You can also use this video if you have a Ridgeline, Pilot, or MDX. They share a similar chassis to the Odyssey. The job in this video was not without it’s c…
Front Strut Replacement, 2001 Honda Odyssey -EricTheCarGuy
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Last week shocks, this week struts.
Front Strut Replacement, 2001 Honda Odyssey -EricTheCarGuy
super jdm dude
How the heck do you move your arm so fast when you are jacking up the car?
This does require a Camber adjustment. The bolts you see holding the
struts on are factory stock bolts. Honda sells replacement cammed Camber
adjustment bolts that facilitate adjusting the camber. You can replace
one or two of the strut mount bolts with Camber adjustment bolts. If you
need a little adjustment, then use one. If you need a lot of adjustment,
then use two. How do you know if you need a little adjustment or a lot of
adjustment? I don’t know. There are also aftermarket camber adjustment
bolts, that have a clip that provides even more precise adjustment. Well
at least it makes the job easier. You can also use a magnetic bubble level
to get the camber close enough to zero after mounting the struts. Just
stick the magnetic camber bubble level to the rotor by the screws. Fiddle
with the strut until the bubble is centered and tighten down stock strut
bolts. That would be quick and dirty, but better than method in this
video. If it were me, I would use the quick and dirty with bubble level
and then take to a shop that will use replacement cam bolts and correctly
set the camber.
I don’t think I could be any happier seeing you fail with el-cheapo
compressors. I thought I was just stupid. But no, the 2001 honda odyssey
has mega springs. This video just saved me time, loneliness, frustration,
and maybe just maybe, my life.
Thanks,
Eric
Eric: so VERY happy that you are safe/okay.
Safety thought:
As a long time (3 decade) shade-tree mechanic, I have two sets of spring
compressors and typically attach three to each coil as I do it.
Having a second set prevents slippage and makes things easier if things do
slip somewhat.
Tech tip:
OEM is fine if you are happy with the ride. Some OEMs are twin tube, some
are mono. But mono tube provides a vastly (night and day) superior
experience.
Still enjoy all of your videos: you have saved me countless dollars over
the years. (Plus you are easy on the eyes, thanks lots for that too).
Thanks for this video, I just changed out my struts on an 03 pilot. this
video made the install very easy.
Dude, I could spend all night watching all your videos. This is amazing.
Amazing video. You continue to surprise me.
I use two sets of heavy duty quality spring compressors for a total of 4
compressors on one strut. This way the spring is tightened evenly and is
totally surrounded by spring compressors to keep the coil spring from
bending or bowing out. I only use the ones with high quality metal and
locking pins made in the USA and never have issues. Cost is less than $80
for both set of high quality compressors. For people not mechanically
inclined I would say get Quickstruts or have a shop do it. I feel safe
because I know what I am doing and have been working on cars for years. I
buy only quality tools and always inspect before each use and keep it well
oiled.
They have those clam shape spring compressors. I had better luck with
those.
Love your videos sir! Your confidence in working on vehicles helps me do
the work that I need to get done on my ride, thank you so much for your
guides and repair videos!
I agree with you on the factory parts being the best for Hondas. If anybody
out there does go with aftermarket struts for whatever reason on these
cars, I would recommend KYBs. Those are usually pretty durable struts and
according to Scotty Kilmer they work pretty good on Hondas. Still though if
I had the choice, I probably would go with the oem Honda struts on my
Pilot.
should have listened to you on the stabilizer links…. darn darn darn…
stripped em both and took me a few hours to find a place that had
em…thanks for the illustration it was very helpful.
Eric im glad you’re alright , that spring flying around is scary.
The part after everything flew apart, your voice sounded hoarse. LOL
I imagine you cussed as much as I did when my ’91 Accord’s springs did that
too. That was not a fun day.
Hi Eric good to see that you are ok and please thank GOD and Scott for all
the help and stay safe and stay clean lol from Jay in South Africa
Take caution with some vehicle makes. The strut (to knuckle) mounting bolts
are splined. Do not try and wrench the bolt head! Hit it out with a hammer.
why dont you get quick Strut thats what i do now becouse of this now
I like to use the pre-assembled strut/bearing/spring assembly, not just for
ease of installation, but also because some springs sag over time.
It’s nice to know you won’t have to mess with anything on the strut until
next replacement.
Time to buy that $600 tool to get the job done right. ;)
Eric do you ever work on fiero’s?
