Dodge Caravan easy strut replacement

replacing quick struts on 2006 dodge caravan with NAPA struts. DIY easy.

[@rdomke33175]

Pretty well done video. I used to do my own maintenance when I was a younger man. Past few years of dealing with cancer and osteoradionecrosis (bone deterioration) in my jaw from the amount of post-cancer radiation the VA subjected me to back in 2006 has taken it's toll on my energy reserves. Adding to that affect, they removed of my left fibula (lower leg bone) used it to try and reconstruct my jaw (a process that ultimately failed to heal and required taking my left pectoral muscle and attaching it to my throat to provide blood supply to heal the surgeries to my jaw. This process that also failed to heal until they (the VA) finally, about 5 years too late, authorized Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy for the sake of "kick-starting" my circulatory metabolism to a state of being able to heal itself. Needless to say that I find it difficult to muster the energy and mobility coordination to undertake what I now consider rather arduous tasks related to maintenance and repair tasks of keeping my car on the road. But keep up the good work on producing your videos; I think you've got a pretty good presentation style and delivery going.

[@jakewiebe3]

Great video. My strut also just went on me today. I thought it was going to be a big job but it looks like a breeze. Thanks!

[@imakecostumes]

I must say I also was extremely impressed by the white pants. I go out to check the oil and dirt attacks me like Pig-Pen in the Peanuts comics. Thanks for the video. Doing this this morning! PB Blaster rocks, and Never Seize is truly a mechanic's best friend.

[@stirlingshire]

Thanks for making a video. I'm doing mine tomorrow. Very helpful.

[@bottomfeeds]

Thanks for the vid, I'm doing this right now and it's a huge help!

[@grege9862]

The dude left Never-Sieze on the rotor. You can see it in the closing shot. Really brilliant.

[@RRaucina]

anti seize or dog shit, its all burning off in the next long stop. Not a big deal

[@BigZigs61]

Nice video, thanks for posting it. I hope it's that easy on my 2005.

[@DavidMiller-ee7ui]

I was stuck until you showed me the jack trick thank you

[@Fortunatone]

Good video..left out some of the hardest part... screwing on the top bolt to the panel on top - helps to have 2 people. The other thing, common with the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan, you notice he partially takes off the sway bar link at the beginning, for about $35 you should replace them (the sway bar links) if your hearing a crunching sound when driving.

[@xlrealty]

Hey, Thanks for making this video, I'm about to do this job for the very same reason (clunking noise). The DB's that left negative comments know nothing about video making. Your video was very clear (step by step) and whether a person uses WD of PB or spit for that matter isn't worth nit picking. Great video...Thank you.

[@GuitarMan22]

Great video While you were there you could have done rotors and pads, and reach up around to do the water pump

[@Oscarphone]

On the anti-seize portion of this video (4:50ish), you only need a small dollop on each thread. This guy, bless his heart, has put about 20 times to much anti-seize on the threads. I use a cotton swab at the start of the threads and screwing the nut on will carry the compound onto to rest of the threads as you install. A bottle the size he has should last a shade tree guy a lifetime.You will also note, if you have ever used anti-sieze, that it gets on EVERYTHING (house, door knobs, sandwiches, shoes, everything) even just using little bit. He's got blobs of it on the rotors late in the video, the stuff is just nasty and not easy to clean off. You definately don't want to leave that stuff on the rotors to contaminate the brake pads.

[@kalinbrightmoon2642]

Very good video, right to the point, and sometimes you dont need narration. The music was very cool; so well done mate!!

[@marshallck1209]

Thank you for showing me bro👍 you just saved me $780 and that's not including the struts😂😂😂 Very easy... 2019... Yeah..✌

[@kingdomgames3540]

MY entire strut assembly is free floating in the strut tower. scarey.

[@Lockemeister]

I'm not trying to single out this video. It's great info for a shade tree mechanic and a nice video. I'm just saying it's hard to find mechanics in a real garage who will replace just the worn "strut" part. They want easy way out. OK, for a dude just changing the entire strut assembly with a easy strut, or quick strut in his backyard that's cool. I'm just mad I can't find a REAL mechanic with a shop that will fix the struts the right way and will keep the original springs if they are still OK.

