🔧 BRZ - Shock/Strut Replacement

On your BRZ, the “shock absorbers” are part of the front and rear strut assemblies (a shock with a coil spring wrapped around it). Replacing worn struts restores ride control, reduces bouncing, and improves braking/handling stability.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support the car on jack stands—never rely on a floor jack.
• ⚠️ If you will reuse the springs: a coil spring compressor is required (it clamps the spring so it can’t “explode” outward). Compressed springs are dangerous—keep hands/face out of the spring’s path.
• ⚠️ Do not let the brake caliper/hose hang or stretch—support any loose lines with a zip tie.
• ⚠️ After strut replacement, you should get a 4-wheel alignment as soon as possible.
• 🔋 Battery disconnect is not required for this job.

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🔧 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
• Lug nut socket 19mm
• Breaker bar 1/2" drive
• Torque wrench 3/8" drive (10-100 ft-lbs range)
• Torque wrench 1/2" drive (50-200 ft-lbs range)
• Socket set metric 10mm-19mm
• Wrench set metric 10mm-19mm
• Allen key set metric 5mm-7mm
• Pry bar
• Needle-nose pliers
• Trim clip tool
• Penetrating oil
• Paint marker
• Rubber mallet
• Coil spring compressor (specialty)
• Pass-through strut nut socket set (specialty)
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front strut assemblies - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Rear strut assemblies - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Front strut mount/top hat - Replace in pairs (recommended) - Qty: 2
• Rear strut mount/top hat - Replace in pairs (recommended) - Qty: 2
• Front bump stops and dust boots - Qty: 2
• Rear bump stops and dust boots - Qty: 2
• Self-locking nuts/bolts for strut mounting - Replace as needed - Qty: 1 set

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, leave the transmission in 1st gear, and set the parking brake.
• 🧱 Chock the rear wheels if lifting the front; chock the front wheels if lifting the rear.
• 🛞 Break loose the lug nuts with a 19mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• 🧴 Spray penetrating oil on the strut-to-knuckle bolts (front) and lower strut bolts (rear) with penetrating oil. Let it soak 10 minutes.
• 🖊️ Mark the camber bolt position (front) with a paint marker so you can reassemble close to the original alignment.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift the car and remove the wheels

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the car at the proper jack point.
• Set the car onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Remove lug nuts using a 19mm socket, then remove the wheels.

Step 2: Front strut removal (one side at a time)

• Remove the brake hose/ABS wire brackets from the strut using a 10mm socket.
• Disconnect the sway bar end link from the strut using a 17mm wrench and hold the stud with a 6mm Allen key if it spins.
• Support the steering knuckle lightly with the floor jack so it doesn’t drop.
• Remove the two strut-to-knuckle bolts/nuts using 19mm socket and 19mm wrench. One bolt is the camber bolt you marked.
• Under the hood, remove the 3 upper strut mount nuts using a 14mm socket while holding the strut from below.
• Remove the strut assembly from the wheel well.

Step 3: Front strut install

• Position the new strut assembly in the tower and hand-start the 3 top nuts using a 14mm socket.
• Align the strut to the knuckle and install the two lower bolts using a 19mm socket and 19mm wrench. Match your paint marks on the camber bolt.
• Torque the front strut-to-knuckle bolts to 175 Nm (129 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench 1/2" drive.
• Torque the front upper strut mount nuts to 20 Nm (15 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench 3/8" drive.
• Reconnect the sway bar end link using a 17mm wrench and 6mm Allen key. Torque to 55 Nm (41 ft-lbs).
• Reinstall the brake hose/ABS brackets using a 10mm socket. Torque to 33 Nm (24 ft-lbs).

Step 4: Rear strut removal (one side at a time)

• Open the trunk and pull back the trunk side trim to access the upper strut mount nuts using a trim clip tool.
• Remove the rear brake hose/ABS wire brackets from the strut using a 10mm socket.
• Support the rear knuckle lightly with the floor jack.
• Remove the lower strut bolt/nut using a 17mm socket and 17mm wrench.
• Inside the trunk, remove the upper strut mount nuts using a 14mm socket.
• Remove the rear strut assembly from the wheel well.

Step 5: Rear strut install

• Position the new rear strut assembly and hand-start the upper nuts using a 14mm socket.
• Install the lower bolt using a 17mm socket and 17mm wrench.
• Torque the rear lower strut bolt to 140 Nm (103 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench 1/2" drive.
• Torque the rear upper strut mount nuts to 20 Nm (15 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench 3/8" drive.
• Reinstall the rear brake hose/ABS brackets using a 10mm socket. Torque to 33 Nm (24 ft-lbs).
• Reinstall trunk trim using a trim clip tool.

Step 6: Reinstall wheels and lower the car

• Install wheels and hand-tighten lug nuts using a 19mm socket.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Torque the lug nuts to 120 Nm (89 ft-lbs) in a star pattern using a torque wrench 1/2" drive.

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✅ After Repair

• 🧪 Road test at low speed first. Listen for clunks over bumps and verify the steering wheel stays centered.
• 🔍 Recheck that brake hoses/ABS wires are clipped and not rubbing the tire.
• 🧰 Re-torque the lug nuts after ~25-50 miles using a torque wrench 1/2" drive.
• 📏 Get a 4-wheel alignment (highly recommended) to prevent tire wear.
• 🛞 If you reused springs/mounts, recheck for any new noises over the next week.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $900-$1,800 (parts + labor + alignment)

DIY Cost: $350-$1,200 (parts only)

You Save: $550-$600 by doing it yourself!

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

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🎯 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.