Toyota Front Strut & Mount Replacement

Here's how to diagnose and replace the front strut or strut mount on a Toyota with MacPherson strut front suspension.

For more information on how automotive suspension works, see my video here:

   • How Automotive Suspension Systems Work  

The MacPherson strut front suspension consists of a coil-over strut type support that bolts directly to the steering knuckle. It turns as an assembly when the front wheels turn, pivoting on the lower ball joint at the bottom, and the upper strut mount at the top.

After years of wear and tear, the ball bearings inside the strut mount, or the rubber bushing can fail and come loose. This will cause a clunking sound going over bumps, or an issue with memory steer or a constant pull to one side that can't be fixed with alignment.

Furthermore, the struts which are responsible for damping the bouncing action of the spring may leak its oil and not be able to control the wheel motion over bumps. This may result in a bouncy, uncontrollable ride and cupped tire wear.

Typically, QuickStruts can be used to replace the MacPherson strut as an assembly. In this video, the strut is taken apart using spring compressors to change out a worn strut bearing.

Once the strut is disconnected from the vehicle (14mm strut mount bolts, 22mm lower knuckle bolts, 12mm brake hose line, 17mm stabilizer link nut), spring compressors are employed to compress the pretension on the spring.

The 19mm nut is removed from the top of the damper, and the strut can be disassembled. If the bellows and spring seats are worn, it is recommended to replace them while the strut is taken apart.

The strut mount used in this video was from Mevotech, part number MP904989.

The vehicle demonstrated here is a 2004 Toyota Camry V6.

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