Clunking Over Bumps or Pulling After a Pothole? You Might Need Strut Replacement
If you are hearing a clunk over bumps, the car wanders or pulls after a rough road, or your tires are wearing unevenly, it is often a sign you need strut replacement. Struts do not fail all at once. They wear down gradually, so most folks do not notice how loose the front end has gotten until we put the car on the lift and show them. That is the part we do differently: before we recommend replacing anything, we take photos and walk you through exactly what we found, so you are deciding with the same information we have.
We have been keeping Beaverton and Washington County on the road since 1995. Strut replacement is bread-and-butter suspension work for our ASE-certified techs, and every repair is backed by our warranty on parts and labor.
What your struts actually do
A strut is a structural part of your suspension. It dampens the bounce like a shock does, but it also holds the coil spring and carries real load through the steering geometry. A worn strut affects how the car handles, brakes, and wears its tires, so this is not a comfort-only repair. It is a safety and handling item.
Signs you need strut replacement
You do not need to diagnose it yourself. That is our job. These are the things customers usually notice first:
- A clunk or knock over bumps and dips
- The nose dives when you brake, or the front end feels loose
- The car wanders or pulls, especially after a pothole
- Cupped or uneven tire wear
- Excessive bouncing after a bump
- Fluid leaking down the strut body
If you have one or more of these, bring it in. We will take a look and figure out whether it is actually the struts, or something else in the suspension wearing out.
How we handle strut replacement: you see what we see
Every vehicle that comes in gets a Digital Vehicle Inspection. We photograph the worn components and send them to your phone, so when we say a strut is leaking or worn out, you are looking at the same picture we are. No guessing, no “just trust us.” Most strut replacements are finished the same day, and everything is covered by our warranty on parts and labor.
What does strut replacement cost?
Most strut replacements here run about $950 to $1,400 for a pair of front struts and about $925 to $1,325 for a pair of rear struts, before the shop supplies fee. Those ranges come from our own recent invoices.
| Strut job | Price range |
|---|---|
| Front struts, pair | about $950 – $1,400 |
| Rear struts, pair | about $925 – $1,325 |
We replace struts in pairs, both sides of one axle, so the car handles evenly. Your vehicle and the struts it takes decide where you land. Doing front and rear on one visit costs about the two ranges added together.
Struts or shocks: not sure which you have?
People use the words interchangeably, but they are not the same part. A strut is structural and carries the spring; a shock is purely a dampener. Most vehicles use one or the other depending on the design. If your vehicle uses shocks, head over to our shock absorber replacement page, and if you are not sure which you have, that is what the inspection is for. Bring it in and we will tell you exactly what is on your car and what it needs.
Struts are one part of your car’s suspension system. If your ride or handling problems go beyond the struts, our full suspension repair service covers the rest.
Why Beaverton Drivers Trust Us for Strut Replacement
- In business in Beaverton since 1995, over 30 years of suspension work
- ASE-certified technicians, including a senior technician who has been with Clutch Doctors since 1999
- Digital Vehicle Inspection with photos on every car, so you see what we find
- No upselling. We recommend what the car actually needs, nothing more
- Warranty on all parts and labor
- 697 Google reviews and a 4.7-star average
Serving Beaverton, Hillsboro, Aloha, Tigard, and the surrounding Washington County communities.
Hearing a clunk or feeling the front end wander? Call us at 503-626-4810 or request an appointment online for strut replacement. We will take a look, show you what we find, and figure it out together.