Replacing 07 struts

I need every ones help on this. I have noticed a little extra rattle on the front end going over bumps. I saw a recent post to go get a alignment and get a inspection. The shop said the struts were worn out and showed me where they are leaking. I have looked on YouTube and on here for videos and help. I think I could do this and I want to learn and do my own maintenance. Can I use the same coils and just replace the shocks if all looks ok? I watched the video of not having to compress the coil and lowering the LCA. I just want to go back with stock or close to stock equipment. Any advice would be welcome, I've watched a video of a guy undoing the top nut on a loaded strut on the floor and I don't want to be that guy. Also any advice on what shocks and or coils to get if I have to. I saw where the guy inspected the top hat for wear. Thanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E6u7dC7EHg This is one of the video's for the struts.

 

If you want stock, just buy stock and have Toyota do it.

 

Trying to save some money. Went to a local shop and they quoted me at 785.90 for the 2 front struts and labor. Still got to get a alignment after. I was hoping for under a couple of hundred, especially if I could still use the same coils.

 

Thats way too much. go get yourself some lightly used shocks from here that have about 15k on them and you can get them for really cheap (Under 100 for full set). Then take em to the shop and have them install them and it should be cheaper. try to look around other shops for quotes too. And yes, you can use the same coils

 

Yeah, way too much. Browse the 2nd and 3rd gen marketplaces and you can score assembled TRD shocks on the cheap. You can install the assembled ones yourself and roll out for an alignment afterwards.

 

I'm not sure learning on the front suspension is a great place to start. There's a lot of opportunities for things to go wrong. You could buy the new shocks yourself and find a shop to install them. You shouldn't need to replace the coils.

 

with basic tools and some basic wrenching abilities you can do this in a few hours. you can just buy some stock Billstien 4600 and use your stock coil. you will need a spring compressor to do it. I would look in the market place and look for low mileage take offs. some people might just give some away just cause they're taking up space.

 

also look in the Houston bs thread and ask if anyone would be willing to help for pizza and some brews.

 

In this video it shows it done with no spring compressor, raise truck and place stands underneath and using the floor jack under the LCA, and weight of the truck work on the decompression of the coil. Is this a good idea? Then it would be only undoing the 2 bolts on the end of the LCA and loosening the control arm, removing the top nut off the shock and leaving the 3 bolts in the top of the strut until I let off the floor jack slowly to decompress the coil and shock, then unbolt the bottom of the shock. Does this sound ok, I feel up for the challenge, especially if it will save some money and I can learn a little bit more about this truck.

 

I did the Floor jack method on my 05
Just take your time, use jack stands, one side at a time
Some of the videos are very helpful
You need to have the right basic tools, torque wrench , sockets, breaker bar.
I needed a 3' pipe to fit over my breaker bar to get some bolts loose
I think you have to loosen the lower control arm so mark it before you loosen
I made sure i could get everything loose before i took anything out
Think u need lock tight and might need some wd40 or similar
Good if u have an extra car to run for things u forgot good luck

Dont forget beer for when done

 

I like the take your time part. I want to be very careful with this. I have everything ready, just have to work one more day and off for 5. Plenty of time, thanks for the help.

 

Hey one more thing
Think i also marked coils to show which way they pointed
Take pics before u take out, could help with assemble
I do this with every repair i do

 

I dont have a garage to do stuff like this so I took it to the shop and they said they had to cut two bolts off because of how old the truck is, they were all rusted rusted and fused together.

by the way, I had both front and rear done and it was like $750 for both.

 

That stuff sure get's pricey. I hope to do the fronts and keep the same coils. I'll do the rear ones later on.

 

Do it yourself.

 

lol https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/pb-parts-for-sale.460769/
I've got some stock prerunner shocks off a 2015 with only 7k miles, they be looking for a new home I also have an OEM Macpherson Strut Spring compressor 27036 too, just saying. All you would need is your old springs or new ones, whichever you prefer. Or if you want to go with lifted, 5100's are the way to go if you plan to keep it stock height.

 

If either of your coils have a yellow mark which most years do, it's always drivers side, compensates for Taco lean.

 

doing it yourself would save you a ton, thats for sure! they quoted me three hours for mine and it ended up being 5... glad they stuck to the quote!!

 

I have one last question before my go at this. When I have the strut back in and have the 2 bolts in the steering knuckle and the lower bolt in the shock and all are torqued, Do I tighten the bolts on the LCA to the frame before or after I lower the jack? I think I'll get a fresh start in the morning, thanks.

 

You untightened them? I've never needed to untighten the lca bolts when installing new shocks at stock height. You should have marked them before un tightening to keep alignment but I believe you should do it when they are down...