How to Replace Shocks
It is possible for you to learn how to change thefront shockson a car at home. The front shocks are part of the suspension system and help your vehicle handle bumps, potholes and other road imperfections. However, shocks wear out over time, rubber bushings are smashed or split; the unit begins to leak or deteriorates. Still, you can install new shocks using a few simple tools and restore the suspension system on your car.Preparing to remove the shocksPark your car on a level surface and block the rear wheels with wooden blocks. Then, loosen the wheel nuts on the front wheel you are going to service or both assemblies, if you are replacing both. Lift the car and apply the emergency brakes. Finish removing the front tires and open the hood. Now, check whether one single screw holds the top of the shock -accessible through the tire and wheel well-or by three screws on top of the strut tower-accessible through the engine compartment.Removing the shock absorbersSupport thelower control armwith a floor jack. The control arm connects to the bottom of the shock absorber. Supporting the control arm will remove the weight off the shock and prevent it from pushing the control arm violently downwards as you remove the bottom mounting screw from the shock.Next, loosen the shock bottom mounting screw. If necessary, apply rust penetrant to the screw(s) to make it easier to remove. Loosen the top mounting screw from the shock or the three screws. If you are removing the top three screws, make sure not to unscrew the one in the center, which holds the top components to the shock assembly. Finish removing the bottom mounting screw and slowly lower the control arm. Then remove the top screw(s) and take out the shock orstrut assemblyfrom the car. A strut includes a coil spring and a shock damper cartridge in place of a shock absorber assembly.Installing the new shock absorbersCompare your old shock assembly to the new one. If you are reusing the same coil spring, you might want to take the old assembly and the new shock to a service shop and have them install the coil spring on the new shock. Installing this coil requires a special tool and can be dangerous, if you don't know how to use it. The coil is compressed in the assembly and may cause a serious accident, if not handled properly. To finish the installation, follow the same steps in reverse order.Once you know how to change front shocks on a car, you can service other suspension components like the control arm, strut bar, bushings and similar parts as well. Taking care of the suspension, specially the shocks, prevents the vehicle from bouncing over road imperfections and restores your car's original ride quality. Moreover, the best part of doing it yourself is that you will save a lot of money in car maintenance service over time.
