Honda & Acura Strut & Shock Replacement in Anderson, SC
Worn struts don't just ride rough — they cup your tires, stress your wheel bearings, and dramatically extend your braking distance. Nalley's installs KYB OEM-equivalent or genuine Honda struts and shocks in pairs, replaces the top mount bearings, and aligns the car afterward in Anderson, SC. Including the alignment — not as an upcharge.
What Is a Strut & Shock Replacement?
Struts and shocks are the dampers that keep your tires planted on uneven pavement. When they wear out, the spring continues to oscillate — your tires bounce, traction breaks loose mid-corner, braking distances grow, and the tire tread develops a distinctive cupped pattern. Honda and Acura use struts (a combined damper/spring assembly) on the front and either struts or shocks on the rear depending on platform.
A proper strut job replaces the damper, the top mount bearing (a frequent noise complaint when reused), and ideally the spring isolator. We always work in pairs — left and right of the same axle — because a single new strut paired with a tired one gives the car a permanent lean and unpredictable handling. Alignment after replacement is mandatory; we include it in the quote.
Signs Your Honda or Acura Needs Strut & Shock Replacement
Catching these symptoms early almost always means a cheaper repair. If any of these sound familiar, give us a call.
Bouncy ride / car keeps oscillating
Classic worn shock — press down on the corner and the car bounces 2-3 times before settling. Healthy shocks stop in one cycle.
Cupped or scalloped tire wear
Diamond-pattern tire wear is almost always worn shocks letting the tire bounce. New tires won't fix it — replace the dampers first.
Nose-dive under braking
Front struts can't resist weight transfer. Stops feel "soft" and front-end ride height drops dramatically when you brake hard.
Body lean in corners
Weak dampers + tired sway bar bushings = exaggerated body roll. Cars feel "wallowy" and unpredictable in turns.
Clunking over bumps
Top mount bearing worn or strut bottoming on the bump stop. We can isolate which with a stethoscope and a road test.
Steering wheel shimmy
Worn struts let the tire bounce at speed — feels like an out-of-balance tire that never goes away after a balance.
Fluid leaking from strut/shock body
Strut is done. Once it leaks oil, the seal is gone and damping is finished. Replace in pairs.
Longer stopping distances
Bouncing tires lose contact during braking. Worn shocks can add 10-20% to your stopping distance on uneven pavement.
Rear end sagging or sitting low
Spring fatigue plus tired shocks. Common on Odysseys and CR-Vs that haul cargo.
Vehicle tips/sways in crosswind
Worn rear shocks reduce stability. Pilots and Odysseys in particular feel "loose" at highway speeds.
Our Strut & Shock Replacement Process at Nalley's
No surprises, no upsells. Here's exactly what happens when you bring your Honda or Acura to us.
Bounce test + visual inspection
We perform a corner-by-corner bounce test, look for fluid leaks, and inspect top mounts and bump stops for damage.
Photo report of every corner
You see the actual condition of your dampers — leaking seals, torn boots, blown isolators. Not just our word for it.
Honest pair-vs-all-four call
If only the fronts are bad, we replace just the fronts (in pairs). We don't upsell rears unless they need it.
KYB OEM-equivalent or genuine Honda
KYB is Honda's OE supplier on many models. Genuine Honda struts are an option when you want the exact factory part. Never the cheap Gabriel/Monroe knockoffs.
New top mount bearings + isolators
Reusing a 10-year-old top mount on a new strut is a recipe for a clunk in 5,000 miles. We replace mounts every time on the strut side.
Torque-to-spec assembly
Honda struts have specific torque values for the upper mount, lower bolt, and spindle pinch bolt. We follow factory sequence and spec.
Four-wheel alignment
Included with every strut job, not added as a surprise charge. Camber and toe always shift after disturbing the suspension.
24/24 written warranty
24 months or 24,000 miles on parts and labor. KYB parts also carry their own lifetime warranty.
Common Strut & Shock Replacement Issues by Model
Honda and Acura platforms each have their own quirks. Here's what we see most often on the cars we work on every day.
Civic
Civic front struts are a quick job — single bolt to the lower control arm, three nuts on top. Top mount bearings are the most common cause of "clunk over bumps" complaints.
Accord
Accord front struts also include the upper mount with bearing — we replace as an assembly. Rear shocks on sedan vs. coupe use different parts despite looking identical.
CR-V
CR-V rear shocks are notoriously short-lived — 60-80k is typical, especially on trailer-towers. We see lots of cupped rear tires on CR-Vs that need shocks.
Pilot
Pilot front struts are heavy-duty — torque to 100 ft-lb on lower bolts. Rear shocks include load-leveling on some trim levels and need specific OE parts.
Odyssey
Odyssey rear shocks wear early under family-hauler loads. Sliding-door minivan flex stresses rear damping more than you'd think.
