joints, control arm bushings, stabilizer bar end links, and tie rod ends. It also swiftly damages your tires. In addition, worn struts increase your stopping distance from 60 mph by roughly 10 feet and cause steering instability, which is dangerous, especially on curves at higher speeds.

It used to be dangerous for a do-it-yourselfer to replace struts. While hoping the spring wouldn’t let go and rip out an eye or a limb, you had to compress it and remove the strut. Furthermore, if the internal hex pulled out, removing the rusty nut at the top of the strut might become a nightmare. However, you can now purchase a full strut assembly that does away with the need to disassemble the strut, spring, and mount. With these assemblies, you may quickly and easily replace both of your front struts. Even though you’ll need to have an alignment afterwards (costs roughly $100), doing the work yourself will still result in a $300 save. You’ll also need a thin piece of plywood, pin punches, large screwdrivers, wrenches, and rust penetrant. You might need to purchase a breaker bar and a couple large sockets. These are the procedures.

How long do tundra struts last?

Most suspension struts and shocks have no set date for replacement, however they will eventually need to be changed on many vehicles. Rough driving practices could reduce the lifespan of these components. A shock or strut may need to be replaced after 50 to 100 thousand kilometers.

Do Toyota Tundras have struts or shocks?

Although the Toyota Tundra’s shock absorber and strut assembly both serve as motion-dampeners, the shocks themselves are independent of other suspension elements like springs, housing, etc. Struts, on the other hand, combine all of these components of suspension into a single piece.

How durable are Toyota OEM struts?

What is the size of your budget? Will you do it yourself or hire a professional to do it?

Any vehicle’s original shocks and struts should be changed after about 75,000 kilometers. in certain circumstances, earlier.

At 162,000 and with the front already taken apart, I would at the very least replace the ball joints and think about replacing the tie rod ends as well.

There are several good “cheap” shocks and struts available, but it doesn’t cost much more to obtain a reputable brand.

There will be roughly 100 branded front struts per piece. A new mount that is 20 to 30 on each side is what you would need. Reusing the old spring is a challenging and perhaps dangerous task. However, they now provide “ready struts,” which are brand-new, pre-assembled struts, springs, and mounts that you can install in your driveway for approximately 200 each side.

Rear shocks are simple to replace; they cost around $50 for a branded OE replacement and around $100 for a premium. You may easily accomplish this in your driveway.

100 ball joints per side, divided between the upper and lower. You desire the easier but more expensive assembly for the lowers.

Therefore, you can rebuild the suspension yourself for $775 in your garage using branded, warrantied parts from your neighborhood AutoZone, NAPA, Oreilly, or whatever.

Do you require an alignment after strut replacement?

Here are the responses to the query in brief

do you need an alignment after changing shocks and struts? 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.

What is the turnaround time for front strut replacement?

Is the stop of your vehicle taking longer than usual? Is it strangely bumpier? The symptoms clearly indicate that your struts have failed, so 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. Even if you decide to replace them on your own, the anticipated time is the same as long as you have previous mechanical abilities and follow the process appropriately.

The ability to manage and control the vehicle may be compromised if struts are not replaced in a timely manner.

How can I tell if my 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.
  • Your car leans or “tips to the outside of the turn and feels shaky as you make a tight turn or exit a highway.
  • 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.
  • After striking a bump, you can feel a tire (or tires) responding or bouncing around excessively “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.

Bumpy ride

Your automobile is giving you a significantly more uncomfortable ride than usual, which is the most clear symptom that there is an issue with your shocks or struts. The ride will feel tough since you’ll notice the bumps more. Your shocks or struts probably need to be checked out if you ever feel like you’re ready to lose control of your car as you drive over a bump or pothole.

Steering problems

Steering trouble is another clear indicator of a shock or strut issue. The steering wheel may seem difficult to turn or rigid. Additionally, when you make a turn or move lanes, your automobile can appear to be leaning or swaying.

Braking problems

Because struts are a structural component of your car, they can malfunction and cause concerns other than merely suspension. When you apply the brakes, you can feel your automobile tremble, dip, or lurch forward.

Fluid leaks

If you know where to look, you might be able to see struts that have apparent wear and tear. However, a fluid leak is the most typical visual indicator that your shocks or struts might need repair.

Unusual tire tread wear

Uneven tread wear will occur on your tires when your suspension or wheel alignment is out of alignment, and it will typically look different than when your tires are simply getting older. Scalloped dips (sometimes known as “cups”) can form along the edge of the tread as a result of suspension damage. Additionally, the issue is quite risky. Visit a repair as soon as possible if you spot any of these symptoms on your tires.

Mileage

Depending on the make and model of your car, shocks or struts need to be replaced about every 50,000 miles. A routine inspection of the shocks or struts should be performed by a professional every 50,000 miles or as often as your owner’s handbook advises.

How many miles are the OEM shocks good for?

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.

Do brand-new struts enhance ride?

What components, if any, genuinely require replacement should be discovered after a comprehensive evaluation. The majority of the shock damping is performed by the springs in your car’s suspension. So that you don’t go boing-boing down the road, the shocks and struts enhance the ride and lessen the bouncing brought on by springs compressing and releasing.

How durable are Tundra Bilstein 5100 shocks?

The Sport Package shocks (red and blue) and the OR package shocks (yellow and blue) perform better and last 6080k miles longer. Of course, everything is dependent on use. Both big loads/towing and frequent off-roading can shorten the life. When shocks stop dampening, they need to be replaced.

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.

What is the price of replacing front 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 long are struts good for?

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.