How to Change Struts

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Does your car have a rough ride? Do you think that your vehicle has lost its good handling? A key determinant in your front wheel drive car's performance is the strut assemblies.

Steps

1. 1
   Loosen bolts securing the wheel, but do NOT remove them. Open the hood and loosen the bolts securing the strut assembly to the strut tower. Lift the car with a car jack. Your vehicles spare tire jack will work. Position the jack where the car manufacturer would have you place it to replace a flat tire (this can be found in the Owner's Manual). Once in the air, use jack stands (not wooden blocks) to secure the car. Place the jack stands beside the jack under the car so as if the jack was to fail the car would not fall. Next, remove the wheel and place blocks under the control arm leaving a 3-4 inch gap.

   
   
2. 2
   Remove the strut assembly from the vehicle. Open the hood and locate the strut towers. Usually they are located at the midpoint of the inside fender well and look like cylinders. They are most likely held in by three small bolts. Remove the strut tower bolts. The assembly may fall. Now go to the inside fender well and follow the strut until it ends. There are most likely two or three large bolts holding the strut to the steering knuckle; remove these large bolts by first removing the nuts and then they will need to be hammered out of the strut to free it. You should now be able to pull the strut assembly from the car and place it on the ground.
3. 3
   Install the spring and the strut bearing on to the new strut. Making sure the compressor is secure and pointed away from anything that you do not want damaged, compress the spring with a spring compressor; use the compressor according to the instructions that are included with it. At the very top of the strut is a large nut on top of what looks like a disc, but is actually the strut bearing. Remove the large nut on top of the strut with ratchet and socket combination, and hold the strut rod with a wrench just below the strut bearing. Now that the nut is removed the strut bearing and spring will be free of the old strut
4. 4
   Assemble the new strut. Put the spring over the new strut; make sure to include any rubber parts from the old strut. Install the strut bearing over the spring and replace the strut rod nut to the manufacture specified torque.
5. 5
   Install the completed strut assembly back into the steering knuckle by replacing the bolts but leaving them finger tight, allowing the assembly to move freely.
6. 6
   Place the strut assembly back into the strut tower and replace the strut tower bolts
7. 7
   Tighten the bolts securing the strut assembly to the steering knuckle and torque to manufacturer specifications.
8. 8
   Remove jack from under steering knuckle and replace wheel, tightening the lug bolts finger tight or slightly more.
9. 9
   Jack vehicle up to remove load on jack stands; remove jack stands and lower vehicle.
10. 10
    Torque strut tower bolts and wheel bolts to manufacturer specifications.
11. 11
    Perform a final check to make sure nothing was lost or incorrectly fitted. Take test drive to evaluate vehicle safety. Avoid high speed driving or high-traffic areas. It's possible that the vehicle may require alignment. If vehicle pulls to either side or otherwise does not drive normally, perform alignment.

    
    

Tips

• Rusted, damaged or cracked springs must be replaced. Do not attempt to change your springs/struts unless you fully accept the risk that the compressor, spring, strut or jack may fail, resulting in possible injury or death. Spring compressors are not all built the same - Inspect your spring compressor for possible signs of inferior construction or poor design.

Warnings

• Use Jack stands to back-up your jack.
• Be very careful with spring compressors - They can possibly slip or otherwise fail, releasing the energy stored in the compressed spring and damaging anything it may hit when it explosively decompresses.
• Do not use wooden blocks instead of or with jack stands. This is a very unsafe practice that can lead to injury or death. If you insist on using the wrong "tools" with incomplete instructions, be prepared to accept injury or death.

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