When do front and rear struts need to be replaced?
Struts come down through the chassis and provide a location to mount the coil spring, which maintains the car’s height. Both the front struts and rear struts are extremely important. Unfortunately, they can wear out. So when do you need to replace them? Let’s take a closer look.
How much does it cost to fix a broken strut on a RAV4?
The quote to fix both was $715+tax. It’s a 1997 Toyota RAV4 with 227K+ miles. Putting $800 into (after I just put $300 into it today) makes my stomach hurt. Especially, since I have a $1900 daycare bill every month!
When to expect a broken strut on a car?
The driver is often the first to know when a strut fails and does not perform well. You’re trying to keep a 17-year-old car running. You need to expect that sometimes things will break that cost more than $600. When I hear a broken strut, I think of a broken strut spring.
What’s the best way to install a new strut?
Installing the new strut is the reverse of the removal, but it’s very tricky and sometimes impossible to get it into place and hold it there while you get the nuts started. So enlist the help of a friend for the actual installation. Once it’s in place, torque the strut mount nuts to spec.
Can a rear strut mount be replaced at home?
When struts are assembled, the coil springs are compressed under great tension. Rear strut mount. They can unwind with a lot of force and cause injury. We recommend getting this repair done in a repair shop. To replace a strut mount, a strut must be carefully disassembled using a special spring compressor.
What’s the best way to remove rust from a strut?
This is often rusted on and difficult to remove. You might choose to spray some rust loosening spray like WD-40 on equal onto the bolts before you can free them. Try hammering a few times on the knuckle itself to loosen things up a bit before hammering directly on the bolts holding the strut to the knuckle.
How much does it cost to replace struts on a car?
If struts are replaced for other reasons and strut mounts show some wear or are known to fail in this vehicle, it makes sense to replace them at the same time. Replacing both struts together with strut mounts will cost from $650 to $900 in an average car.
What kind of nuts and bolts do you need to replace struts?
The strut-to-steering-knuckle nuts and bolts are fairly large, so you’ll need 18mm through 23mm 1/2-in.-drive deep sockets and a beefy 1/2-in.-drive breaker bar and ratchet. Some strut bolts are a single-use ‘torque-to-yield’ (TTY) style that can’t be reused. Ask the parts store clerk if yours are TTY.