The Honda Odyssey was built to safely haul children back and forth to various activities. Although most people don't consider a blown strut a safety issue, the strut controls the up and down movement of your wheel; if that is compromised, it can lead to loss of control and tire wear issues. Replacing a strut isn't difficult, but you will have to work with a strut spring compressor, which can be daunting. In this case, the project vehicle is a 2005 Honda Odyssey, but the process is similar for other vehicles as well.
Raise up the front of the vehicle using the jack and set the vehicle on the jack stands. Make sure the vehicle is solidly on the stands before crawling underneath it. Take off the front wheels using the tire iron and set them out of the workspace.
Locate the brake line bracket mounted to the front strut and unbolt the line from the strut using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket. Use the flathead screwdriver to pop the clip out on the wheel sensor harness on the other side of the strut, and pull that to the side as well. Then unbolt the sway bar end link from the top of the strut just below the spring pocket using the ratchet and socket.
Pop the hood and unbolt the top of the strut from the strut tower using a 3/8-inch ratchet and socket. Move to the fenderwell again, and use a 3/8-inch ratchet and socket as well as an open-end wrench to remove the two bolts that secure the bottom of the strut to the steering knuckle. Then lift the strut out of the fender well.
Clamp the strut spring compressors onto the spring on the strut so that they compress opposite sides of the spring. Then tighten the spring compressors down using a 3/8-inch ratchet and socket, alternating sides every so often to make sure the tension on the spring is even on both sides. Once you can see the top of the spring or the top of the strut moves freely, stop tightening the compressors.
Place a hex-head key into the center of the strut on the top and loosen the nut on the strut cap using an open-end wrench. Slide the strut out from the strut cap and place it to the side. Transfer the bumpstop, washer and dust cap from the old strut onto the replacement strut, then slide the replacement strut into the coil and the strut cap. Tighten the new strut to the cap and coil using a hex-head key and an open-end wrench.
Loosen the spring compressors using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket until the compressors fall off of the springs, then reinstall the strut in the reverse order of disassembly. Install the tire using the tire iron and lower the vehicle off of the jack stands using the jack.
