Replace struts

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How diffcult is it to change rear sruts on a 1998 toyota Avalon I have changed shocks before?

Replacing the struts requires access to a strut spring compressor. One option is to remove the strut assemblies and take them to a shop with the new struts and pay a small fee to have the struts replaced. Or you could purchase what are called quick struts. These are remanufactured strut assemblies where you don’t have to mess with the strut springs.

Tester

Get a manual at the parts store, read through it, and see if you feel comfortable with the process.

Struts are a lot more work than shocks…sort of. In your case, I believe you may have “coil-over” shocks rather than true struts. The process is the same as struts, except that the geometries are controlled by upper and lower wishbones rather than by the travel of the shock absorbing body along the center piston rod.

The changeover involves jacking the vehicle up, removing the wheels, disconnecting the antisway bar and any brake line braxkets, removing the lower mounting bolt, disassesmbling the interior sufficient to acess the upper mounting bolts, and removing the assembly. The assembly is then put on the bench, the orientation of all the parts marked, the spring compressed, the upper rod nut removed, and all of the parts removed from the old shock and installed ion the new shock. Orientation can be critical, so take photos of everything as you progress. Failure to properly orient the parts may cause the spring to not seat properly or the bolt hole to be improperly oriented upon installation,which means starting over.

But GET a MANUAL and look it over. If nothing else, you’ll need the torque values.

I was going to suggest Quick Stuts too, but couldn’t find them for this vehicle.