How to Change Toyota Struts

When struts wear out, choppy wear on the tires that leave little uneven flat spots on the tread appear. The front or back of the car also bottoms out over hard bumps, or there is excessive rocking of the front of the car after traveling over bumps in the road. From a visual standpoint, oil on the strut housing will indicate a bad seal. Struts can be checked with the car sitting still by bouncing the front and rear of the car with your body weight. If the vehicle stops bouncing immediately, the struts are good. If the car to bounces more than once before settling, the struts are weak and need replacing.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

things you'll need:

• Strut compressor
• ½-inch air gun
• ½-inch sockets
• Set of wrenches
• Floor jack
• Jack stands

1. • 1

     Raise and support the vehicle on jack stands. Remove the wheels. Remove the two large nuts and bolts holding the struts to the spindle.

   • 2

     Remove the three 13 mm nuts on the top of the fenderwell. Remove the 10 mm bolt holding the brake line to the strut. Separate the strut base from the spindle by pushing on the strut base and pulling on the spindle.

   • 3

     Install the strut compressor on the spring and use the air gun to tighten the compressor until the spring is loose inside the saddle and the top can be turned freely. Remove the top retaining nut with the ½-inch air gun. Lift the top plate off and lay it aside. Lift the spring off of the strut and carefully lay it down.

   • 4

     Take the new strut out of the box and remove the wires holding the strut from extending. If it is the type that does not use wire retainers, push down by hand on the strut shaft, rotate a half turn and release--it will automatically extend.

   • 5

     Hold the strut up on the floor with the mounting flanges to the spindle facing away. Remove the rubber seat from the old strut and install it on the new strut. Make sure that it is situated right where the end of the spring fits into the pocket in the rubber seat. Install the spring, making sure that the bottom of the spring fits correctly into the rubber seat.

   • 6

     Install the top bearing plate and make sure it fits properly into its groove, then install the top nut. Use the air gun to tighten the top nut. Release the tension on the spring by loosening the compressor.

   • 7

     Insert the studs on the top plate of the strut up through the fenderwell, install the 13 mm nuts and tighten. Push the spindle neck into the mounting flanges on the strut base, insert the large bolts and nuts, and tighten. Install the 10 mm bolt through the brake line bracket. Do the same to the other side.