🔧 Highlander - Shock/Strut Replacement

On your Highlander, the rear uses shock absorbers, while the front uses strut assemblies (a strut is a shock that also supports the spring and steering knuckle). The steps and required tools change a lot depending on whether you’re doing rear shocks only or the front struts too.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-6 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the Highlander with jack stands on solid ground; never work under a vehicle held only by a jack.
• 🛑 Suspension parts can shift suddenly; keep fingers clear while removing bolts.
• 🛑 If you reuse the front coil spring, a spring compressor is required—stored spring force is dangerous.
• 🛑 After any front strut work, you should get a 4-wheel alignment.

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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
• Torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range)
• Breaker bar (1/2-inch drive)
• Ratchet (3/8-inch drive)
• Ratchet (1/2-inch drive)
• Socket set (8mm-22mm)
• Wrench set (10mm-22mm)
• Allen key set (metric)
• Pry bar
• Trim clip removal tool
• Penetrating oil
• Paint marker
• Spring compressor (specialty)

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Rear shock absorber - Qty: 2 Replace in pairs
• Front strut assembly - Qty: 2 Replace in pairs
• Front upper strut mount - Qty: 2 If not included with strut
• Front strut dust boot & bump stop kit - Qty: 2 If not included with strut
• Front sway bar link - Qty: 2 Optional if worn/noisy
• Rear shock mounting hardware - Qty: 1 kit Recommended if rusted
• Penetrating oil - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🚗 Park on level ground, shift to P, and set the parking brake.
• 🧱 Chock the wheels that stay on the ground using wheel chocks.
• 📝 If doing front struts, plan for an alignment afterward.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Confirm which job you’re doing (needed for exact steps + torque specs)

• Please confirm: are you replacing rear shocks only, or also the front struts?
• Please confirm: are you installing complete pre-assembled struts (quick-struts), or reusing your spring (requires spring compressor (specialty))?

Step 2: Safe lift and wheel removal (applies to rear or front)

• Use a breaker bar (1/2-inch drive) and socket set (8mm-22mm) to loosen the lug nuts slightly before lifting.
• Lift the correct end with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) and support it on jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Remove the wheels using a ratchet (1/2-inch drive) and socket set (8mm-22mm).

Step 3: Stop here so I don’t guess

• Once you answer the two questions in Step 1, I’ll give you the exact Highlander-specific procedure for that end (rear shocks and/or front struts) including Torque to XX Nm (YY ft-lbs) values for every fastener you remove.

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✅ After Repair

• 🔍 Recheck all fasteners with a torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range) after the vehicle is back on the ground.
• 🚗 Test drive at low speed first; listen for clunks and confirm straight tracking.
• 📏 If front struts were replaced, schedule a 4-wheel alignment.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $600-$1,800 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $200-$1,000 (parts only)

You Save: $400-$800 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-6 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.