How to Replace the Shocks and Struts in a Chrysler Town & Country
by Editorial TeamThe extra room in a Town & Country makes traveling much more comfortable, but bad struts and shocks can ruin that ride just as quickly. Make sure you replace that part of your suspension on a regular schedule of every 60,000 miles to keep the ride comfortable and keep your family safe with better handling.
Change the Front Struts in a Town & Country
Step 1
Raise your Town & Country with a floor jack and set it up with jack stands under the frame. Remove the front tires with a tire iron. Outline the bracket around the brake hose and the wheel speed sensor, and unbolt them with a wrench.
Step 2
Use a ratchet to disconnect the stabilizer bar link and the steering knuckle bracket. Loosen and remove the upper strut mount nuts. Pull out the strut assembly.
Step 3
Bolt the strut assembly back in, and torque the upper strut mount nuts to 21 foot pounds. Reattach the steering knuckle bracket, and torque the nuts to 60 foot pounds with an additional 90-degree twist.
Step 4
Replace the bolt in the stabilizer bar link, and torque the nut to 65 foot pounds. Bolt the brackets holding the brake hose and the wheel speed sensor into the same location from which you removed them. Torque each to 10 foot-pounds. Mount the front wheels again, and lower the Town & Country. Take the vehicle to a tire store to align the front end.
Change the Rear Shocks in a Town & Country
Step 1
Jack up the rear of the Town & Country and support the rear axle with a jack stand.
Step 2
Unbolt the upper and lower mounting bolts for the shock absorber and pull out the shock.
Step 3
Install the new shock by bolting it in with both the upper and lower mounting bolts, and torque them to 65 foot pounds. Lower the Town & Country with the jack and pull out the jack stand.
Tips
- Have a professional do the front-end alignment for your Town & Country. It's a simple job but the machinery is expensive.
Things You'll Need
- Floor jack
- Jack stands
- Tire iron
- Permanent marker
- Adjustable wrench
- Ratchet set
- Torque wrench
Warnings
- Read the precaution section of your owner's manual before attempting any repairs or replacements.
- Always have a professional align your suspension after attempting any adjustments to the struts. If you don't, you might have problems with damage to the suspension or uneven tire wear.
Writer Bio
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