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Car Struts

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canadmos

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
21,997
21,523
Canaderp
Has anyone ever replaced the front struts on a car? I understand the basics of it, but have never attempted it before. It should be simple enough, 5 or so bolts per side and maybe one brake line mount?

How frustrated will I get with the lower bolts being seized?

I figure I can employ the help of a friend who has the garage space, tools (including my floor jack) and pay him in beer for the time. Rather than the labor for the job, which will be about the same as the parts.
 
Adventurous

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,856
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Crawlorado
Super easy provided you buy the strut preloaded with a spring; I wouldn't mess with trying to unload and swap over your current ones.

Otherwise you are correct, 3 bolts up top, two on the knuckle. Hit everything with generous squirts of PB blaster a few days beforehand, and repeat a couple of times before you tackle it.

Antiseize the threads of whatever bolts come out and you shouldn't have a problem getting it apart if you ever have to again.
 
canadmos

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
21,997
21,523
Canaderp
Adventurous said:
Super easy provided you buy the strut preloaded with a spring; I wouldn't mess with trying to unload and swap over your current ones.

Otherwise you are correct, 3 bolts up top, two on the knuckle. Hit everything with generous squirts of PB blaster a few days beforehand, and repeat a couple of times before you tackle it.

Antiseize the threads of whatever bolts come out and you shouldn't have a problem getting it apart if you ever have to again.
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Yeah I plan on getting KYB's, which come with the spring already mounted up. Apparently KYB also made these for Toyota, so should be better than the Monroe quick struts that I've read about.

Excellent point on lubing up a few days prior...

Pretty sure I also need front right wheel bearing too, but that one I'll let the shop tackle.
 
Adventurous

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,856
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canadmos said:
Yeah I plan on getting KYB's, which come with the spring already mounted up. Apparently KYB also made these for Toyota, so should be better than the Monroe quick struts that I've read about.

Excellent point on lubing up a few days prior...

Pretty sure I also need front right wheel bearing too, but that one I'll let the shop tackle.
Click to expand...
TBH, it's just a little more disassembly to get to the wheel bearing, and not bigly difficult to replace if you buy the pre-assembled wheel hub and bearing assembly. It should take a shop no more than 30 additional minutes to replace the strut while they are at it.
 
Brian HCM#1

Brian HCM#1

Don’t feed the troll
Sep 7, 2001
32,230
382
Bay Area, California
canadmos said:
Yeah I plan on getting KYB's, which come with the spring already mounted up. Apparently KYB also made these for Toyota, so should be better than the Monroe quick struts that I've read about.

Excellent point on lubing up a few days prior...

Pretty sure I also need front right wheel bearing too, but that one I'll let the shop tackle.
Click to expand...
Struts are easy, same as wheel bearings, just need to pack them with grease.
 
maxyedor

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
Struts are one of the easiest things there are to replace, only tip I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet is to have a gander under the car and see if disconnecting the either control arm from the spindle may be required for clearance. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't, if it is, rent a ball-joint separator from the parts store and pick up some replacement cotter-pins.

Definitely just buy replacement hardware now if you live somewhere salty, hose them with penetrating oil now, but if they're at all rusty replace those bolts for your own sanity, Toyota bolts are made of cheese.
 
stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
22,002
7,886
Colorado
Done it a bunch on Subaru's. Spring compressors are a terrifying thing, but they get the job done. Subie springs are really big though.

I've always pulled the whole assembly off, supported the a-arm with a wood block and made sure to hang the caliper to not hang by the hose. When disassembling, don't get in-line with anything, keep the spring hat and strut perpendicular to yourself in case it shoots.
 
MikeD

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,735
1,819
chez moi
I did it on a 2004 Subie on all four corners with no prior knowledge, the car's scissor jack, and some jackstands. Hand tools and a Makita electric impact. In a driveway in Africa.

New struts came with installed springs, tho.
 
Scrub

Scrub

Turbo Monkey
Feb 4, 2003
1,456
127
NOR CAL, Sac/CoCo County
Try it now....