[@ronron291]

thanks good vid, and well done camera angle

[@isaacarmenta3147]

Good job. Really helped me alot.

[@garrisonjewett6193]

My local service place put these on my van two years ago; now the one on the driver's side has a bolt sticking up through the top and it's making a hell of a racket!

[@garrisonjewett6193]

That's just what happened to mine. Switched from Napa to Monroe and hoping for the best.

[@raymondsurprenant3755]

"""Danger"""The bolt sticking up is your strut. The top strut plate has broken through usually because the strut put too much pressure against it because of wear, sticking or a hard impact. """Danger""" That plate holds the spring and now nothing is holding it but the weight of the car. In this case, if you try to unbolt the strut like in this video you could die! The spring must be compressed with the correct tooling before attempting to remove any of the components.

[@garrisonjewett6193]

Yeah I let a pro do it, all is well thanks!

[@johnnysfunnyvids]

Raymond Surprenant just cut the coil before removing

[@TheRmdunn230]

The cowl can be removed ( or loosened enough to lift it up ) to give you more room on those top nuts. Only way to torque them to.

[@jimmyfavereau]

Awesome!. thanks for your efforts Amigo : )

[@THESUPERDINGY]

The springs are just like the stuts --they wear, and lose their tension. You can try to save the old ones, but the truth is you are better off with new springs to go along with the stuts. Worn struts can wear on tires, and worn springs will do the same. Pay the extra 30 bucks each, and get the whole package.

[@oliverstreet7704]

The quick struts are a bargain, but they are the wrong spring for the vans with 119" WB (Grand Caravan etc.) with the 3.8L engine, esp if you have AWD. They are still a bargain for the bearing, mounts and isolators and even if you have to swap the original springs into them. My advice to any installing a quick strut is to measure the ride height with weight on wheels before and after. Just tape measure to the top of the wheel arch. New springs should be same or < 1/2" higher. If lower, thenpulll em off and swap springs

[@kennethkaynes1650]

Oliver Street was

[@miketilkin]

Thank you for the great video

[@fiveway24]

Thank you for your video.

[@moocowdad]

great video

[@gotredeemed]

Clean job. Thx.

[@blewisrogers]

great video. thanks

[@1voiceofstl]

Nice price. I bought Monroes from Advance and I think they were 360 for a pair.

[@banshee8989]

I agree... but they weren't that rusted and I just wanted some lube in the threads.

[@jasonjespersen3090]

APDTY has a good deal on these as well. I just ordered two. No sense in replacing just one with 137K on the odometer.

[@banshee8989]

Yeah I purchased them ar Napa and have found them to be hit or miss on price.

[@DigiPal]

Tried it today. Sway bar don't get out because the nut jammed in the middle (maybe the other mechanic use lock tite or something). Also, scrap the torx cavity, so, I'm wondering if I can use a wrench behind the little plate that holds the sway bar, and, if so, which size is it. Thanks in advance.

[@rajin335]

not a bad price for the struts!!!

[@israelx7]

Thanks man...

[@eborcim]

Did you torque any of the bolts or just hammer them on with an impact gun?

[@JAAUG]

How did you not get those white pants dirty????? LOL

[@rajin335]

where is the serpentine belt located on the 2004 dodge caravan?

[@JimChambers]

It's been a while since I've done struts on a Caravan, but is one of the bolts still a cam? If so, try to scribe it's position on the old one and then you'll get close on the new one. With the tensions being different, I'd still recommend getting the alignment but at least you'll be close enough for a short time. Second, all the grease on the rotor! At least wipe it down, but it should be sprayed with cleaner so you can stop.

[@johnmahoney6663]

I noticed the anti on seize on the rotor also.

[@therd3]

The metric ones that fit.

[@rajin335]

btw where is the serpentine belt located on the 04 caravan?

[@NoShadowOfDoubt1]

what ton capacity do I need for a jack stand? for a 4700 lbs. van? would a two ton work?

[@DSchn3ll]

Nice work pants :) How about the rear struts?

