suspension

Front Struts - Pair

for 2012 Toyota Camry 2.5L I4 · FWD

Difficulty

Advanced

Time

2.5 h

Tools

Steps

Replace both front strut assemblies on a 2012-2017 Toyota Camry 2.5L I4, including safe disassembly of suspension components and proper torque specifications for critical fasteners.

Warnings

⚠️This is a SAFETY-CRITICAL suspension repair. Incorrect installation or torque specifications can result in loss of vehicle control, serious injury, or death. If you are unsure about any step, seek professional service.

⚠️Never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack. Always use properly rated jack stands on solid, level ground.

⚠️Coil springs store tremendous energy. If disassembling struts, use only quality spring compressors and follow manufacturer instructions exactly. Improperly compressed springs can cause severe injury or death.

⚠Some fasteners must be torqued with vehicle weight on the suspension. Follow the procedure exactly as written.

⚠Apply penetrating oil to all suspension fasteners 30 minutes before starting work to ease removal.

Tools required

Jack and jack stands rated for vehicle weightEssential

Torque wrench (10-200 Nm range)Essential

19mm socket for lug nutsEssential

14mm, 17mm, 19mm, 21mm sockets and wrenchesEssential

6mm Allen key for sway bar linkEssential

Spring compressor tool (if installing bare struts)

Breaker barEssential

Pry bar

Wire brush for cleaning threads

Penetrating oil

Ball joint separator or pickle fork

Parts

Front strut assembly (complete with spring and mount) × 2 — 48510-06390 or aftermarket equivalent
Strut tower mounting nuts (if corroded) × 6 — Use OEM specification
Sway bar link (if worn or damaged) × 2 — 48820-06050

Preparation

Park vehicle on level, solid ground and engage parking brake
Loosen front wheel lug nuts 1/4 turn while vehicle is still on ground
Lift front of vehicle and support securely on jack stands placed on manufacturer-specified jacking points on the frame rails
Remove both front wheels completely
Spray all suspension fasteners with penetrating oil and allow to soak
Verify you have complete strut assemblies (strut, spring, and top mount pre-assembled) to avoid needing spring compression

Procedure

1
Access strut tower mounting nuts
Open the hood. Locate the three strut tower mounting nuts on top of each strut tower in the engine bay. These are 14mm nuts on top of rubber isolators. Do not remove these yet.
2
Disconnect sway bar end link from strut
Locate the sway bar end link connecting the sway bar to the strut. Insert a 6mm Allen key into the top of the link shaft to hold it stationary. Using a 14mm wrench or socket, remove the upper nut connecting the link to the strut. The link will remain attached to the sway bar. If the link is worn or the ball joint spins freely, plan to replace it.
Torque spec
Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
3
Remove brake line bracket from strut
Locate the brake line bracket bolted to the strut body with a single 10mm bolt. Remove this bolt and carefully position the brake line away from the work area without stressing or kinking the line. Do not disconnect the brake line itself.
4
Mark strut-to-knuckle alignment
Before loosening the strut-to-knuckle bolts, use a paint marker or scribe to mark the current position of the strut relative to the steering knuckle. This preserves the factory camber setting and will aid in alignment during installation. Mark both the front and rear bolt positions.
5
Remove lower strut-to-knuckle bolts
Locate the two large bolts (17mm head) securing the bottom of the strut to the steering knuckle. Support the knuckle assembly with one hand or a jack to prevent it from dropping. Remove both bolts completely. The knuckle and hub assembly will now be free to pivot downward. Carefully pull the bottom of the strut out of the knuckle bracket. You may need to use a pry bar or tap the knuckle with a rubber mallet to separate.
⚠The knuckle assembly is heavy and will drop when the bolts are removed. Support it or allow it to hang from the upper control arm and CV axle.
Torque spec
Strut Bolts115 Nm (85 lb-ft)
6
Remove strut tower mounting nuts
Return to the engine bay and locate the three 14mm nuts on top of the strut tower. While supporting the strut assembly from below with one hand, remove all three nuts. Once the nuts are removed, carefully lower the strut assembly down and out through the wheel well. The strut is now removed.
⚠The strut assembly is heavy and awkward. Support it from below before removing the last nut to prevent it from falling.
Torque spec
Strut Tower Nuts50 Nm (37 lb-ft)
7
Prepare new strut assembly
Remove the new strut assembly from packaging. Verify it is a complete assembly with spring and top mount already installed. Check that the orientation of the top mount matches the original (the mounting studs should be positioned correctly). If you purchased bare struts, you must transfer the spring and mount using spring compressors - this is dangerous and requires additional tools and expertise.
8
Install new strut into strut tower
Guide the new strut assembly up through the wheel well, aligning the three mounting studs with the holes in the strut tower. Push the studs through the tower until the rubber isolator seats against the tower. From the engine bay, thread on the three 14mm nuts finger-tight only. Do not torque yet.
Torque spec
Strut Tower Nuts50 Nm (37 lb-ft)
9
Connect strut to steering knuckle
Lift or support the steering knuckle and align the strut bracket with the knuckle. Use your alignment marks from Step 4 to position the strut correctly for camber. Insert both strut-to-knuckle bolts and thread the nuts on finger-tight. Verify alignment marks match before proceeding.
Torque spec
Strut Bolts115 Nm (85 lb-ft)
10
Torque strut tower mounting nuts
In the engine bay, torque the three strut tower mounting nuts to 50 Nm (37 lb-ft) in a star pattern to ensure even seating of the mount.
Torque spec
Strut Tower Nuts50 Nm (37 lb-ft)
11
Torque strut-to-knuckle bolts
Using a torque wrench, torque both lower strut-to-knuckle bolts to 115 Nm (85 lb-ft). Hold the bolt head with a wrench while torquing the nut on the backside.
Torque spec
Strut Bolts115 Nm (85 lb-ft)
12
Reconnect brake line bracket
Reattach the brake line bracket to the strut body using the 10mm bolt. Ensure the brake line is properly seated in the bracket and not twisted or kinked. Torque to 27 Nm (20 lb-ft).
Torque spec
Mounting Bolts27 Nm (20 lb-ft)
13
Reconnect sway bar end link
Align the sway bar end link with the mounting point on the strut. Insert a 6mm Allen key into the shaft to hold it, then thread on the 14mm nut. Torque to 55 Nm (41 lb-ft) while holding the shaft with the Allen key.
Torque spec
Sway Bar Link61 Nm (45 lb-ft)
14
Repeat for opposite side
Repeat steps 1 through 13 for the opposite side front strut assembly. Ensure all fasteners are torqued to specification.
15
Reinstall wheels and lower vehicle
Install both front wheels and thread lug nuts on by hand. Lower the vehicle until the tires just contact the ground but the suspension is not fully loaded. Torque lug nuts to 136 Nm (100 lb-ft) in a star pattern. Fully lower the vehicle and remove jack stands.
Torque spec
Wheel Lug Nuts136 Nm (100 lb-ft)

Reassembly

All suspension fasteners must be torqued to the exact specifications provided - these are CRITICAL safety fasteners
Verify brake lines are not kinked, twisted, or under tension
Ensure all three strut tower mounting nuts are tight on both sides
Check that sway bar links are properly connected and not binding

Verification

Bounce each corner of the vehicle firmly several times - the suspension should rebound smoothly without noise
Check for any fluid leaks from the new struts
Test drive in a safe area at low speed - verify steering response is normal and there are no unusual noises
Have a professional wheel alignment performed within 50 miles - suspension work affects alignment
After 50-100 miles, re-check torque on all critical fasteners (strut tower nuts, strut-to-knuckle bolts, lug nuts)