How to Replace the Shocks and Struts in a Nissan Maxima

When your Nissan Maxima was new, it had a smooth ride with excellent handling. After 60,000 miles under normal driving conditions, you need to replace the shocks and struts to keep that smoothness. And, you'll maintain the handling so your braking and steering work just as well as when they were new.

Instructions

Replace the Front Struts in a Maxima

1

Lift the front end of the Maxima with a floor jack and support it by the frame with jack stands. Use a tire iron to loosen the nuts mounting the front wheels and remove them. Set the wheels aside.

2

Slide under the Maxima and locate the struts. They're springs with mounting hardware on each end and through the middle. Find them directly behind the wheel hub, running from the frame to the steering knuckle, which controls the right and left movement of the wheel hub. Use a permanent marker to mark the strut orientation on the steering knuckle. Look for the brake hose running from the wheel hub and follow it back to the strut. Unbolt it and the anti-lock brake sensor.

3

Unbolt the bottom of the strut from the steering knuckle. Open the hood, and remove the nuts holding the strut to the frame over the wheel well. Pull out the strut. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 on the other side of the Maxima.

4

Compress the spring and remove the center lock nut. Lay out all pieces of the strut assembly in order so you can reassemble them later: bracket, bearing, upper spring seat, upper bushing, coil spring, piston boot and rebound bumper. All that remains is the strut. Replace it and any other parts showing wear and reassemble the strut assembly.

5

Set the dial on your torque wrench to 44 foot lb and tighten the center lock nut until you feel the wrench slip. Align the strut assembly with the marks you made on the steering knuckle and install the upper mounting nuts. Torque them to 32 foot lb. Insert the strut-to-knuckle bolt and torque it to 103 foot lb.

6

Reattach the antilock brake sensor to the strut, and torque the bolt to 13 foot lb. Connect the brake hose bracket to the strut and repeat Steps 4 through 6 on the other side of the Maxima.

7

Mount the front wheels and lower the front end of the car. Have a professional align the wheels.

Replace the Rear Struts in a Maxima

8

Raise the rear end of the Maxima and support it by the frame with jack stands. Remove the rear wheels with a tire iron and slide a jack stand under the lower control arm, which supports the bottom of the wheel hub. Pop the trunk and remove any access panels to the upper side of the struts.

9

Disconnect the nuts holding the strut to the frame through the trunk. From under the Maxima, unbolt the lower mounting bracket holding the strut to the lower control arm. Remove the strut from the undercarriage of the car and compress the spring.

10

Remove the self-locking nut from the center of the strut assembly and lay out each piece in order to make reassembly easier: upper bushing, mounting bracket, upper spring seat, lower bushing, bumper cover, bumper and coil spring. All that remains is the strut. Check all the parts for wear, replace any worn parts and reassemble the strut assembly. Torque the self-locking nut in the center to 15 foot lb.

11

Position the new strut assembly in the undercarriage of the Maxima and install the upper mounting nuts. Torque them to 18 foot lb. Insert the lower mounting bolt, and torque it to 80 foot lb. Slide the jack stand out from under the lower control arm, and repeat Steps 2 through 4 on the other side of the car.

12

Mount the rear wheels and lower the rear end of the Maxima. Have a professional align the wheels.