[@haggis95]

You need to drop the motor to do the water pump easily.

[@broadwayFan28]

Responding to a post by Oliver Street... I just had the shop change my struts and shocks on a 2005 T&C. Monroe parts, don't know if it was "quick struts" but the van seems to rock back and forth even on the slightest bump. 3.8 long wheelbase. Wondering what to do now knowing original springs were tossed two weeks ago when I had the work done. Anyone else have problems with long wheelbase Caravans or T&C who switched to "quick struts"?

[@Bit930]

Is you now coil diameter smaller that the original ?

[@broadwayFan28]

+TheBaz747 Don't know, shop did it and threw out the originals. Update, van rides good again, the Monroes were tossed. Can't tell you though if it was a different Monroe or another brand to replace. I have always thought highly of Monroes and guess they just used the wrong quick strut.

[@Oscarphone]

I have a buddy who put on a set of non-OEM, name brand, struts on this 2002 and had the same problem. He said they were worse than his old ones. They were just not as robust as the OEM struts. He took them off, returned them, and put the old ones back on.

[@BigWesLawns]

Don't avoid the alignment issue. the way I see most people drive?? chances are really good you have hit a curb and knocked out your alignment or just... get it done don't be cheap! or you'll wreck your tires just like it says in the video!

[@gayletrepanier5740]

just curious to y an alignment needs to be done is it cuz the wheels aren't straight after strut replacement

[@Bass.Player]

+gayle trepanier That's correct, the lower bolt hole is slotted so the camber can be adjusted. NEVER try to guess at this, an alignment is necessary...

[@davidwilker4795]

I was thinking that if you use an angle-finder to measure the angle (camber) of the wheel or rotor before you take it apart, you could adjust the camber after re-assembly and get it back where it was, no?

[@Bass.Player]

Well if you could discard turn inclination, which you can't. The rotor is floating without the wheel or at least add nuts to keep it from moving. And you have to assume the new strut has the exact same geometry as the old, which it will not, not to mention wear in the upper shock tower, if it's like mine was it was excessive. There is no way to do this without realigning the front end, unless you are just lucky, but it ranks right up there with being struck by lightning a dozen times...

[@Gunsguy]

You can sure but you still require allignment!

[@corygluckman7704]

Keep your greasy fingers off the rotors or clean them afterwards!

[@Lockemeister]

Mechanics are getting REAL lazy nowadays. Why replace springs when the old ones may be just fine?. Too lazy or have no clue how to compress the old springs and then just remove and replace the "strut" part. Anyway, I read about people complaining the Monroe "easy strut" springs will bottom out and the old Chrysler springs were much better. I'm against changing parts that do not need changing. Also please note. not knowing how to use a spring compression tool is a good way to knock your head off.

[@butterflyassociatesllc6439]

if you are wearing white pants then you too can do this

[@chuchyboy]

He may be a good mechanic, but he's a poor instructor ! -A 'voiceover' explaining some of what he did underneath would have been helpful ! Also a warning to protect and care for the CV boot, AND to take it for alignment in the end ! I would rate this 3 / 10. -Sorry,not adequate for teaching amateurs

[@therd3]

Your lame! Its not about the gloves its about fixing cars. Whats wrong, you come here because cartoons aren't on and your board? I was going to have this work done but after watching this I'm going to do it. Great video.

[@rickcotc]

Please make instruction videos with actual instruction instead of lame music. As soon as I hear music, I turn it off. Thank you.

[@VANEPS7]

I could do with a narrative and NO MUSIC!

[@chefbillyx]

Good video , but disliked it because you should really make sure you dont get anti seize on your break rotors. You should always clean with parts or break cleaner! You can update the video by saying clean breaks just in case you get anti seize on the breaks...like you did!

[@bly4233]

chefbillyx BRAKES

[@bly4233]

chefbillyx BRAKES

[@sirtubemaster]

Next time put a jack stand under that vehicle! Don't trust the jack to hold, bad habit to get into doing!

[@jackgarland3653]

If you watch to the end you will see him pull a jack stand out.

[@rogermurph101]

Holy shit! That music is awful!