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Acura TL 2004-2008: How to Replace Struts and Shock Absorber Reviews

With so many different shocks to choose from, picking your next suspension can be a real headache. Help remove that stress by discovering the best available kits for your TL.

By Neftali Medina - May 10, 2016
Contributors: Excelerate Performance, 1aauto

This article applies to the Acura TL (2004-2008).

Acura TL uses a double wishbone front suspension complete with a standalone strut and spring combination that makes for a very smooth ride. The struts are responsible for keeping most of the vibrations of the road away from the cabin. When these struts begin to fail, you generally feel more vibrations through the steering wheel, and the car handles poorly as the dampers can no longer manage bumps or bends in the road. The result creates a very harsh ride that puts more stress on the chassis, tires, and other suspension components of the vehicle.

Table of Contents

How to Replace Your Struts

Replacement requires securing the chassis on jack stands and separating the springs from the strut mounts. It's actually a lot easier than it sounds; here is how you do it.

Materials Needed

  • Ratchet set to 19mm
  • Spring compressor
  • Jack
  • Jack stands
  • Pry bars
  • New struts

Step 1 – Prop the car up

First you have to break loose the lug nuts on the end of the car you are working on. Do not remove the lug nuts, only loosen them! Once all are loosened, lift the car up and prop a jack stand on each point under the chassis. With the car secured, remove each wheel.

ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
Figure 1. Raise and secure the car.

Step 2 – (Front) Loosen the strut fork bolts

There are two 17mm bolts attaching the fork to the strut. Loosen each bolt and tap them out with a mallet if necessary. Open the hood and remove the five nuts holding the top section of the strut. There are two 12mm nuts attached to the stabilizer bar, and three 14mm nuts for the strut top hat.

    • ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
      Figure 2. Remove the top fork bolt.
    • ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
      Figure 3. Remove the lower fork bolt.
    • ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
      Figure 4. Remove the top strut nuts.

Step 3 – Compress the spring coils

With the strut out, use the rented spring compressor to compress the coils so the top hat can be safely removed from the strut. Remove the coil and install the new strut. Torque down the fork to 30 ft/lbs and the three top hat nuts to 37 ft/lbs. The strut tower brace nuts should also only be tightened to 12 ft/lbs.

  • ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
    Figure 5. Compress the coils.
  • ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
    Figure 6. New strut installed.

Step 4 – (Rear) Remove the struts

The rear struts require a bit more work to remove. Once you've loosened the wheels and raised the rear of the car, open the passenger door up and remove both headrests. There are several 10mm bolts you have to loosen in order to remove the seats. The bench is simple: one 10mm bolt located at the button (refer to Figure 7). After the bolt is removed, press down on the seat and pull the release clip.

ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
Figure 7. Shows the location of the bench seat bolt.

The back rests have six bolts, four of which can be easily seen in Figure 8. The last two are hidden underneath the headrest, as seen in Figure 9.

    • ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
      Figure 8. The 10mm bolts holding the backrest in place.
    • ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
      Figure 9. Remove the hidden backrest bolts.

Once the seats are removed you can access the two top hat nuts through the access holes. Loosen and remove the button bolt, then use a pry bar to apply some leverage and remove the strut assembly from the car. Use the spring compressor to replace the struts again.

  • ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
    Figure 10. Access the rear strut top hat bolts.
  • ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
    Figure 11. Install the new rear strut.

Step 5 – Mount your wheels

  • Make sure to torque all the new components down correctly.
  • Reinstall the rear seats.
  • Mount the wheels and lower the vehicle.
ACURA TL HOW TO REMOVE REPLACE CHANGE SHOCK SPRING STRUT SUSPENSION DIY
Figure 12. Enjoy your new ride.

Featured Videos: Strut Removal

  • Honda Accord/Acura TL Front Strut Replacement

  • TL Rear Strut Removal

Shock Absorber Reviews

A bad set of shocks can really ruin the ride quality of your car. Instead of accidentally purchasing the wrong set or brand, why don't you take a look at the chart we've set up for you. There are many different names to choose from, some of which offer performance boosts, while others are direct OEM replacements. We've comprised this chart of some of the best and budget-friendly struts you can install.

Please note that prices are based on a 2004 Acura TL and are subject to change.


Tokico HP
Koni Sport
KYB Gr2
Monroe
Price Per Set
 $440 $560 $340 $250
Performance
 OEM/Sport Sport OEM/Sport OEM
Durability (Based on User Experience)
 75,000 miles 75,000 miles 75,000 miles 25,000 miles
Lowered
 Up to 1.5" Up to 1.5" Up to 2" No
Adjustable
 No Yes - Rebound No No
Best Quality: Koni Sport

Best Value: KYB GR2

Tokico HP

TOKICO HP BLUE SHOCK STRUT ACURA TL

Price Per Set – $440

Performance – OEM/Sport

Durability – 75,000 miles

Lowered – Up to 1.5"

Adjustable – No

The Tokico HP shocks, commonly called blues for short, are meant to offer slightly better performance than the stock counterpart. While they are not adjustable in terms of damping or rebound, they pair nicely with OEM springs, or a mild lowering spring. These sets are also available with an optional lowering spring combination, that will drop the chassis 1.5." Recommended for anyone looking to upgrade their OEM shocks at a reasonable price.

Koni Sport

KONI YELLOW ADJUSTABLE SHOCK STRUT ACURA TL

Price Per Set – $560

Performance – OEM/Sport

Durability – 75,000 miles

Lowered – Up to 1.5"

Warranty – Limited Lifetime

Koni Yellows are a single-adjustable shock, and the only adjustable shock in this test. The Konis are rebound adjustable, which means you can control the speed "up" motion of the shock. This is very commonly described as adjusting the "stiffness" of the shocks. A lower rebounding shock will offer smoother body movements and feel "softer," while quicker rebound is great on the racetrack or for autocross as it allows the shock to more actively work at controlling body movement. Recommended for the sporting enthusiast who wants to be able to adjust ride quality.

KYB GR2

KYB SHOCK STRUT ACURA TL

Price Per Set – $340

Performance – OEM/Sport

Durability – 50,000 miles

Lowered – Up to 2"

Warranty – Limited Lifetime

People are often hard-pressed to choose between Tokico HPs and GR2s simply due to their similar results in terms of handling. While the feeling may be similar in terms of handling, the feeling with your wallet is very different, with the KYB's leaving a lot more cash in there to weigh your pocket down. KYB's are a budget solution and it shows in terms of out-of-the-box inconsistency. Some users have no issues and a normal service life of 50,000+ miles, while others report almost immediate failure, requiring replacements. Recommended for people who want the budget solution.

Monroe

Price Per Set – $250

Performance – OEM

Durability – 50,000 miles

Lowered – No

Warranty – Limited Lifetime

Monroe is often seen as the go-to option whenever a stock strut blows and the car needs to be on the road as soon as possible. This is the brand carried by most local major auto part retailers and can often cost as much as some of the aftermarket struts listed here. They are direct replacement units and will not lower the stance of your chassis. Also, there have been many reports of these struts failing after 25,000 miles and sometimes less. Recommended for those emergency situations and for people who want over the counter replacements and local availability.

Pro Tip

The type of shock you choose should be catered to the type of driving you are used to doing. A lot of aggressive setups may offer a harsher ride but increase the overall handling of the car. So when choosing your suspension, make sure to purchase something that fits your own driving style.

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