suspension

Strut Mount - Front

for 2024 Tesla Model Y Performance Dual Motor AWD · AWD

Difficulty

Advanced

Time

2.5 h

Tools

Steps

Replacement of the front strut top mount (upper bearing assembly) on a 2024 Model Y Performance. The strut assembly must be removed from the vehicle and the spring safely compressed to access the upper mount.

Warnings

⚠️A compressed coil spring stores enough energy to cause fatal injury. Use only a rated, properly seated spring compressor and keep your body out of the line of release.

⚠️Do NOT fully remove the center strut shaft nut until the spring is safely compressed and captured.

⚠Model Y has aluminum suspension components and body structure in this area. Do not strike with a steel hammer — use a dead-blow or brass drift.

⚠Only lift at Tesla-designated jack points using puck adapters. Lifting elsewhere can damage the HV battery case beneath the floor.

⚠Replacing one front strut mount typically warrants replacing the opposite side as well to maintain even ride height and handling.

ℹ️An alignment is required after this repair. The Model Y is sensitive to camber/toe and will eat tires quickly if misaligned.

Tools required

Floor jack and jack stands (rated for EV curb weight)Essential

Torque wrench (20-200 Nm range)Essential

Coil spring compressor (heavy-duty, MacPherson type)Essential

Metric socket set (including deep sockets)Essential

Metric Allen/hex key setEssential

Breaker barEssential

Strut nut holding tool / spanner setEssential

Tesla puck-style jack pad adaptersEssential

Pry bar

Penetrating oil

Parts

Front Strut Upper Mount Assembly (with bearing) × 1 — OEM Tesla Model Y front upper strut mount — verify left/right if side-specific
Strut Mount Dust Cap / Boot (if damaged on removal) × 1 — OEM specification
Strut-to-Knuckle Bolts (if single-use) × 2 — OEM specification — replace if manufacturer lists as one-time-use

Preparation

Park on level ground, place in P, engage parking brake.
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.
Disconnect the 12V low-voltage battery (located under the front trunk / frunk trim on 2024 Model Y — refer to the architecture notes if uncertain).
DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable — these are high-voltage and lethal.
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.
Place the vehicle in Jack/Transport Mode via the touchscreen BEFORE disconnecting 12V (this disables auto-leveling and prevents the car from re-energizing the suspension feedback systems while lifted).
Loosen front wheel lug nuts while vehicle is on the ground.
Lift the front of the vehicle at the manufacturer-specified jack points using puck adapters and support securely on jack stands.
Remove the front wheel on the affected side.

Procedure

1
Inspect and document
Photograph the strut, upper mount, and surrounding harness routing. Note the orientation of the upper mount studs relative to the strut tower — they are not symmetrical and must be reinstalled in the same clocking.
2
Disconnect sway bar end link from strut
Hold the end link's ball stud with a hex/Allen key while loosening the nut. Swing the link out of the way.
Torque spec
Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
3
Free brake hose and ABS/wheel-speed sensor harness
Unclip the flexible brake hose bracket and the wheel-speed sensor harness from the strut body. Do not stretch or kink the brake hose. Do NOT disconnect any hydraulic line.
⚠Damaging the wheel-speed sensor harness will trigger ABS, traction, and Autopilot faults requiring service mode to clear.
4
Separate strut from steering knuckle
Support the knuckle/control arm with a jack. Mark the strut-to-knuckle bolt orientation for reference (camber alignment), then remove the two strut-to-knuckle through bolts. Carefully separate the knuckle from the strut clevis. Do not let the knuckle hang on the brake hose or CV axle.
⚠Allowing the hub assembly to hang unsupported can damage the CV axle inner joint.
Torque spec
Strut-to-Knuckle Bolts122 Nm (90 lb-ft)
5
Remove upper strut tower nuts
From inside the front trunk area, peel back the relevant trim/cover to access the upper strut tower studs. Support the strut from below, then remove the upper strut tower nuts. Lower the complete strut assembly out of the wheel well.
⚠The strut + spring assembly is heavy and under spring tension only when the center shaft nut is loosened — handle the whole assembly as a unit until on the bench.
Torque spec
Strut Tower Nuts50 Nm (37 lb-ft)
6
Compress the coil spring on the bench
Mount the strut assembly securely. Install a properly rated coil spring compressor on opposing sides of the spring. Compress evenly until all spring load is off the upper mount (the upper spring seat should rotate freely by hand).
⚠️Verify the compressor hooks are fully seated on coils on BOTH sides before tensioning. A slipped compressor can launch the spring with lethal force.
7
Remove the upper strut shaft nut
Hold the strut shaft with the manufacturer-specified hex/Torx interface while loosening the center shaft nut. Once removed, lift off the old upper mount, upper spring seat, and any isolators. Note the stack-up order.
⚠If the spring shifts or the seat lifts unexpectedly when loosening the nut, STOP — the spring is not fully decompressed.
8
Install new upper strut mount
Transfer the dust boot, bump stop, and isolators (if reusable) onto the strut shaft, then install the new upper mount in the correct orientation matching the photo from Step 1. Install the center shaft nut and torque to OEM specification — refer to Tesla Service Manual.
9
Decompress the spring
Slowly and evenly release the spring compressor, ensuring the spring ends seat correctly into the upper and lower spring seat indexing features. Remove the compressor.
⚠If the spring does not seat into its index, do not force it — recompress and reposition.

Reassembly

Lift the assembled strut into the wheel well and align the upper mount studs through the strut tower holes.
Install the upper strut tower nuts hand-tight, then torque to spec (Strut Tower Nuts: 50 Nm / 37 lb-ft).
Align the steering knuckle into the strut clevis using your reference marks. Install the strut-to-knuckle bolts and torque to spec (Strut-to-Knuckle Bolts: 122 Nm / 90 lb-ft).
Reattach the sway bar end link, holding the ball stud with a hex key. Torque to spec (Sway Bar Link Nuts: 55 Nm / 41 lb-ft).
Reclip the brake hose bracket and wheel-speed sensor harness to the strut.
If any control arm fasteners were loosened during the job, final-torque them with the vehicle weight on the wheels (Control Arm Bolts: 165 Nm / 122 lb-ft).
Reinstall the wheel. Snug lug nuts in a star pattern.
Lower the vehicle to the ground and torque the wheel lug nuts to spec (Wheel Lug Nuts: 136 Nm / 100 lb-ft) in a star pattern.
Reinstall any frunk trim removed for upper strut access.
Reconnect the 12V low-voltage battery.

Verification

With the vehicle on the ground, bounce the front corner — suspension should rebound smoothly with no clunks, knocks, or grinding from the strut tower.
Turn the steering lock-to-lock with the vehicle stationary on the ground; listen for any popping or binding from the upper mount bearing.
Visually confirm even ride height side-to-side at the front fenders.
Exit Jack Mode via the touchscreen. Confirm no suspension, ABS, traction, or stability warnings appear on the driver display after a short drive.
Schedule a four-wheel alignment immediately. Model Y tires wear extremely fast when alignment is off — Tesla recommends rotation every 6,250 miles regardless.
Road test at low speed first, listening for any knocks over bumps that would indicate an unseated spring or under-torqued upper nuts.