On the second-gen Tacoma the front coilover is a straightforward three-nuts-up-top, two-bolts-down-below job. The mechanical part is easy; the fight is almost always the two 19 mm lower bolts that pass through the steering knuckle. They are torqued around 160 ft-lb and their shanks corrode into the knuckle bores, so soak them with penetrating oil ahead of time and plan to drive them out with a brass drift. Everything is metric, no Torx or triple-square anywhere on this job.
Sizes are the same across 2WD, PreRunner, 4WD, TRD and X-Runner - what changes is the strut part number and spring rate, so order by drivetrain and trim, not just year. The most common mistake is buying complete quick-struts and then skipping the alignment: new struts change ride height and camber on these trucks, and owners chew up a set of front tires within a few thousand miles. The second mistake is letting the knuckle hang on a 4WD, which overextends the CV boot and stretches the ABS wire.
| Item | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Floor jack 2 ton minimum Raise the front of the truck and support the knuckle during reassembly. | Required | shop |
| Jack stands 3 ton pair Support the frame rails safely while both wheels are off. | Required | shop |
| Lug nut socket 21 mm deep, 1/2 in drive Remove the front wheels. | Required | shop |
| Breaker bar 1/2 in drive, 24 in Break loose lug nuts and the seized lower strut bolts. | Required | shop |
| Socket set 19 mm 6-point socket and 19 mm combination wrench, 1/2 in drive Lower strut-to-knuckle bolts and nuts (hold the nut, turn the bolt). | Required | shop |
| Socket 14 mm, 3/8 in drive with extension Three upper strut mount nuts in the engine bay. | Required | shop |
| Socket 17 mm and 14 mm, 3/8 in drive Sway bar end link nut and brake hose / ABS harness bracket bolts if they must come off. | Recommended | shop |
| Hex key set 6 mm hex (and 5 mm on some links) Holds the strut shaft or end link stud from spinning while loosening the nut. | Recommended | shop |
| Socket 10 mm, 1/4 or 3/8 in drive ABS speed sensor wire clips and small brackets on the strut body. | Recommended | shop |
| Pry bar 18-24 in Push the steering knuckle down and out to release the strut. | Required | shop |
| Impact wrench 1/2 in drive, 500+ ft-lb Makes the rusted lower bolts and lug nuts far easier. | Recommended | shop |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 30-250 ft-lb Lower strut bolts and lug nuts are high-torque, spec-critical fasteners. | Required | shop |
| Torque wrench 3/8 in drive, 10-80 ft-lb Upper mount nuts and sway bar link nut. | Recommended | shop |
| Hammer and brass drift 3 lb hammer Drive the lower bolts out of the knuckle bores without damaging threads. | Recommended | shop |
| Penetrating oil PB Blaster or equivalent Soak the lower strut bolts the night before; they seize in the knuckle. | Consumables | shop |
| Wire brush Clean rust off the lower bolt shanks and knuckle bores before reassembly. | Consumables | shop |
| Anti-seize compound Copper or nickel based Light film on lower bolt shanks (not threads under torque spec) to ease future removal. | Consumables | shop |
| Coil spring compressor Heavy-duty external or clamshell type Only needed if you are reusing your springs instead of installing complete assemblies. | Recommended | shop |
| Front strut assemblies Complete loaded units, pair; correct for 2WD vs 4WD/PreRunner and for X-Runner The replacement coilovers themselves. | Parts | shop |
| Safety glasses Rust and penetrating oil fall directly into your face under the truck. | Safety | shop |
| Wheel chocks Pair Chock the rear wheels before lifting the front. | Safety | shop |
Tool sizes do not differ between the 2.7 L 2TR-FE and 4.0 L 1GR-FE - the front suspension hardware is identical (19 mm lower bolts, 14 mm upper nuts, 21 mm lugs). Only the strut part number and spring rate change by drivetrain and trim, with X-Runner and TRD Sport/Off-Road using their own tuned units. Some 4.0 4WD trucks have slightly tighter engine-bay access to the upper nuts, so a 14 mm socket with a wobble extension helps.
| Lower strut-to-steering knuckle bolts (2 per side, 19 mm) | 159 ft-lb (216 Nm) - verify in the service manual for your year |
| Upper strut mount nuts (3 per side, 14 mm) | 47 ft-lb (64 Nm) |
| Strut shaft top center nut (if disassembling) | verify in the service manual |
| Front sway bar end link nut | 55 ft-lb (74 Nm) - verify in the service manual |
| Wheel lug nuts | 83 ft-lb (113 Nm) |
The 14 mm upper mount nuts, 19 mm lower bolts and 21 mm lug nuts are consistent across the 2005-2015 Tacoma, but confirm the lower strut bolt torque and any X-Runner/TRD-specific bracketry against a factory service manual for your exact year.
Not if you buy complete loaded strut assemblies - the spring, seat and upper mount come pre-assembled. You only need a heavy-duty spring compressor if you are reusing your original springs on a bare strut cartridge.
The two lower strut-to-knuckle fasteners are 19 mm on both bolt head and nut, the three upper strut mount nuts are 14 mm, and lug nuts are 21 mm.
Yes. The lower strut bolts locate the knuckle and any change in ride height shifts camber and toe, so budget for a four-wheel alignment ($90-150) right after the job.
Yes, always in pairs. Mixing a new strut with a worn one gives uneven damping and ride height side to side, and the truck will pull or lean under braking.