Per Vehicle, By Model Year
Ram 1500 Strut Replacement Cost by Year (2009 to 2026)
A front pair of Ram 1500 struts installed at an independent shop typically runs $450 to $900 on a standard coil-sprung truck in 2026, or $750 to $1,200 at a Ram dealership. The Ram 1500 uses a front coil-over strut and a rear shock absorber, so the usual strut job is a front pair. The big exception is the Active-Level Four-Corner air suspension, where each air strut can run $1,200 to $2,600 or more, which is why some national estimates for this truck look wildly higher than others.
Quick numbers (front pair, 2026): independent shop $450 to $900, chain shop $550 to $1,000, Ram dealer $750 to $1,200. Rear uses shock absorbers, not struts, so a rear pair is a separate, cheaper job at $120 to $360 installed. Air-suspension trucks are a different job entirely (see below).
Struts or shocks: what the Ram 1500 actually uses
The Ram 1500 runs a front coil-over strut and a rear shock absorber across every recent generation. The front damper is genuinely a strut, and the aftermarket sells it as a complete Quick-Strut assembly, pre-loaded with spring and mount so no spring compressor is needed. The 2009 to 2018 DS truck and the 2019 to 2024 Ram 1500 Classic share the Monroe 172292 front assembly, while the 2019 to 2026 DT takes the Monroe 73117.
The rear is where the platforms differ, and neither uses a strut. The 2009 to 2018 DS and the Classic use a leaf-sprung rear damped by conventional shocks. The 2019 to 2026 DT switched to a coil-sprung five-link rear, unusual for a half-ton truck, but still damped by shocks rather than struts. So a rear damper job on any Ram 1500 is a shock replacement, faster and cheaper than the front because there is no spring work.
One caveat runs through the whole truck: if it has the optional Active-Level Four-Corner air suspension, the standard coil struts and shocks are replaced by computer-controlled air struts at all four corners. Those are a different part, a different price, and a different repair strategy, covered in its own section below.
Ram 1500 cost by generation
| Generation (model years) | Parts (front pair) | Labor | Total installed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 to 2018 (DS) | $210 to $400 | $220 to $380 | $450 to $850 | Front coil-over strut; Monroe 172292 complete assembly widely stocked |
| 2019 to 2024 (Classic) | $210 to $420 | $220 to $380 | $450 to $860 | Continued DS body; same 172292 front strut as the 2009 to 2018 truck |
| 2019 to 2026 (DT) | $270 to $640 | $230 to $400 | $500 to $980 | New platform; Monroe 73117 bare strut or complete assembly, 4WD costs more |
Parts ranges are anchored to current aftermarket retail for the named Monroe assemblies at PartsGeek, ShockWarehouse and similar retailers, with premium and OE-grade parts at the high end. Labor is modeled at independent-shop rates of $105 to $145 per hour for a front-pair job of roughly 1.8 to 2.4 hours; dealer labor runs 30 to 50 percent higher. These are modeled estimates, not collected quotes, so confirm your price with a local shop.
Real aftermarket part prices
The parts side of a Ram 1500 strut job is easy to price because the front assemblies are stocked and published. These are the units most shops fit and most DIYers buy, with prices checked in August 2026.
| Part | Fits | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe 172292 (complete front) | 2009 to 2018 Ram 1500, 2019 to 2024 Classic | $106 to $122 each | Complete Quick-Strut; pre-loaded spring and mount, no spring compressor needed |
| Monroe 73117 (bare front strut) | 2019 to 2025 Ram 1500 (DT), 2WD and 4WD | About $134 each | Bare OESpectrum strut; complete strut-and-coil assemblies run $230 to $320 each |
| Rear shock (pair) | All standard coil and leaf trucks | $120 to $360 | Rear is a shock, not a strut; faster job with no spring work |
Part prices are retailer list prices checked August 2026 (Monroe 172292 at $121.70 on ShockWarehouse and $105.97 on PartsGeek; Monroe 73117 at about $134). A bare strut is cheaper than a complete assembly but needs a spring compressor to swap the coil, which is why most shops fit complete units.
The air suspension caveat, and why RepairPal figures swing
Ram offers an Active-Level Four-Corner air suspension on higher trims (Laramie Longhorn, Limited, and others). It replaces the coil struts and shocks with air struts that raise and lower the truck and adjust damping electronically. When one fails, and they commonly do past 90,000 miles, the replacement air strut alone runs well into four figures, so budget $1,200 to $2,600 or more per corner installed, or a good deal more at the dealer.
This is the reason national estimate tools look inconsistent for the Ram 1500. RepairPal's figure for a 2014 Ram 1500 suspension shock or strut replacement is $485 to $1,006, a normal coil-truck number. Its figure for a 2016 Ram 1500 is $5,685 to $6,206, with $5,392 to $5,776 of that in parts alone, because the parts lookup is pulling the air strut rather than the standard coil unit. If you see a Ram 1500 strut estimate in the thousands, it is almost certainly quoting the air-suspension job. Many owners with failed air struts convert to a conventional coil-strut kit precisely to escape that cost.
