To replace the rear shocks on your Altima It’s easy. You’ll need to take off the wheels, remove the shock absorber, install the new shock absorber and follow the next steps described below. You can carry out this tutorial of 10 chapters in 80 minutes. Bring your wire brush and your ratchet and let’s get started!
80 minutes
10
3
$150
Set up
Turn your engine off and set the parking brake.
Lift the vehicle
Loosen the wheel lug nuts on the rear wheels. In order to change the rear shocks on your vehicle, you will need to take off the wheels to have full access.
Lift the rear of your vehicle.
Place the vehicle on the jack stands.
Take off the wheels
Don’t forget to put the wheels under the vehicle!
Visualise
You can now see the struts on your car.
Unscrew the shock absorber foot
Brush off the bolt of the strut foot and spray the bolt with penetrating oil.
To prevent the wheel knuckle unit from falling off, lift the front axle slightly with a jack while being supported by the lower control arm.
Then, using a ratchet and 18mm socket, unscrew the shock’s lower retaining bolt.
Then remove the bolt.
Remove the shock absorber
Using the ratchet, a large extender and a 13 mm socket, unscrew the two upper fastening nuts of the strut.
Hold the shock absorber with one hand and finish unscrewing the retaining nuts with the other.
You can now take extract the shock.
Prepare the new shock absorber
Secure the shock in a vice.
Using adjustable pliers, hold the strut rod and unscrew the nut with a 16 mm wrench.
Remove the washer.
Remove the shock mount assembly.
Remove the dust boot.
You can order the shocks used in the video on Carparts.com via the link in the description.
Before installing the new shocks, it is necessary to prime them by pressing the shock vertically, so that the gas and hydraulic fluid are separated.
Put the dust boot back onto the strut rod.
The shock mount assembly consists of: – an upper bushing
– a shock mount
– a mount sleeve in a lower bushing
– a cup.
If they look worn, we recommend replacing them with new ones.
Insert the mount sleeve into the lower bushing.
Place the assembly on the cup.
Then install the shock mount.
Finish the shock mount assembly with the upper bushing.
Place the assembly on the strut rod.
Install the washer.
Put the nut supplied with the new part in place and tighten it using 16mm wrench, and adjustabler pliers to lock the rotation of the rod.
Finish tightening using a torque wrench.
Install the shock absorber cap.
The preparation of the new part is now complete.
Install the new shock absorber
Insert the strut starting from the top part.
Screw the two nuts back in.
Tighten the nuts with a torque wrench.
Reinstall the strut in the wheel knuckle
Insert the shock into its lower slot.
Then, install the lower retaining bolt.
Screw the bolt back in until it makes contact.
Finish tightening using a torque wrench.
Remove the jack.
Put the vehicle back on the ground
Then, you will be able to put the wheels back on your vehicle. Put the car back on the ground and block the wheels properly.
Operation complete.