🔧 WRX - Shock/Strut Replacement

On your WRX, the “shock absorbers” are part of the strut assemblies (front and rear). Replacing them restores ride control, braking stability, and eliminates bouncing or clunking from worn dampers.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 4-8 hours (all four)

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• 🛑 Coil springs store a lot of force; only compress springs with a proper spring compressor.
• 🛑 If you remove struts, you will need an alignment afterward to prevent tire wear.
• 🛑 Avoid stretching brake hoses or ABS wires while the strut is loose.
• 🛑 No battery disconnect is required for this job.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves
• Breaker bar (1/2-inch drive)
• Torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range)
• 19mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 12mm socket
• 19mm wrench
• 17mm wrench
• 14mm wrench
• 12mm wrench
• Trim clip remover
• Flathead screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• Paint marker
• Penetrating oil
• Spring compressor (specialty)

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front strut assemblies or front struts - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Rear strut assemblies or rear struts - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Front upper strut mounts (recommended) - Qty: 2
• Rear upper strut mounts (recommended) - Qty: 2
• Front bump stops and dust boots (recommended) - Qty: 2
• Rear bump stops and dust boots (recommended) - Qty: 2
• New self-locking strut hardware (recommended) - Qty: 1 set

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the transmission in 1st gear, set the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels.
• Spray penetrating oil on the lower strut-to-knuckle bolts and sway bar end link nuts 15–30 minutes before you start.
• Quick questions so I give you the exact correct procedure:
• ❓ Are you replacing front only, rear only, or all four?
• ❓ Are you installing complete pre-assembled strut units (quick-struts), or swapping just the strut/shock and reusing your springs (requires the spring compressor, a tool that safely squeezes the coil spring)?

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Confirm your replacement type (so you stay safe)

• If you are using quick-struts, you do not need to compress the spring.
• If you are reusing your springs, you must use a spring compressor (specialty); never remove the top nut without the spring compressed.

Step 2: Lift and secure the car

• Use wheel chocks at the wheels staying on the ground.
• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift one end of the car.
• Set it onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under solid pinch weld points.
• Use 19mm socket to remove lug nuts after lifting.
• When reinstalling wheels later: Torque to 120 Nm (89 ft-lbs).

Step 3: Pause here for the exact WRX-specific strut steps

• Reply with: front/rear/all four and quick-struts vs reuse springs.
• Once you answer, I’ll give you the correct front and/or rear removal steps, the interior trim access (rear), and the exact torque specs for every fastener you’ll touch.

---

✅ After Repair

• Get a professional alignment after strut replacement to prevent pulling and uneven tire wear.
• Test drive slowly first; listen for clunks over bumps and re-check lug nut torque.
• Recheck visible fasteners after 50–100 miles.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $900-$2,200 (parts + labor, depending on parts choice)

DIY Cost: $350-$1,400 (parts only)

You Save: $550-$800+ by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 4-8 hours.

---

🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.