How to Change the Struts on a 2001 Honda Civic

Struts are a key component of the Honda Civic's suspension, as they absorb the force of the road in rough conditions. Replacing the struts in the car is a difficult job that will require a lot of manual work and possibly more than one person. They are connected to the car's steering knuckles and the car body itself. If you need to change one strut assembly, there's a good chance that you need to change both.

Instructions

Removal

1

Raise the car's front end and support it on jack stands, then remove the wheel for the strut you are replacing.

2

Unbolt and detach the brake hose bracket from the strut and disconnect the speed sensor wiring harness (if the car has anti-lock brakes) by removing its clamp bracket bolt.

3

Disconnect the tie-rod end that is connected to the steering arm by loosening its jam nut. Hold the tie-rod end in place with a back-up wrench to keep it from moving as you turn the nut.

4

Mark the strut's position to the steering knuckle using paint with a very thin brush.

5

Remove the nuts connecting the strut to the steering knuckle with a wrench. If these are special camber adjusting bolts, remove the nuts and then drive out the bolts with a punch and hammer.

6

Separate the strut from the steering knuckle, making sure it doesn't overextend the inner CV joint or strain the brake hose. Remove the three outer nuts connecting the strut to the body as you support the strut and remove the assembly from the fender well.

Installation

7

Guide the new strut assembly up into the fender well so the strut's upper mounting studs fit into the holes at the top of the fender well. Install the mounting nuts as soon as the bolts are protruding through the holes; don't tighten them all the way yet.

8

Slide the steering knuckle into position within the strut flange, insert its two bolts, align the knuckle with the strut using your marks and tighten the nuts/bolts to 76 foot-pounds.

9

Connect the brake hose and speed sensor wiring harness brackets to the strut, then connect the stabilizer bar to the control arm, tightening its nut to 29 foot-pounds.

10

Re-connect the tie-rod to the strut's steering arm and tighten its nut to 32 foot-pounds.

11

Re-install the wheel and lug nuts and lower the car, then tighten the strut's upper mounting nuts on the body to 33 foot-pounds.