How Much Does Strut Replacement Cost?
Chris is Head of Content for FindTheBestCarPrice and is based out of Philadelphia, PA. As a seasoned automotive industry analyst and car enthusiast, he ensures the highest level of quality across all our content and curates our picks for the best deals each month.
Chris studied information systems and marketing at Drexel University and writes about a wide range of topics ranging from car buying tips to troubleshooting common mechanical issues.
When he’s not thinking about cars, he likes to stay in with his dog and make an “attempt” to finish a crossword puzzle (he’s not quite at the Saturday/Sunday level…yet). As a former cheesemonger, Chris still has a “sharp” passion for all things cheese, and his fridge is always loaded with it!
Struts and shocks play an important role in every vehicle, whether it is a truck, SUV, sedan, or coupe. They make up the suspension system of a car, a car’s suspension system, and you should pay attention to how they fare.
A good strut is a reason why you feel very low or no impact at all when you run across bumps or rough paths.
Every vehicle has front and rear struts - some vehicles may have struts at the front and shock absorbers at the rear, or vice versa. But primarily, these two components perform the same function. But how much does a strut replacement cost?
Depending on many factors, replacing your car’s damaged struts may set you back up to $500 or even more.
Today, we will look at the cost of replacing a struct and what makes car struts go bad.
Table of Contents
What Is the Function of Struts in a Car?
Primarily, struts perform the same functions as shock absorbers - you’re familiar with shock absorbers, right? Struts help to reduce road impacts when driving, allowing you and the passengers onboard to enjoy a smooth, comfortable, and seamless drive.
A car with bad struts would lack balance, and slight road impacts would be felt as though they were really harsh.
A strut is an assembly of bouncy springs that adjust to your driving motions. There are different notable brands out there that product struts, and you may guess, struts from notable manufacturers cost more.
While you can replace a bad strut with a shock absorber, it is advisable to stick with struts if that is what your car came standard with.
Just like shock absorbers, struts come in pairs; if you need to replace the struts that come with your car, it is best to replace them in pairs. This implies that if you’re changing the front struts, you have to change the complete two, and if it is the rear that you’re changing, you have to replace the two, too.
How Much Does Strut Replacement Cost?
A pair of struts cost from $150 to $1,000, depending on the brand you’re buying and the store you’re shopping on.
Also, other factors may affect the price you’d pay for a pair of new struts, such as the exact type you’re buying. Struts are affordable and expensive simultaneously; it’s all about your choice of brand and store to buy from.
Of course, the cost for strut replacement doesn’t only imply the price tag on a new pair of struts. Instead, it also includes the labor costs of installing the new struts.
Depending on the workshop or mechanic that is getting the service done for you, labor costs for strut replacement can reach up to $400, or more, because the service typically takes 2 to 4 hours to be completed.
So, altogether, the average cost for strut replacement is calculated as around $500 to $1,200 for each pair. If you’re having the front and rear struts replaced, you could get a reasonable discount on the labor costs.
Of course, you may want to shop around and get different price quotes from different strut sellers and installers, to pick out the best affordable option that fits into your budget.
It is not advisable to attempt strut replacement by yourself because it’s a service that requires a lot of technicalities. Also, wheel alignment needs to be done after the struts (and shocks) are replaced in a vehicle.
When you have the replacement done by a mechanic - the mechanic will inspect the entire suspension and fix any other underlying issues.
How Do You Know It’s Time To Change Your Car’s Struts?
There are unusual signs that should notify you of failing struts and shocks. These signs are pretty obvious when they occur, and you should take them seriously.
Ignoring failing struts signs will not only affect your smooth driving; it can also lead to severe damage to the suspension and transmission systems, which would have you spend much more money to fix.
- Tough Steering: One of the signs of bad struts is stiff steering; you’d notice that the steering feels so hard to turn even though the power steering is working fine.
- Bouncy Ride: Bad struts will make the car unbalanced, and as such, you’d notice that the car “bounces” at every slightest road bump or obstacle.
- Hydraulic Leaks: Another clear sign that your car’s struts are bad is fluid leaks. You’d notice fluid leaks around the struts.
- Uneven Tire Wear: When your car’s tires start wearing out faster than usual - you’ve had them changed recently, and you’d still notice sudden uneven wear, that’s a sign that you’ve got bad struts.
- Unusual Noises: When the struts are bad, you’d hear knocking, thumping, or rattling sounds as your drive. These sounds are coming from suspension components, which are no longer properly aligned due to the bad struts.
