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Strut/Shock Replacement...Part Question


Zero Knievel

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Mom has a Toyota Highlander (2005 iirc).  Suspension is shot.  I’ve done my pickup truck with aftermarket shocks (supposedly good ones with lifetime warranty), but the truck is already on its second set of replacement shocks (over 200K fwiw).

 

I could do the work myself cheaper than going to a mechanic or Toyota, but I have two concerns:

 

1. How hard is this to do on the Highlander?  I’ve seen the YouTube videos, and it doesn’t look much harder than doing my pickup, but things rarely go as planned.

 

2.  Should I spend on Toyota parts or go with aftermarket?  What brand or type of aftermarket will match/exceed OEM spec?

 

I don’t mind paying a competent mechanic to do the work if the job is more involved that I should want to get involved in, and I don’t mind paying for quality parts, but I would like to save Mom needless expense if I can.

 

Thank in advance.

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I'd at least attempt it myself.  I literally just did shocks on my neighbors 2004 Sport Trac yesterday, and the youtube video made it seem harder than it actually was.  Took maybe 10 minutes (granted I have a two post lift.)  He went with OESpectrum, I use Monroe Sensatrac on my stuff.  Factory parts will be astronomical, so I would look very hard at aftermarket unless your mom is insistent on factory.  Not sure if the Highlander has struts up front or not, but Monroe makes a completely assembled strut that is drop-on.  NO WAY I would try doing strut cartridges as those things can kill you upon disassembly.  That's most assuredly a "pay somebody else" job.

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For the price of OE at the dealer you can probably buy Bilstiens online.  Not that you need such a high end shock.  I put KYB G2s on my Explorer and was amazed at how good they were.  Got the whole set on amazon for under $50, unfuckinbelievable.

 

If it has shocks or struts with the spring attached you'll need a spring compressor, of take them to a shop to swap springs for you, or buy complete units.  Never done that vehicle so no clue what it has.

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Went with KYBs.  Very well rated.  Just over $100 each online.  Spring compressor is a loaner tool.  Glad I bought the parts.  Local auto shop was steering her towards some cheap Chinese-made crap.  May come with a lifetime warranty, but that means nothing if the strut breaks while you’re driving.

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On 12/19/2017 at 6:15 PM, Aunt Zero said:

Went with KYBs.  Very well rated.  Just over $100 each online.  Spring compressor is a loaner tool.  Glad I bought the parts.  Local auto shop was steering her towards some cheap Chinese-made crap.  May come with a lifetime warranty, but that means nothing if the strut breaks while you’re driving.

 

Good on ya. ...no pics?

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Well, got the rears installed.  Started after work (half-day) yesterday.  So, from about 1:30ish to 6:00 pm doing JUST ONE.  Like a typical guy, I didn't read instructions and assumed the unit would go in the same as it came out.  I kept fighting to put it back in WITH the spring compressors still on...no way it would fit.  I finally realized to put the top bolt on then release the compressors.  I thought they were needed to install when all they are needed for is to take the stress of the top nut so the strut can be disassembled/assembled.  The second fun part was that the top three bolts would not align and go in.  I suspect the OEM had a defect from the factory that put the bolts at a slight angle.  A lot of cussing went on, and mom was sitting in the back of the Highlander trying to see if she could help.  After a lot of work, and more cussing, the third bolt popped through the hole.  I had to use a bottle jack under the knuckle to put pressure from below and let the spring push all three bolts in.  It took a few tries.

 

This morning, got up at 4:00 am, and went to continue.  The driver rear went flawlessly in under 2 hours.  Did it all by myself without any cussing.

 

Right now, I'm stopped at the fronts.  The two 7/8" nuts/bolts are on tight.  I've got nothing stronger than WD-40, and I''ve even tried the impact wrench (pneumatic) cranked up to max.  I'm spraying the nuts down regularly, but I've been at it since 6:00 a.m.  If they don't come lose by 10:00 am, I'm putting it back together for the weekend.  I could take it in to town and see if a mechanic has ,more powerful tools to get the nuts loose, but if I go that route, I might as well just let the mechanic change the struts.  Some will just loosen a bolt for a nominal charge, others would prefer to do the whole job.  Hopefully the WD-40 will do the trick.  I had more powerful penetrants, but dad must have tossed them because he had them since we lived in Florida.

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If you're talking about the nuts that hold the strut assembly together, the only way somebody with powerful enough tools will take that loose for you is if the vehicle is on the ground under full load.  Otherwise the strut could come apart and, as I said before, potentially kill somebody and/or cause enough damage to total the vehicle.  I'm not kidding, if you take it to a mechanic and it has struts, let them do it with one of those wall mounted compressors.  It's much safer (but not foolproof) and not worth the risk.  I have seen a spring fly across the shop before, you don't want to be anywhere near the path of that thing.

