Strut Replacement Cost: Parts, Labor and DIY vs Shop

For a pair of front struts on a 2009–2013 F-150, parts run $370 (Duralast) to $800 (KYB) on our site. A shop adds labor, which independent shops often quote at $280 to $400 for the F-150 front, and either way you need an alignment, typically $125 to $250. Our prices are per single strut and you need two, so set the quantity to 2.

What strut replacement costs at a glance

Here’s a front pair on a 2009–2013 F-150, using your own install or a shop’s.

.	DIY (you install, shop aligns)	Independent shop installs
Parts, Duralast pair	$370	$370
Parts, KYB pair	$800	$800
Labor	$0	$280–$400
Alignment	$125–$250	$125–$250
Total, Duralast	$495–$620	$775–$1,020
Total, KYB	$925–$1,050	$1,205–$1,450

Every total here is parts plus the ranges above, nothing more. Dealers charge more per hour. Before you buy, ask your shop whether they’ll install parts you bring and whether that changes their labor warranty.

Parts: what you actually pay

Our prices are per single unit. A front axle takes two.

Vehicle	Part	Per unit	Per pair
F-150 (front, 2009–2013)	Duralast Loaded Strut LS53-90391B	$185	$370
F-150 (front, 2009–2013)	KYB Loaded Strut ASR4172	$400	$800
Mustang (front, 2011–2014, without Performance Package)	Duralast Loaded Strut LS54-94961B	$205	$410
Mustang	KYB Loaded Strut BSR4167	$222	$444

The brand gap on the F-150 is $430 per pair. On the Mustang it’s $34. If you’re debating Duralast versus KYB, that difference should decide it, along with warranty details.

A loaded strut includes the spring, mount and related hardware, so you don’t compress the spring yourself. One independent mechanic’s worked example put the loaded route about $170 higher overall than replacing the strut and mount separately. That’s a single example, not a rule, so price both routes for your truck.

Labor: hours and shop rates

Published labor figures vary a lot. One insurer-backed guide quotes $150–$300 in labor per strut, J.D. Power says the job takes about two to three hours, and the same guide’s front-strut estimates run $300–$700 each. Those are general numbers, not Ford-specific.

For Ford trucks, RepairPal’s estimator is the closest named source. The figures below come from your notes.

• F-150: $790–$1,003 total, split roughly $352–$516 labor and $438–$487 parts.
• Typical shop rates: $115–$160 per hour at independents and $145–$195 at dealers.
• Book time: about 2.0–3.0 hours for a front pair.

Quotes differ because of the labor rate, parts brand, what’s bundled in, and whether the figure is per strut or per pair. Always ask which one you’re being quoted.

What else lands on the bill

• Alignment: $125–$250 at independent shops and chains, and $175–$250 at dealers. Front struts affect how the wheel is positioned, so get it done.
• Upper strut mounts: a loaded assembly includes them. If you buy a bare strut, they’re extra.
• Sway bar end links and bushings: worn ones can leave a clunk after new struts go on. Over 80,000 miles they’re worth inspecting.

DIY vs shop: a worked example

Front suspension is safety-critical. A loaded strut removes the spring-compressor step, but it’s still a job on the part of the truck that steers. Follow your truck’s service information, and use a shop if you’re not comfortable.

Choose DIY if:

• You have jack stands, a breaker bar, and half a day.
• You’re fine paying a shop only for the alignment.
• The savings matter: about $280–$400 on an F-150 front pair, per your labor figures.

Choose a shop if:

• You don’t have the tools or a safe place to work.
• The truck is needed back on the road by tonight.
• You want labor covered under the shop’s warranty.

Order tips:

• Set quantity to 2.
• Confirm year and drivetrain fitment on the listing before checkout.

For fleet managers

Parts for five trucks run $1,850 (Duralast) or $4,000 (KYB) at our prices. Downtime matters as much as parts. Use this to plan:

Total downtime hours = truck count × (install hours + alignment hours + scheduling buffer)

Example: 5 trucks × (2.5 install + 1 alignment + 1.5 buffer) = 25 hours. Replace those hours with your own numbers. They’re planning inputs, not benchmarks.

Before you pay: is it really the struts?

Don’t buy struts for a noise until you’ve ruled out the other parts that make the same noise. The full diagnosis is in our previous post how to diagnose bad struts This is the short version.

What you notice	Strut-related?	What else to check
Oily fluid on the strut or shock body	Yes, a leaking seal	Nothing else; it’s the strongest strut sign
Bounce after a bump	Likely	Tire pressure and tire condition
Squeak over bumps	Possible	Sway bar bushings, ball joints
Thud over rough pavement	Possible	Sway bar links, control arm bushings, ball joints, upper mount bolts

Forum owners on other makes often report chasing a thud through several parts. Lubricant may quiet a squeak for a while, but it’s not a repair.

Cost by model

Model	Parts per pair (ours)	Reference estimate
F-150 front (2009–2013)	$370–$800	RepairPal: $790–$1,003
Mustang front (2011–2014)	$410–$444	RepairPal, 2011 Mustang: $462–$692
Ranger	See below	RepairPal, older Ranger: $527–$619

Ranger: the parts we stock are shocks, not struts, so there’s no spring to deal with. Our shocks run $47–$112 each, which is $94–$224 per pair. The Ranger estimate in your notes breaks down to about $176–$258 labor and $351–$360 parts. Our parts are for older Rangers, not the 2019 and later trucks.

FAQ

Does insurance cover strut replacement?
Usually not, because insurers treat struts as normal wear. Check your policy and any warranty on the vehicle.

How long do struts last?
One source puts typical life at 50,000 to 100,000 miles. Rough roads and heavy loads shorten that.

Next step

Pick your model below, set quantity to 2, and confirm year and drivetrain before checkout: F-150 shocks and struts, Mustang shocks and struts, Ranger shocks and struts. If you’re not sure what you have, see the shock vs strut comparison guide.