Fortunately, shock absorbers are usually accessible with a jack and jack stands—but remember, never put any part of your body under a vehicle supported only by a jack. Stand-alone shock absorbers are usually held in place using a few nuts and bolts and may feature mounts for sway bar links or brake line brackets. With the vehicle lifted and suspension hanging—lift from frame or body—remove any brackets, tubes, hoses, or links, then remove the old shock absorber and fit the new one. You may need to lift the suspension slightly to get the new one to fit.

Finally, after strut or coil-over shock absorber replacement, it’s a good idea to have the wheel alignment checked and adjusted. This will ensure you have the right angles to prevent abnormal tire wear and keep your vehicle tracking straight.