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No.  These are the two nuts/bolts that hold the bottom of the strut to the wheel knuckle.

 

I broke the 7/8” socket (not designed for an impact wrench, but you use what you have).  Google told me to make a 50/50 mix of ATF and acetone.  Applied that several times with a syringe.  Went to town to replace the 7/8 socket.  Picked up a metric and SAE impact wrench socket set.  Turns out the nuts are 22 mm.  Still no luck.  A farmer neighbor said I’d get more from a wrench and long arm.  Jiggered something up and gave it a go.  Broke the breaker bar.  Another neighbor had a 22 mm box wrench, but it was shorter than the breaker bar I just broke.

 

So, at least two wheels got done.  Next time I shop for replacement tools, I’ll see if there’s something better for the task.  Alternatively, I could just find a shop that will get the nut loose for me, but if I go that route, it might be kinder to pay them to change out the strut for me.

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Get a new breaker bar.  I have put a four foot pipe on mine and haven't broken it.  Most garages do run more air and have better air guns.   Heat is your friend.  Heat the nut up good and put a long bar on it and it should pop, just make sure that you are going the right direction (have seen it many times). 

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The power of impact guns varies a lot.  If it's a cheapo, especially an old one, it may not be doing much.  Verify that the regulator on the compressor is maxed out and that the gun's adjustment is too, I've seen some that were miss-marked.  If you're using an extension it can greatly reduce the power delivered.  Put some heat to the bolts next time you're ready to try.

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I understand what you're saying now.  It will probably come right off at a shop as a quality impact gun with sufficient air can take off even the most stubborn of bolts.  I also hope you realize that an alignment will be necessary as well.

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13 hours ago, Furbird said:

I understand what you're saying now.  It will probably come right off at a shop as a quality impact gun with sufficient air can take off even the most stubborn of bolts.  I also hope you realize that an alignment will be necessary as well.

Maybe, but I've never had a noticeable change in alignment from doing struts.

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Technically, replacing a suspension part that wore out SHOULD NOT adversely change any wheel alignment...at least not severely, but for what tires cost nowadays, it’s wise to have it checked afterwards.

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4 hours ago, superhawk996 said:

Maybe, but I've never had a noticeable change in alignment from doing struts.


It depends on the suspension design.  Lots of vehicles are set up so the two bolts that attach the strut to the spindle are where you make your camber adjustments.  And you would be shocked at how many do not have an eccentric bolt there, so it looks like you just unbolt the old one and bolt in the new one.  Then you put it on an alignment machine and see all red everything because camber affects toe.  You set caster first, then camber, then toe.  But nearly everything built now is greyed out on the caster area (because it's non-adjustable) so everything else is red.  Besides, most shops charge less than $100 for a 4 wheel alignment and that's cheap insurance considering the cost of tires.

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So much fail going on here. 

 

As I stated in my first post. " with proper knowledge and tools" this job will be easy enough. 

 

Fail 1 and 2

 

Now saying "technically worn out parts wont require an alignment" 

 

Fail 3

 

You will be back in 6 months bitching that the car tracks like crap, tires worn uneven and blame it on the design failure of the replacment parts. 

 

 

 

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Fail three is back on you because replacing an old part with a new part won't necessarily change the alignment.  And if it takes 6 months to realize that it's not tracking right that is a whole different kinda fail.

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Messing with the suspension doubt everything will exactly perfect after the 10 hours of beating and shoving.

 

If vehicle was ever aligned after first set of tires was replaced, thats easily 40 to 60k miles of wear and settling on oem equipment. Replacing with new will throw it off. 

 

Skimping of something so simple is just dumb. Most vehicles from factory are just ball park set anyways. If never aligned could benefit it still.. 

 

Yeah, fail on me for finishing the job correctly. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, The Krypt Keeper said:

Replacing with new will throw it off. 

Or restore it.

 

I won't argue against doing an alignment regularly and after replacing components, but it's not that crucial in most cases.  There are many times I've replaced shit and done an eyeball/tape measure alignment and told the customer to get an alignment ASAP.  Every damn time the vehicle runs straight so they don't bother.  I've yet to see any adverse effects that I can remember.

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11 hours ago, superhawk996 said:

Fail three is back on you because replacing an old part with a new part won't necessarily change the alignment.  And if it takes 6 months to realize that it's not tracking right that is a whole different kinda fail.

 

Add in the fact that I stated that it was wise to have the alignment checked after a component is replaced...even though there may be no detrimental effect from replacing a worn part.  It’s cheap insurance against preventable tire wear.

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