🔧 Elantra - Shock Absorber Replacement

Your Elantra uses front strut assemblies (strut + spring) and rear shock absorbers (separate from the spring). The steps, tools, and factory torque specs are different front vs rear, so I need one detail to keep this accurate and safe.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: Rear: 1-2 hours | Front: 3-5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Never work under a car supported only by a jack—use jack stands.
• ⚠️ Front struts involve the coil spring; an uncontrolled spring can cause serious injury.
• ⚠️ If doing front struts, avoid pulling/stretching the ABS/brake hoses.

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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
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (1/2")
• Socket set (metric)
• Wrench set (metric)
• Trim clip tool
• Penetrating oil
• Spring compressor (specialty)

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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 shock absorbers - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Strut mount kit - If worn/noisy - Qty: 2
• Bump stops and dust boots - If torn - Qty: 2
• New self-locking nuts/bolts - If specified by Hyundai or damaged - Qty: as needed

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels.
• Loosen the lug nuts slightly before lifting the car.
• Quick question so I can give exact, trim-correct steps and torque specs: Are you replacing the rear shocks, the front struts, or all four?
• Second quick question (front only): Are you installing complete quick-strut assemblies (pre-assembled) or swapping the spring onto a new strut?

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Reply with: “rear”, “front (quick-strut)”, or “front (reuse spring)”, or “all four”, and I’ll send the exact step-by-step procedure with the correct Hyundai torque specs and any notes specific to your Elantra.

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✅ After Repair

• If you replace front struts, plan for a 4-wheel alignment afterward.
• Test drive at low speed first and listen for clunks (loose hardware) or pulling (alignment).

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $600-$1,600 (parts + labor, depends front/rear/all four)

DIY Cost: $160-$900 (parts only, depends on quick-struts vs separate struts)

You Save: $400-$900 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1-5 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.