Short video on some of the procedure involved in removing and replacing the front struts on your 2011 Toyota Rav4. Now this procedure is also about the same you would use on most vehicles with similar style struts.
come fix your car…
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Down to earth mechanic, no bulls–t, just honest work.
Very well done!! I have an 07 RAV4 in need of struts. Any brands to avoid? Shop will do it.
I was just asking how would I replace that little wire
Wat happens if u break that little
Right on man! Nice job and thanks!
Lmfao At the intro Big Block chevy Rav 4 🤣🤔 gives me a idea for 3rd Gen 4runner Eric O @SouthMainAutoRepairLLC
It would be nice to have a closer up viewpoint of your work. Remember this is being viewed on a phone or iPad.
Very sad to see the H tractor out in the weather!
You can buy loaded struts as well n save money
Thx dude
Thanks for the great video. Knowledge is power. My RAV is getting some new shocks. 👍
Look at that old Farmall! It looks really good. Oh, nice strut job too.
is Mrs O holding the camera …. me thinks so ….. you butt keeps featuring …LOL
Having watched this video for five years ago and your current videos both are very informative wife has around 450,000 miles 2011 and I probably will be replacing the struts soon thank you for this video
Don't forget aliniation
Second time watching 6/15/2029
Awesome. Thanks!
Guess who gets to do this soon? All 4. ugh.
Nice and easy! Thanks
come a long way since 2014
Those sway bar links are a bitch. I'm going to try the method that you used but I have a 1/2 inch impact for a 3/8 inch hex socket. Can I use an adapter for the impact wrench? Thanks in advance for any help you can give !
Great video … used it to help do my 2009 front struts. Bought the kits from Rock which comes with the sway bars. Forget doing this without air tools … yes, it can be done with muscle, but the Empire State Building can also be built without a crane … but I wouldn't recommend it. On the sway bars, forget the 6MM Allen Wrench trick he shows … go straight to vice grips. Of 4 times I tried, 3 spun out so I gave up on the fourth and just went straight to the vice grip trick. Also, when your trying to get the sway bar nuts off, even with vice grips, I found I had to first back them off, then tighten, then back off, then tighten … took about 4 or 5 tries "rocking" the nuts before they came off. First one took 4 hours as I was going slow and being careful, but second took about an hour.
Very helpful video thanks. Love that Farmall in the back
Hows the monroe strut performance on your rav4 , i have 2007 sport idk what strut should i buy. Somebody say its a junk, so how is your experience with monroe. Thank you
This is a GREAT Video. It's very informative and thanks to this video I was able to replace mine myself saving me $880. I always look for South Main videos first…Question: Once I put it all together with the new strut I now have a clunk noise. Upon further investigation I noticed a small gap around the top piece that pokes through the hole in the engine compartment. It's like the strut nut isn't tighten enough. I tightened it to 35ft lb (maybe a little tighter) which what the specs say. It doesn't really go any tighter. I took it all apart again and re-did it thinking I missed something and the same outcome…Ideas?
Do you still recommend that IR air ratchet? A friend owns a garage and lets me use his lift and tools. I’d like to get him something nice as a gift and that air ratchet looks the thing. Any chance of a link for it if you still think it’s a good product? Or just the model number by chance? Thanks!
Thank you very much for the video it helped out a lot. And saved a lot of money at the shop.
old school! nice!
Those sway bar links are shot. The noise those make when bad is why people think their struts are bad.
Thanks a lot for this video, I wondering how much will cost workshop set-up like yours even with used equipment ?
Love your video…thank u
Used to own a rav4, darn good vehicle. One big problem is if you get rear ended, even if minor, the spare tire sticks out farther than the bumper so the whole door has to be replaced. The new rav4's though do not mount the tire on the door.
Being a cheap DIYer have used the "stupid dangerous" method a few times and can only comment that it is stupid and dangerous. At the end of those jobs I felt thankful for cheating death one more time.
THAT'S what makes you the best! You forgot the wire donger, went back, got it, reinstalled it in the new strut! Great Video, Dr. O!
I just had to replace my front wheel bearings on my 2011 RAV4 and noticed both sides boots were torn up. Are they attached at the top and bottom or do they just hand down from the top?
I hate RAV4, changing the clutch is a nightmare
Thank you for the video. I have a 2010 Rav and was able to do mine. Saved me $400 of labor. You weren't joking about air tools making it easier. I had to stand on my wrench to break loose those 22ml bolts.
Edit: I used loaded struts.
No torque wrench on the 19mm bolts when installing? Accordingly Toyota service manual it should have about 177 ft lb or 240 Nm. That air tool is not giving you the exact force.
I use a angle finder before removing the strut.
This was the first video I watched of SMO. Good video sir.
Hi. Do you have experience with Monroe's Econo-Matic series? Would you recommend it for a RAV4 2.5L I4 4WD?
Thanks for the video.
Having a lift and air tools is 75% of the battle. The other 25% is knowledge.
New a guy who put a blown 327 in a 68 vw bug with slicks
Thanks, made the job easier!
Wy too many comercials!
i was about to say are you f'ing crazylol but that was good.