Acura MDX
MDX SH-AWD with the Adaptive Damper System (ADS) is electronically controlled — you can NOT use a passive KYB. We source the correct Honda electronic damper.
Acura TLX
TLX Type S has MagneRide adaptive dampers — magnetically variable fluid, controlled by the chassis ECU. Not user-serviceable; OEM-only replacement, ~3x the cost of a conventional strut.
Acura RDX
RDX A-Spec and Advance have stiffer dampers than base. We match the trim package — installing base struts on an A-Spec changes the entire feel of the car.
What Does Strut & Shock Replacement Cost?
Strut and shock pricing depends on three things: which corner, which model, and whether you have any electronic damping (MagneRide on TLX Type S, ADS on MDX). A basic Civic front-strut pair with alignment is one number; an Acura TLX Type S MagneRide front pair is a very different number — Honda OE only, much higher parts cost.
We always include the four-wheel alignment in our quote — not as an upsell after the work. We also always replace in pairs (both fronts together, both rears together). Single-side replacement creates uneven damping and the car will pull or lean afterward.
Final pricing always comes after we inspect your vehicle. We'll send a written, line-itemized estimate before any work begins.
Typical Honda / Acura Ranges
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Suspension inspection + road test $80 – $130
Free with any service over \$300; otherwise applied to repair.
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Front struts pair (most Hondas) $680 – $1,100
KYB OE, new mounts/bearings, alignment included.
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Rear shocks pair (most Hondas) $420 – $720
KYB OE, new bushings where applicable.
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All four corners (most Hondas) $1,200 – $1,800
Full suspension refresh + alignment.
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MDX ADS / TLX MagneRide front pair $2,200 – $3,800
OEM-only electronic dampers, higher parts cost.
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Genuine Honda upgrade (per corner) +\$80 – \$150
Over OEM-equivalent KYB pricing.
Why Choose Nalley's for Strut & Shock Replacement?
KYB OEM-equivalent or genuine Honda
KYB supplies many Honda struts at the factory. We don't use the Monroe/Gabriel bargain replacements that wear out in 30k miles.
Always in pairs
Replacing a single strut creates a lean and unpredictable handling. We do both fronts or both rears, every time.
New mounts every time
Reusing a 10-year-old top mount on a new strut is the #1 cause of "new strut clunk." We replace them.
Alignment included
Four-wheel alignment is part of the quoted price — not an after-the-fact upcharge. Always.
MagneRide/ADS expertise
We service Acura\'s electronic dampers correctly — recognize them, source the right parts, code as needed.
24/24 written warranty
Two years or 24,000 miles on parts and labor — on top of KYB's own lifetime warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Real answers to the questions Honda and Acura owners ask us most.
How long do Honda struts and shocks last?
Typically 80,000-120,000 miles on most Hondas, though rough pavement, heavy loads, and short trips shorten that significantly. CR-Vs and Odysseys that haul cargo often need shocks earlier.
Do I really need to replace struts in pairs?
Yes — both fronts together or both rears together. A new strut + old strut creates uneven damping that makes the car lean, pull, and handle unpredictably. We won't do singles.
Why do I need an alignment after strut replacement?
Removing the strut disturbs camber and sometimes toe. Without re-alignment, the car will pull and your new tires will wear unevenly within a few thousand miles. We include alignment in the quote.
What's the difference between KYB and Monroe struts?
KYB is the OE supplier for many Honda struts — same engineering, same fitment, same feel as factory. Monroe and Gabriel are aftermarket-only with different valving — they tend to feel "wrong" and wear out faster.
My MDX has Adaptive Damper System. Can I install conventional struts?
No. ADS dampers communicate with the chassis ECU and adjust valving electronically. Installing a passive damper sets a dash warning and disables ADS entirely. Only OEM ADS dampers will work.
How do I know if my struts are bad?
Press hard on each corner and release. The car should bounce once and settle. If it bounces 2-3 times, the damper is gone. Also look for oil streaks on the strut body — a leak means complete failure.
Will new struts fix my cupped tires?
New struts stop the cause but won't un-cup the tires that are already worn. If cupping is mild, tires may even out over time. Severe cupping needs new tires after the strut job.
Why are MagneRide struts so much more expensive?
MagneRide dampers contain magnetically-responsive fluid and an electromagnet — they actively adjust damping 1,000 times per second. The technology is patented and OE-only, with no aftermarket option.
Do I need to replace top mounts when replacing struts?
Yes — we replace top mounts and bearings on every strut job. Reusing them is the #1 cause of post-job clunks, and the parts are inexpensive compared to coming back to do the job twice.
How long does the job take?
Pair of front struts with alignment: typically 3-4 hours. All four corners with alignment: 5-6 hours. Same-day service in most cases.
Bouncy Ride? Cupped Tires? Let's Inspect.
KYB OE-equivalent or genuine Honda struts, in pairs, with new top mounts and four-wheel alignment included.