How to Change the Front Strut Assemblies on a 2011-2015 Chevy Cruze

Park on a level surface and open the hood. If your front wheels have wheel covers, remove them, then loosen the lug nuts with a lug wrench or 19mm socket and breaker bar. Chock the rear wheels, then use a jack and jack stands to lift and support the front end. Remove the wheels.

Spray down the fasteners securing the strut assembly to the steering knuckle and sway bar link with rust penetrant.

Use a jack to support the lower control arm on the side where you’ll be working first.

In the engine bay, find the top of the strut tower and remove the plastic cap from the nut. Use a 24mm wrench and T50 bit to remove the nut from the mounting plate and remove the mounting plate.

Back in the wheel well, detach the brake hose from its bracket toward the bottom of the strut assembly.

Use an 18mm wrench and T35 bit to loosen the nut and detach the sway bar link from the strut.

Now use an 18mm wrench and an 18mm socket and ratchet or breaker bar to loosen and remove the nuts from the bottom two bolts securing the strut assembly.

Once those nuts are removed, you should be able to take out the bolts, using a hammer to carefully tap them through if needed.

With the fasteners removed, you can use a pry bar at the bottom of the strut assembly if needed to dislodge it, then carefully remove the assembly from the wheel well.

Compare the old strut assembly with your new one to make sure you have the right replacement part.

Lift your new strut assembly into the wheel well and reinstall the mounting plate you removed earlier from the top of the strut tower. Thread the top mounting nut into place by hand to keep the strut assembly secure while you reinstall the fasteners below.

Align the stud on the sway bar link with its opening on the strut, and reinstall it. This may not be possible once the strut is in place. You can wait to reinstall the sway bar nut if you choose.

Align the knuckle with the base of the strut, and install the two bolts. Tap them in gently with a hammer if needed.

Install the nuts, then use your 18mm wrench, ratchet and socket to tighten the fasteners. Use a wrench and a torque wrench to tighten those fasteners to 66 foot-pounds on a first pass. Once they’re torqued, tighten the nuts another 60 to 70 degrees.

Reinstall the brake hose in its bracket.

Thread your new nut onto the sway bar stud. Secure the stud with your 18mm wrench and tighten the nut until it’s snug. Use your torque wrench to tighten the nut to 48 foot-pounds.

Back in the engine bay, tighten the top strut mounting nut to 48 foot-pounds, and reinstall the cap.

Remove the jack from under the lower control arm.

Reinstall the wheel and tighten the lug nuts until the wheel is secure.

Lower the front end and remove the wheel chocks.

Use your torque wrench and 19mm socket to tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern to 100 foot-pounds. If you removed wheel covers, you can reinstall them now.