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Autopapyrus · Honda Freed (2nd generation)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/honda/freed/front-shock-absorber-strut-replacement/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Honda Freed (2nd generation): Front Shock Absorber (Strut) Replacement

The front suspension of the Freed II is a MacPherson type: the shock absorber is part of the strut assembly together with the spring and the mount. Shock absorbers must be replaced in pairs on an axle. For the replacement, the strut is removed as a complete assembly, disassembled using spring compressors, and the spring, mount and bump stop are transferred to the new shock absorber. Exact torque specifications for this model are not confirmed in publicly available sources, so approximate ranges are given below.

Difficulty: Medium Time: 2-3 hours for both sides Steps: 14 Tools: jack and jack stands, lug wrench, socket and wrench set (typically 12, 14, 17, 19, 22 mm), hex key or TORX bit for holding the strut rod, spring compressors (recommended), torque wrench, penetrating oil, pry bar

Part

  • 🔩 front strut (shock absorber), left and right, as a pair. It is also recommended to replace the strut mount with bearing and the dust boot with bump stop (compression stop) at the same time, and the springs if they are sagging or broken

Step by step

14 steps
  1. Park the car on level ground, apply the parking brake, and chock the rear wheels. Loosen the front wheel lug nuts by half a turn.
  2. Raise the front of the car with the jack, set it on jack stands, and remove the wheel.
  3. Apply penetrating oil to the threads of the lower bolts that attach the strut to the steering knuckle and to the nuts on the upper mount.
  4. Detach the ABS sensor wiring harness and the brake hose from the strut (brackets/clips on the strut body). The hose must not be stretched. Do not unscrew the hose.
  5. If it gets in the way, disconnect the upper stabilizer link (sway bar end link) from the shock absorber. Hold the ball stud with a hex key/TORX bit and turn the nut.
  6. Remove the two lower bolts that attach the strut to the knuckle (on many Hondas the upper one is an eccentric bolt or has an adjusting washer, so mark its position with a marker to preserve the camber). Support the knuckle so the hub does not hang on the driveshaft and the hose.
  7. Under the hood, remove the three nuts of the upper mount (near the wheel arch). Hold the strut from below so it does not fall. Pull the strut out downward through the wheel arch.
  8. Clamp the strut in a vise by the lower eye (with soft jaws). Install the spring compressors evenly and compress the spring until the load is off the mount. Never disassemble the strut without spring compressors, as it is dangerous.
  9. Holding the rod with a hex key, loosen the center rod nut. Remove the mount, bearing, upper spring seat, spring, dust boot and bump stop.
  10. Compare the new shock absorber with the old one (length, fit). If the new one comes packed in a compressed state, pump it by hand. Reassemble in reverse order, making sure the spring coil seats correctly in the seats and the mount sits at the same angular position relative to the lower eye.
  11. Tighten the center rod nut. Approximate value is 40-60 N·m (30-44 lb-ft); use the exact value from the manufacturer's specification. Release the compressors slowly and evenly.
  12. Install the strut into the wheel arch, guide the studs into the body, and thread on the upper mount nuts by hand. Insert the lower bolts into the knuckle according to your marks. Final-tighten the lower bolts and the stabilizer link only with the wheel loaded by the car's weight, or with the control arm supported, so the bushings are tightened in their working position. Approximate values: strut lower bolts 90-130 N·m (66-96 lb-ft), upper mount nuts 20-35 N·m (15-26 lb-ft) (check the factory specification). Use a torque wrench, and replace threaded fasteners if they are worn.
  13. Reattach the hose and ABS harness brackets, install the wheel, and tighten the lug nuts in a crisscross pattern after lowering the car, to approximately 100-110 N·m (74-81 lb-ft). Repeat on the other side.
  14. Check the result: test drive over bumps and listen for knocking. After replacement, a wheel alignment check and adjustment (toe and camber) on an alignment machine is mandatory.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • Working with spring compressors is dangerous: if a compressor slips, the compressed spring can cause serious injury. If you lack experience, leave strut disassembly to a repair shop or replace the struts as complete assemblies. Suspension affects safety and handling, so tighten critical connections only with a torque wrench. Never leave the car on a jack without safety stands. A wheel alignment is mandatory after replacement.
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