Very informative video. Eric convinced me to use a replacement strut
assembly. I bought Monroe Quick-Struts for my 2004 Odyssey, and the
process was straightforward. I would add that air tools make this a much
more doable project. Many thanks, Eric!
i looked all over the internet for replacement struts and shocks for my
father Odyssey…. 85% agree with Eric on using Honda parts for this… i
bought the complete struts and rear shocks form my honda par store . com
and saved $600.00 … all four were $850,00 shipped to the house.
Pro tip…not really…but to stop the compressors sliding and to stop them
scraping paint off the springs, line them with gorilla tape.
WoW! There’s a lot of rust on that strut assembly.
Did you have to clean your shorts? I would have! Ha! I have the same
spring compressors without the safety clips and have used them for years.
However, I noticed the safety issues day one and purchased very large cable
clamps (the U shaped clamps for clamping large tow cables together). I
crank down the 4 cable clamps on the spring on either side of the
compressor. Never had one move yet. My solution might even be considered
better than the safety clips you find on the newer spring compressors.
I use a pair of vice grips to keep that too hook on the spring compressor
from sliding around.
You’re the man Eric !
The part where the tensioned spring was about to go free really was quite
nerve wrecking. Lol
Eric… the Branick 4700 strut compressor tool cost $643.00 … its a lot
cheaper then fixin a broken tooth – or loosing an eye or two !
Hi Eric man love your videos I learn so much . Thank you !!!
I think with trucks, vans & SUVs the springs are slightly larger than that
of a regular car which would probably would explain the difficulty that you
were having with compressing the springs. Still I think Scott’s spring
compressor was a much safer approach!
My 2004 honda pilot sounds like a bag of bowling balls under my car…
Hey Eric I have an 03 Pilot and am hoping to do inner an outer tie rods,
struts and shocks and lower control arms (bad lower compliance bushing) I
have little experience and have acquired all the parts and have the tools
and have watched yours and others vids. (so far you seem to be the only
honest mechanic that shows the challenges) Thanks for convincing me to take
the struts to a shop. Oh yeah, don’t think anybody makes the all in ones
for the Pilot, Spoke to Gabriel (bought them too) and the guy said he has
seen the Pilot in the tech center so he thinks they should be out soon. You
ever get to or need to repack the bearing on the passenger side? My niece
is the service manager at an Acura dealer and the parts where still too
much. I also do not like the ride of the 03, too stiff, they made several
improvements over the years so we will see what the gabriel ultras are
like. , I know KYB is an OEM to Honda and a few owners said they were stiff
or had failures. My stuff is about the same as yours was, just leaking but
still working ok. I do have a vibration through the steering wheel around
60 and above that is not a tire balance of defect issue. Had 2 new Goodyear
Assurance CS TripleTreds put on after a pinhole sidewall leak developed in
one of the Tripletred forteras that was only about 1.5 years old and still
had 8/32 of course they are discontinued as they have been replaced by the
CS. The warranty sold by the Goodyear store turned out to be a 3rd party
bogue offering me $51. Goodyear got me a couple at cost but it was still
something I should not have had to pay for at all.
Really simple
holy cats Eric.. next time wear a football or motorcycle helmet next time
to try to compress a spring at home !
the honda OEM struts / shocks for Odyssey are by far the best
Um wow, I’m not even a pro mechanic and I figured out a way to get a spring
onto a strut without proper tools a few years ago. If you don’t have a
proper spring compressor, do not use those compressors that Eric used to
compress the springs all the way down. (1) Put on the cheap spring
compressors upside down and just compress it a little bit when it’s on the
strut then lay the top cover on it. (2) Now bolt the strut on the lower
mount of the car then put a jack under the strut and jack it up. (3a) Guide
the top cover into the upper mounting hole by compressing the springs a
little by little until the top cover goes in the mounting hole. (3b) OR you
could compress the springs all the way down. You are in no danger anymore
since the fender of the car will protect you if something goes wrong. (4)
Once it’s in then screw in the 17mm nut and the other nuts to fasten it
onto the car. (5)Now remove the spring compressors and you’re done. I did
all that by hand with a socket wrench and it was a bitch.
Wow….watching that whole assembly start to rise up made me want to scream
“Eric!!!” at my computer….I call those things suicide clamps. I have
never had them come apart on me, and like you stated I made sure to always
buy the sets that have the safety pin in them. But springs are no joke, and
I have seen people very very injured from spring compressors blowing apart
you could invest in a hydrualic spring compressor which is a lot safer,
expensive but safer
Your videos are a marathon of that’s what she said jokes. please don’t say
explosive discharge again
But when you have a 1994 Ford Explorer with 220000 miles on it and she
still drives and rides straight as an arrow and the engine purrs without a
miss, I must be doing something right. I’m the guy who changes out both
tail lights when only one bulb burns out. Am I sick?