Owner's book · not a shop
Open HoodKnow the car. Then the window. Factory specs in plain English — don't authorize until you can say this at the counter.
Stamping the aisle…
Fix Finder · Shocks
Shocks · Replace
A dead shock bounces more than once after a driveway. Struts are a spring-and-damper unit on many cars. The counter will ask 2WD or 4WD before they walk the aisle.
Do not buy four corners because one leaked. Measure the leak and the bounce. Springs are a different part if the car sits low.
DIY
A loaded strut compressor can kill you. Complete assemblies are safer for weekend work, still need a torque sequence and an alignment.
Tools: None for the check. A shop for the spring.
In the aisle
The parts person does not start with a SKU. They start with the engine and whether it is 2WD or 4WD. Answer from the bay ticket when we have it.
2WD or 4WD?
They will ask — not on the hook yet
Different mounting, different box. This is the question that stops a wrong strut from leaving the aisle.
Front or rear?
They will ask — not on the hook yet
Four different SKUs on a lot of trucks.
Which engine / payload package?
They will ask — not on the hook yet
HD and police packages change the spring rate.
Parts aisle
Search for year / make / model not on the hook. Not stock. Not TecDoc.
Ride · bin RIDE-1
Complete assembly vs bare. 2WD/4WD first.
Query: strut
Ride · bin RIDE-2
If they are not in the complete assembly.
Query: strut mount