Strut Bearing

Replace the front strut upper bearing (mount) on a 2024 Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor. The strut assembly must be removed from the vehicle and disassembled with a spring compressor to access the bearing. Note that the Cybertruck uses standard coil-over struts at the corners despite having adaptive air suspension on some configurations — verify your truck's suspension type before ordering parts.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Strut upper bearing / mount assembly × 1 — Manufacturer-specified Cybertruck front strut bearing — confirm with VIN
• Strut tower nuts (single-use if specified by Tesla) × 3 — OEM specification
• Cotter pin for ball joint nut (if ball joint is separated) × 1 — OEM specification
• Strut-to-knuckle bolts/nuts (if specified single-use) × 2 — OEM specification

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place in P, engage parking brake.
2. Exit ALL doors with the key fob away from the vehicle. Wait at least 2 minutes for HV systems to fully de-energize, even on this non-HV job.
3. Disconnect the 48V low-voltage battery per Tesla service procedure (Cybertruck uses 48V LV — NOT 12V like other Teslas). Use insulated tools and verify the LV system is de-energized before proceeding.
4. DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable — these are high-voltage (800V on Cybertruck) and lethal.
5. If at any point you encounter an orange cable, an HV component, or are unsure if a system is de-energized: STOP and consult a Tesla-certified technician.
6. If equipped with adaptive air suspension, enter Service Mode / Jack Mode via the touchscreen BEFORE disconnecting the LV battery so the suspension is set to a serviceable height and the compressor is disabled.
7. Loosen the front wheel lug nuts while the vehicle is on the ground.
8. Raise the front of the vehicle and support it on jack stands rated for the Cybertruck's mass at the manufacturer-specified lift points.
9. Remove the front wheel on the side being serviced.
10. Inspect for any orange HV cabling or LV harness routing near the strut tower and wheel well — note routing before disconnecting anything.
11. Have replacement bearing/mount, new tower nuts, and (if applicable) new cotter pin on hand before disassembly.

Procedure

1. 1

   Disconnect sway bar end link from strut/lower control arm
   Locate the sway bar end link at the lower end. Hold the stud with an Allen key on the flats while loosening the nut. Disconnect the end link to free the lower suspension for movement.
   Torque spec

   Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
2. 2

   Disconnect any sensors and brake line brackets from the strut
   Carefully unclip the ABS/wheel-speed sensor harness and any brake hose retaining bracket from the strut body. Use plastic pry tools to release clips. Do not stretch or kink the brake hose. Set wiring aside so it cannot bind during strut removal.
   ⚠Cybertruck wiring harness clips are robust — verify each clip is fully released before pulling, or you will break the bracket.
3. 3

   Separate strut from steering knuckle
   Support the lower control arm / knuckle with a floor jack to prevent it from dropping when the strut is freed. Remove the two strut-to-knuckle bolts. The knuckle may be pinch-clamped to the strut — gently spread the clamp with a wedge if necessary. Do not pry against the wheel speed sensor or brake caliper.
   ⚠When the strut is freed, the knuckle can swing outward under spring/CV joint tension. Keep fingers clear.
   Torque spec

   Strut-to-Knuckle Bolts122 Nm (90 lb-ft)
4. 4

   Remove upper strut tower nuts
   From the top of the strut tower (accessible from inside the front trunk / under-hood area), locate the upper strut mount studs. While supporting the strut from below so it does not fall, remove the tower nuts. Do not remove the center shaft nut at this time.
   ⚠️Removing the center shaft nut while the spring is still loaded can launch the upper mount with lethal force. Only remove tower perimeter nuts here.
   Torque spec

   Strut Tower Nuts50 Nm (37 lb-ft)
5. 5

   Remove the strut assembly from the vehicle
   Lower the strut down and out through the wheel well. Take care not to scratch the stainless fender lip or damage CV boots, brake hose, or wiring. Move the assembly to a clean workbench.
   ⚠Stainless exoskeleton: any contact will leave visible marks. Use fender covers and padding.
6. 6

