[JayS]

While swapping the snows tires for summers on the wife’s car I noticed the front struts were shot (2013, 90k miles). Installed new KYB SR4532 quick struts (where the strut comes fully loaded with new springs and mounts) today. I will never go back to using bare struts and spring compressors because these made the job a breeze. Had my daughter tag along with the job and assist with the only part that would have been a bear working alone, getting the top nuts on while holding the strut up in place.

Job was really simple.
Remove wiper arms.
Remove plastic cover over radiator (just to make the next step easier).
Remove plastic cover below windshield, which gets you access to the strut top nuts.
Loosen but don’t remove strut top bolts.
Jack up vehicle so that both front wheels are off the ground (will unload sway bar and make later step easier). Use jackstands for safety.
Remove wheel. Toss the tire you take off under the car for extra safety.
Disconnect speed sensor wire where it attaches to the strut and just push out of the way.
Disconnect sway bar link from strut. If you only jacked up one side the sway bar will be heavily loaded and this part will be much harder.
Loosen the big strut nuts but stop when they are even with the bolts, giving you the maximum area to smack with a hammer and no way to damage the threads.
Bust out the big hammer and smack em like they owe you money. The bolts themselves are splined so DO NOT try to turn them out. These things will likely really be in there so don't be shy and give em ****. That little hammer you tap in finish nails with? Yeah, it's not gonna do the job. Grab the big angry sledge hammer.
Once you’ve hammered them as far as the nuts allow back the nuts off and hammer them the rest of the way out, being careful of the threads.
Remove the top strut nuts and then work the strut off the knuckle. There is room to remove the entire unit without even taking the caliper/rotor/hub apart at all.
Remove the little plastic clip for the speed sensor and install it on the new strut. They just press in.
Reverse the procedure to install. 120 ft/lbs on the strut nuts, 45 ft/lbs on the top nuts. No idea ft/lbs on the swaybar because I didn't bother looking it up and just went with the German spec of "Guudentight".
Get vehicle aligned. My eyeball alignment was pretty close.

Old strut with telltale oily/dirt buildup vs new strut.

All the plastics and wiper arms removed to gain access to the top nuts.

Shiny and new

So much room for activites!

 

[rbarrios]

Yup, it is an easy job with ready struts.
Been there with my 2010 traverse.
Thanks for pics

 

[huzee1]

How did you know the struts were shot? Visual inspection or just mileage?

 

[rbarrios]

In my case, mileage. 100,000 miles... time to change.
Had no leaks.

 

[JayS]

I don’t drive it often since it’s my wife’s and it’s not towing season, but I took it out and could tell it was bouncing too much over the expansion joints. Like a little flutter on each one. Then looked and saw the oil/dirt caked on and confirmed my suspicions.

 

[dzs3fz]

I'm looking for the softest ride front struts. Thoughts and recommendations?

 

[JayS]

I've very happy with the ride of the KYB SR4532's I put on. Seem just as soft as stock. It's hard to quantify though when you go from struts with little to no oil left in them to nice new ones. Of course it feels like the car rides so much better. The only fair comparison would be to drive a 2013 with new stock struts back to back with one with the KYB's.

PS... that's also why so many tire reviews are so positive. Joe Blow drives in with bald, cupped out of balance tires and of course his new tires feel amazing.

 

[zippypcs]

I should prolly do the rear shocks at the same time?? I did fronts and rears about 90k ago. Seems not so much bouncy but kinda like they hit hard.

 

[JayS]

I didn’t but I had done the rears a couple years ago when I noticed one leaking. After 90k they’re probably getting pretty tired and they’re pretty cheap and very easy to change.