2008 Lincoln Navigator Rear Strut Replacement “How To” DIY

This is my personal experience replacing the rear strut in my 2008 Lincoln Navigator. I used an unconventional way to approach the repair to save time and get the job done, safely. I welcome your feedback, please comment below.
Please Note: I am not a professional mechanic. I work on my car for the intended purpose of fixing my car. This video is to show you my repair, the approach that worked for me, for you to consider in planning your repair, if it is similar in nature to my experience. Please use solely at your own discretion.
Thank you.

[@thefigtree4693]

Im a disabled veteran with a bad back. By following your instructions i was able to do this job and i saved a bundle. Thanks for the video!

[@2horseman]

Very glad it worked for you! Thank you for the comment.

[@D2O2]

Control arm bolt and bottom strut bolt should be tightened with vehicle weight on the suspension so angles are correct and the bushings are not preloaded. Early bushing failure will result if not done correctly.

[@jrivera007]

Very good video & well explained . Good tips as well.

[@ryanstevenson4918]

You are the man. Thanks!!

[@newageautotechnology]

Thanks for the video

[@davidlowndes4967]

Thank you for explaining it in layman terms where we could understand you being a fucking American use the trick with the Jack. it was awesome. I’m subscribed, if you could do more On Lincoln Navigators , that would be awesome.

[@yahirmontanez8557]

Thanks brother 👍🏼

[@2horseman]

Glad to serve.

[@banno6938]

Put some of lumber on top of the wheel "2x4 / 2x6 x 36 inches " so IF something slips it won't have far to go & it can save your wheel & tire from being damaged .

[@2horseman]

Totally agree. Thank you for posting!

[@stanleyellison5612]

I really appreciate this video, thx. I have a 2007 lincoln navigator like tours with the spring suspension, no air. Every bump i hit or turns at highway speeds cause the truck to sway and wobble. Otherwise, its a smooth ride. Will this fix my problem in your opinion?

[@2horseman]

Yes. From my experience, after about 125k miles, the oil shock fails, causing oil to leak out, and your spring will no longer “stabilize” after a bump in the road or a weight shift of the vehicle when cornering. You will get a “spongey” ride. You can take a quick look and the shock, which is in the center of the spring, (when the car is parked and off), and see if you see oily grime on it. Probably indicating it has leaked out. Also, I would advise replacing both the left and right rear at one time. This will give you an even ride in the rear. Remember, it can be a safety issue with the car if the shocks are failed, as the shock keeps even ground force for the tire to maintain traction. Under wet road conditions, you can increase your likelihood of poor traction and control issues. I know Amazon sells and ships quickly, and you can be back comfortable in no time. Trust me, replacement of failed shocks will give you an immediate improvement in ride quality, back to the luxury design intended by Lincoln. Hope this helps.

[@leonarddaneman810]

I've watched a couple videos on this (front struts) and dropping the bolt from the middle is practically more 'standard' than pulling the calipers. My Expedition has some 'clunk' but only over hard bumps, so I think that is the problem creeping up on me (after 194K miles) . . . rear struts actually as that is where the 'clunk' sound seems to come from.

[@2horseman]

From your description, you may have a rear strut that is ‘bottoming out’ when you force full travel, such as a speed bump. If you have excessive ‘bounce’, and it does not promptly settle, then I would say your strut is bad. Mine went out and it was a very bouncy ride until I changed it. Good luck!

[@leonarddaneman810]

@@2horseman Not really bumpy/bouncy . . . hard to test by manually pushing down or rocking . . . such stiff springs. But, after 194K miles, not a bad idea to have checked next time in shop.

[@joshelverud8140]

Is wooderson doing how too vids now?

[@revfarwell0139]

Dude! Brother. Please edit this video to start watching it when u found out the right way . I watched half your video and ran outside and did it the wrong way first just like you did oh my God. All you have to do is take that one bolt out. the beginning of this video lead someone to believe that you have to take the caliper off and a bunch of other crap OMG thank you so much for putting a video on here but please edit it or put a big giant statement to fast forward to a certain time of the video.

[@2horseman]

Thank you for sharing and a great idea! I hadn't thought about that part and I appreciate you posting! It can save people considerable 'angst' with this approach. Let me see what I can do about an update.

[@brentbradley6711]

Why doesn't it have air bags?

[@2horseman]

I don’t believe the feature was offered on this year model. They had significant issues on the 2003-2006 models on the full air ride suspension packages. In 2007, it returned to mechanical only. However, rear air leveling suspension was an option in 2011 and beyond, just not the front. (This model is more like the F-150 in this regard). Much more reliable in my opinion.

[@davidwebster2616]

@@2horseman I have a 2008 lincoln navigator with air ride suspension, perhaps it was an option, or someone converted it before you owned it?

[@2horseman]

David Webster / good point. I have 3 Navigators currently, 08’, 13’, and 15’. The 13’ has rear air ride that allows for towing / leveling with a load. The 13’ has 125k and no issues yet on the air system. With the points of failure cut in 1/2, I would probably go back with the rear air ride shocks. We also owned the 03’ Nav, full air suspension, when it went out, the whole car was low rider, rap video chill. It went out on a trip to Atlanta, we had to park in a deck, sparks were flying. Miserable. (Story for another post). I know a few companies offer after market air ride systems, but I am guessing if you have it integrated into your onboard controls, it is factory.

[@peterputnam3804]

Next time instead of a screw driver use a tapered punch to line up the hole.

[@splaqsplaq9493]

You dont gotta remove all that shit!!

[@bthompson1767]

It's not a hack

[@2horseman]

Hack: "a strategy or technique for managing one's time or activities more efficiently." (Thanks for sharing your comment, it made me smile!)

[@4thgradedropout980]

Get ready for that alignment...

[@2horseman]

I should get creative points for finding a reasonable solution. Way I see it, one bolt out one bolt in. I will keep an eye on tire wear and let everyone know if an issue arises. However, been 12,000 miles, no issues. Ultimately, tires wear more even with fresh, new shocks. I win either way!

[@4thgradedropout980]

Defensive as hell. If it works, it works.

[@rod7071]

All I have to say is thanks buddy I just replaced mine 2011 Ford Expedition and it went pretty smooth. I was even able to get it without taking the caliper off. 🍻