🔧 Odyssey - Shock Absorber Replacement

On your Odyssey, “shocks” can mean the rear shock absorbers or the front strut assemblies (a strut is a shock with a spring and mount built into it). The steps, parts, and torque specs are different front vs rear, so I need one quick detail to keep this accurate.

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

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack; use jack stands.
• 🛑 Suspension parts can shift suddenly; keep fingers clear of pinch points.
• 🛑 If doing front struts: the coil spring is stored energy—only compress it with a proper spring compressor, or use complete strut assemblies.
• 🛑 Let the exhaust cool before working near the rear suspension.

---

🔧 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 22mm
• Breaker bar 1/2"
• Torque wrench 3/8"
• Torque wrench 1/2"
• Socket set 10mm-22mm
• Wrench set 10mm-22mm
• Pry bar 18"
• Rubber mallet
• Penetrating oil
• Trim clip removal tool
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves
• Spring compressor (specialty)

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Rear shock absorbers - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Rear shock upper mounting hardware - Qty: 1 set
• Rear shock lower mounting hardware - Qty: 1 set
• Front complete strut assemblies - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Front strut mounting hardware - Qty: 1 set

---

📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels (for front work) or front wheels (for rear work).
• 🔩 Break the lug nuts loose with a 22mm lug nut socket and breaker bar 1/2" before lifting.
• 📌 Decide your job type: rear shocks only, or front struts.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Quick confirmation (needed)

• Please reply with just one: Rear shocks or Front struts.
• Also tell me if you’re installing complete quick-strut assemblies (prebuilt strut + spring + mount) or reusing your original springs.

Step 2: What I’ll send once you confirm

• A fully accurate, Elite-specific procedure with all bolt locations, order of removal, and Torque to XX Nm (YY ft-lbs) specs.
• If you choose front struts, I’ll also include the safest path (quick-strut vs spring compressor).

---

✅ After Repair

• 🧪 Road test at low speed first; listen for clunks over small bumps.
• 🛞 If you replace front struts, plan for a front-end alignment immediately after.
• 🔍 Recheck lug nut torque after 25-50 miles using a torque wrench 1/2".

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$1,600 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $180-$900 (parts only)

You Save: $270-$700 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-5 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.