2017 Cadillac XTS Front Strut Replacement (Follow Correct Process)

Replacing parts in your vehicle could take a toll on your wallet but remains an essential maintenance requirement, especially since you have little control over the wear and tear of these parts.

Also, all the components of your car are necessary and should always remain healthy regardless of their size or position.

For example, the front strut of a 2017 Cadillac XTS is an essential component of its suspension system.

Therefore, it is best to replace the front strut of your 2017 XTS when you notice any issue. This part of the Cadillac is responsible for its stealthy nature. It unites a coil spring and the front shock absorber. It will enable the tires of the car to contact the ground regardless of road bumps.

Does a Cadillac XTS have shocks or struts?

Sure, a Cadillac XTS has both shocks and struts and not either shocks or struts. However, these two parts of your Cadillac XTS are not the same.

Although they are related, serving under the suspension system, they differ in function. Many people often refer to these parts as ‘shock absorber struts.’

They are often called “shock absorber struts” because their functions are identical. Shocks control the springs of your Cadillac and keep it from bouncing excessively.

It is more of a hydraulic component of the car.

On the other hand, the strut maintains the car’s balance by giving the suspension system a structure. It has a shock absorber and spring coil.

The strut is more rugged than the shock, so it is at Cadillac’s XTS front wheel. It bears the weight of the engine.

Not all vehicles come with a strut. For example, shocks and springs can be placed as a strut in some vehicles because the strut is merely a combination of coil springs and shock absorbers.

Struts are always placed horizontally behind your tires; shocks are vertically positioned.

So, if you only see one of these positionings, it is obvious your car has one. However, if the two positionings are there, yours is two.

You will hardly feel discomfort when you are in a car with both the shocks and struts. The movement of the car on speed bumps is hardly noticeable. 

However, a single wheel of your vehicle can not have a strut and a shock. Either the wheel has a strut or a shock and not both.

The only difference is their combination. For example, some cars have the struts on the front wheel, and the shock will be on the rear wheels and vice versa.

The cars made in the late 90s have shocks in the rear and strut in the front wheel.

However, older cars have only shock absorbers positioned at the vehicle’s four wheels. So your Cadillac XTS rear wheel has struts, while the Cadillac XTS front wheel has shocks.

Can I Just Replace My Front Struts?

I would not recommend replacing only your front struts. It is best to replace both the front and rear suspension struts simultaneously.

Still, some people insist on replacing structs individually, but you shouldn’t.

It will ensure consistency in your car. Asides from that, if one of the shock absorber struts should go bad, then it is obvious the other one will follow suit.

Have you ever wondered why they sell struts in pairs? It is because they function together as one.

You will not experience a comfortable ride if one of the struts is not in good shape.

So, you can’t just replace your front struts, neglecting the rear struts. However, it all comes down to what you decide, especially influenced by the cash you have in hand.

It will be cheaper to replace just the front strut than the pair of struts. You can replace just the front suspension strut if it comes down to financial reasons.

Moreover, you will have to brace yourself for the discomfort of inconsistent struts. I only said you could replace only one strut if there is no other alternative to getting the pair.

The best option will always be to simultaneously change both front and rear struts. 

I would also not recommend that you make strut changing in your Cadillac a DIY project.

You need to have an experience in the mechanical engineering field to be able to pull that off.

So, if you have little experience in the field, you can follow my guide to change your struts.

• Use a jack to raise your car and place a jack stand under it. It ensures you have enough space to work under and safety while you work.
• Then, remove the wheels of your car.
•  Loosen the bolts that hold the struts and shocks at the bottom with a spring compressor
• You will also loosen the bolt at the top of the strut and shock. It is inside the engine compartment.
• Put in the new ones after loosening the bolts and taking off the old struts and shocks.
• Then place the bolts you removed the way it is supposed to be

Note: Always use a spring compressor when loosening the bolts at the bottom.

Remember, the struts and shocks contain springs that might injure you or further damage the car if not done properly.

How Do I Know If My Jeep Shocks Are Bad?

How Much Does it Cost to Replace a Front Strut?

It will cost you $150 to $450 to replace a single strut. That is the best offer for the front suspension strut.

However, it would be best to replace both struts even though the other strut looks okay.

So, it will cost you an average of $300 to $900 to replace a pair of struts. The variation in the cost is due to the different models and makes of cars we have.

Labor is not included in the cost mentioned, so you will have to keep the cash separately.

The charge for labor is not too expensive, and it depends on the dealership you go to for work. Moreover, it will cost between $150 to $300 to replace the pair of struts.

So, always remember that you will need to replace both the front shock absorber strut and rear shock absorber strut. 

You should think about anything from 50,000 to 100,000 miles using your car. Amazon offers Cadillac XTS pair of front suspension struts, which costs only $320 there.

To get both the front and rear struts of a Cadillac XTS will cost $640. So it is not just the front strut and labor you should consider.

Whenever you change the rear shock absorber or the front suspension strut, a wheel alignment should accompany it.

As you should already know, tempering with a suspension system might change your wheel angles. 

Read more: Can Cadillac XT4 be Flat Towed?

Conclusion

The front suspension strut of a Cadillac XTS is as relevant as other car components. It makes the overall performance of the car better and smooth.

Also, it makes driving comfortable by minimizing the effect of bumps on the road. However, replace Cadillac XTS front and rear struts when developing an issue.