Good call on just buying the complete sub assembly rather than disassembling the spring from strut using the Harbor Freight spring compressor and throwing a towel over it (safety first) while using a ratchet and to slowly squeeze that sucker and not spill your beer as your buddy has his foot on the strut stabilizing it.

It's always challenging and if you like to put pressure on yourself this is one of those things to do.
 
eaterofdog

eaterofdog

ass grabber
Sep 8, 2006
9,206
2,728
Central Florida
My truck driver neighbor was hit in the face so hard by a semi suspension spring he was removing that he did two back flips before he hit the ground. The doctors said his skull was "eggshelled." He mostly eats pudding and looks out the window now.
 
stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
22,002
7,886
Colorado
Westy said:
Safety Third

View attachment 140819
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This setup is fucking terrifying. I have a set (key word) that go onto each side. Once one gets snug, you tighten the other to snug, then do 1-turn on each until the tophat is loose and the spring is no longer loading the strut. Put the new strut in and reverse the process.

If you're in a salt location thought, get the whole assembly.
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
56,016
22,047
Sleazattle
eaterofdog said:
My truck driver neighbor was hit in the face so hard by a semi suspension spring he was removing that he did two back flips before he hit the ground. The doctors said his skull was "eggshelled." He mostly eats pudding and looks out the window now.
Click to expand...
Your posts are best consumed if you think of them being read aloud by Mark Twain.
 
canadmos

canadmos

Cake Tease
May 29, 2011
21,997
21,523
Canaderp
I'm definitely getting struts with springs already installed. I don't want to have to deal with patching a hole in my buddies wall when it all flies apart.

But on that note, do springs wear out? I know they can snap, but do they lose their springyness over time? These ones have a quarter million kilometers on them now, so they must be pooched anyways?
 
johnbryanpeters

johnbryanpeters

Hero
Sep 27, 2001
36,818
18,393
Making moss sad in New Haven, Vermont
canadmos said:
I'm definitely getting struts with springs already installed. I don't want to have to deal with patching a hole in my buddies wall when it all flies apart.

But on that note, do springs wear out? I know they can snap, but do they lose their springyness over time? These ones have a quarter million kilometers on them now, so they must be pooched anyways?
Click to expand...
Yeah, they can wear out, but I'll leave it to one of our mechanical engineers to discuss...
 
Westy

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
56,016
22,047
Sleazattle
canadmos said:
I'm definitely getting struts with springs already installed. I don't want to have to deal with patching a hole in my buddies wall when it all flies apart.

But on that note, do springs wear out? I know they can snap, but do they lose their springyness over time? These ones have a quarter million kilometers on them now, so they must be pooched anyways?
Click to expand...

Yes they can sag overtime. Probably more of a function of time than miles and even then probably because really old cars didn't have as good metallurgy.

In summary, they can sag but yours are probably fine.
 
Adventurous

Adventurous

Starshine Bro
Mar 19, 2014
10,856
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Crawlorado
canadmos said:
I'm definitely getting struts with springs already installed. I don't want to have to deal with patching a hole in my buddies wall when it all flies apart.

But on that note, do springs wear out? I know they can snap, but do they lose their springyness over time? These ones have a quarter million kilometers on them now, so they must be pooched anyways?
Click to expand...
In theory, a spring can have an indefinite life if it was properly spec'd for the application, with no flaws or inconsistencies introduced during manufacture.

In reality, the fact that it is subject to constant preload, manufacturing flaws, and environmental corrosion all guarantee that the spring will eventually fail.
 
6thElement

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
17,244
14,718
Adventurous said:
In theory, a spring can have an indefinite life if it was properly spec'd for the application, with no flaws or inconsistencies introduced during manufacture.

In reality, the fact that it is subject to constant preload, manufacturing flaws, and environmental corrosion all guarantee that the spring will eventually fail.
Click to expand...
So you're saying he should save a few northern freedum tokens and swap springs?

:D
 
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