Tools you need for front struts on a 2013-2018 Toyota RAV4

On the XA40 RAV4 the front struts are about as DIY-friendly as a modern strut gets. Three 14 mm nuts at the top of the tower under the hood and two big 19 mm through-bolts at the steering knuckle are the entire attachment. If you buy complete (loaded) assemblies you never touch the spring, so no spring compressor and no gambling with a compressed coil.

The two things that trip people up: the lower bolts are torqued around 159 ft-lb and corrode into the knuckle, so plan on penetrating oil, a 24-inch breaker bar and a 6-point socket - and remember to unbolt the brake hose/ABS harness bracket from the strut body before you drop the assembly, or you will stretch the line. Also budget for an alignment; the strut-to-knuckle joint is what sets front camber on this platform.

Complete tool and parts list

Differences within the 2013-2018 generation

All 2013-2018 XA40 RAV4s in North America use the 2.5L 2AR-FE, and FWD and AWD share the same front strut hardware and fastener sizes. The 2016-2018 facelift and the Hybrid (AVA42) use the same 14 mm upper nuts and 19 mm lower bolts; only the strut part number differs between Hybrid and gas models.

Torque specs

How the job goes

1. Park on level ground, chock the rear wheels, and spray penetrating oil on the two lower strut bolts and the sway bar link nuts. Let it soak.
2. Break the front lug nuts loose while the tires are still on the ground.
3. Raise the front with the jack at the factory lift point and set both sides on jack stands under the frame rails. Remove both front wheels.
4. Under the hood, locate the strut towers. Pull back any cowl/washer-bottle clutter on the passenger side as needed for a clear shot at the three 14 mm upper nuts. Do not remove the center rod nut yet.
5. At the wheel well, remove the 10 mm bolt holding the brake hose and ABS speed sensor harness bracket to the strut body, and unclip the harness so nothing is under tension.
6. If the knuckle will not swing out far enough, remove the 17 mm stabilizer link nut, holding the stud with a 6 mm hex key.
7. Support the steering knuckle with the floor jack or hang it with a bungee so it cannot drop when the strut comes free.
8. Loosen and remove the two large strut-to-knuckle bolts: 19 mm socket on the nut, 19 mm wrench on the bolt head. Tap the bolts out with a dead blow hammer; they are often a tight fit in the knuckle.
9. Remove the three 14 mm nuts at the top of the strut tower, then lower the strut out through the wheel well. Keep a hand on it; it is heavy.
10. Compare old and new assemblies for mount orientation and bracket alignment. Note which way the lower bracket and the upper mount studs face.
11. Feed the new assembly up into the tower, start the three 14 mm nuts by hand, then snug them.
12. Align the knuckle into the strut's lower bracket, wire-brush and lightly anti-seize the bolt shanks, and install both bolts and nuts. Note the bolt direction from the old side.
13. Torque the lower strut bolts to spec (approximately 159 ft-lb, verify), then torque the three upper nuts to approximately 29 ft-lb.
14. Reinstall the brake hose/ABS bracket bolt and reattach the sway bar link.
15. Repeat on the other side. Never replace only one front strut on this car.
16. Reinstall the wheels, lower the vehicle, and torque the lug nuts to 76 ft-lb in a star pattern.
17. Bounce the front end, check the steering wheel is centered, and get a front-end alignment - camber shifts when the strut bolts are disturbed.

Watch out

Socket sizes (21 mm lugs, 14 mm upper nuts, 19 mm lower strut bolts, 10 mm bracket, 17 mm sway bar link) are standard for the 2013-2018 XA40 with the 2AR-FE, but confirm the lower strut bolt torque in a Toyota service manual since it is the one high-consequence value here.

Other jobs on the 2013-2018 Toyota RAV4

Front Strut Replacement on other vehicles