   Compress the coil spring
   Mount the strut securely. Install a heavy-duty spring compressor on opposing sides of the coil, capturing as many active coils as possible. Tighten evenly until the spring is fully unloaded from the upper mount (you can wiggle the upper seat by hand). Verify the spring is not cocked in the compressor.
   ⚠️Stand to the side, never over the spring. A failed compressor under load is potentially fatal.
7. 7

   Remove the center shaft nut and disassemble the upper mount
   Hold the strut shaft from rotating (per the shaft's design — usually an internal hex or flats) and remove the center retaining nut. Lift off the upper mount, the bearing, the upper spring seat, and any isolators or bump-stop/dust-boot components. Note the orientation and order of every component as it comes off.
   ⚠Photograph each layer as you disassemble. Reassembling in the wrong order will cause noise, ride-height error, or failure.
8. 8

   Replace the strut bearing
   Inspect the old bearing for roughness, rust, brinelling, or seized races — this is the failure mode that drove this repair. Replace with the new manufacturer-specified bearing. Inspect the upper mount rubber and dust boot/bump stop while you have it apart and replace if degraded.
9. 9

   Reassemble the strut
   Install components in the reverse order of disassembly: spring seat / isolator, bearing, upper mount, etc. Confirm the spring's lower pigtail is seated in its locating pocket on the lower seat and the upper pigtail is correctly indexed in the upper seat. Install the center shaft nut and torque to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual.
   ⚠If the spring is not indexed correctly in both seats, the strut will sit cocked and ride height/alignment will be wrong.
10. 10

    Slowly release the spring compressor
    Release the compressor evenly, verifying the spring seats correctly as load is applied. If the spring shifts off-index, stop, recompress, and reseat.
11. 11

    Install the strut assembly into the vehicle
    Lift the assembly into the strut tower from below. Start the upper tower nuts by hand. Re-engage the strut to the steering knuckle and start the strut-to-knuckle bolts by hand. Do not fully torque yet.
12. 12

    Torque the upper strut tower nuts
    Torque the upper strut tower nuts in a cross/star pattern.
    Torque spec

    Strut Tower Nuts50 Nm (37 lb-ft)
13. 13

    Torque the strut-to-knuckle bolts
    Torque both strut-to-knuckle fasteners to specification.
    Torque spec

    Strut-to-Knuckle Bolts122 Nm (90 lb-ft)
14. 14

    Reconnect sway bar end link, brake line bracket, and wheel speed sensor
    Reattach the sway bar end link, holding the stud with an Allen key while torquing the nut. Reseat the ABS sensor harness and brake hose bracket into their original clips so nothing rubs at full steering lock or full droop.
    Torque spec

    Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)

Reassembly

1. Reinstall the front wheel and snug the lug nuts.
2. Lower the vehicle to the ground so the full vehicle weight rests on the wheels before final-torquing any control-arm fasteners that were loosened.
3. Final-torque the wheel lug nuts in a star pattern to specification.
4. Reconnect the 48V low-voltage battery using insulated tools. Reinstall any covers.
5. If the truck was placed in Jack Mode / Service Mode, exit that mode via the touchscreen and allow the air suspension (if equipped) to re-level.
6. Cycle the steering lock-to-lock with the vehicle stationary to allow the steer-by-wire system to recalibrate end stops if it requests it; follow any on-screen prompts.

Verification

• No suspension warning messages on the touchscreen after a full power-up cycle.
• Bounce-test the corner: motion should be controlled with no clunks, creaks, or graunching from the upper mount when turning the wheel lock-to-lock.
• With the vehicle on the ground, turn the yoke lock-to-lock and listen at the strut tower — a properly seated new bearing is silent. Any popping or notchy feel indicates a misindexed spring or improperly seated bearing.
• Visually compare ride height side-to-side at the front; a difference greater than spec indicates the spring is not seated correctly.
• An alignment is REQUIRED after this repair — schedule a four-wheel alignment at a shop equipped for Cybertruck (heavy-duty rack, Tesla alignment targets).
• Road test at low speed first, listening for noise and confirming the steer-by-wire centers correctly. If the yoke is off-center after alignment, Tesla service may need to recalibrate the steering angle sensor.
• Recheck the strut tower nuts and strut-to-knuckle bolts after the first ~100 miles as a safety re-verification on this critical-fastener job.

More procedures for this vehicle