RepairPal national estimates cited: 2014 Ram 1500 $485 to $1,006 (labor $293 to $430, parts $192 to $576); 2016 Ram 1500 $5,685 to $6,206 (labor $293 to $430, parts $5,392 to $5,776). The parts gap is the air strut, not a harder job. Figures include parts and labor and exclude tax.
Ram 1500 versus other full-size trucks
| Vehicle | Front pair installed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ram 1500 front pair installed | $450 to $900 | Standard coil truck, independent shop |
| Ford F-150 front pair installed | $420 to $800 | Front coil-over strut, rear shocks |
| Chevy Silverado front pair installed | $430 to $820 | MagneRide trims cost significantly more |
| Toyota Tacoma front pair installed | $380 to $720 | Mid-size truck, front coil-over struts |
On a standard coil truck the Ram 1500 sits right in the half-ton pack for front-strut cost, close to the F-150 and Silverado. What sets the Ram apart is the air-suspension option: a larger share of Rams left the factory with air than F-150s or Silverados, so a used-truck buyer is more likely to inherit the expensive air-strut repair down the road. Check the door-jamb build sheet or the trim before assuming a cheap coil job.
Labor time and alignment
A front-pair coil-strut job on the Ram 1500 runs about 1.8 to 2.4 hours of labor because the truck is tall, the strut is heavy, and the upper mount bolts sit under the hood-line cowl. Complete Quick-Strut assemblies cut roughly 30 to 40 minutes off bare-strut work by eliminating the spring compressor step. Chain shops bill toward the top of that range; independent shops often book the pair at 1.8 to 2.0 hours.
Ram specifies a four-wheel alignment after any front strut replacement. That runs $85 to $115 at an independent shop or $115 to $155 at a dealer. Trucks with forward-facing camera or radar driver-assist (available on later DT trims) may need an ADAS recalibration after a ride-height change, typically $150 to $300. See our alignment guide for what skipping alignment costs in tire life.
DIY strategy on the Ram 1500
A DIY front-pair job using Monroe complete assemblies takes 3 to 4 hours in the driveway for a competent home mechanic, no spring compressor required. The parts run about $210 to $640 for the pair depending on platform and 2WD versus 4WD, plus $35 to $55 for an alignment shop visit afterward, a $250 to $500 saving versus an independent shop. The realistic risk is the lower strut bolt on rust-belt trucks, which can seize; soak it with penetrating oil the night before and keep a long breaker bar handy. See the DIY versus mechanic page for the full tool list and break-even analysis. Air-suspension trucks are not a driveway job because the system needs a scan tool to depressurise and recalibrate.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Ram 1500 strut replacement cost?
On a standard coil-sprung Ram 1500, a front pair of struts installed typically runs $450 to $900 at an independent shop and $750 to $1,200 at a Ram dealership in 2026. The front uses a coil-over strut; a Monroe complete front assembly is about $106 to $135 per side, or $230 to $320 per side for a heavy-duty 4WD complete unit. Trucks with the Active-Level Four-Corner air suspension are a different job entirely, with air struts running $1,200 to $2,600 or more per corner.
Does the Ram 1500 have struts or shocks?
The Ram 1500 uses a front coil-over strut and a separate rear shock absorber. The front damper is a strut that the aftermarket sells as a complete Quick-Strut assembly (Monroe 172292 for the 2009 to 2018 truck and 2019 to 2024 Classic, Monroe 73117 for the 2019 to 2025 DT). The rear is a shock absorber, not a strut: the 2009 to 2018 DS and the Classic use a leaf-sprung rear, while the 2019 to 2026 DT uses a coil-sprung five-link rear, both damped by conventional shocks.
Why do RepairPal Ram 1500 strut estimates vary so much by year?
Because RepairPal's part lookup pulls the air-suspension strut on some model years. A 2014 Ram 1500 shows a national estimate of $485 to $1,006, which is a normal coil-truck figure, but a 2016 Ram 1500 shows $5,685 to $6,206 because the parts line is picking up the Active-Level air strut (about $5,392 to $5,776 in parts alone). Read those high figures as the air-suspension job, not the standard coil replacement.
Is the Ram 1500 Classic the same as the new Ram 1500 for strut cost?
No. When Ram launched the fifth-generation DT truck for 2019 it kept the previous DS body in production as the Ram 1500 Classic through 2024. The two use different front strut part numbers: the Classic takes the Monroe 172292 complete assembly (the same part as the 2009 to 2018 truck), while the new DT takes the Monroe 73117. Front-pair installed cost is broadly similar on standard coil trucks, roughly $450 to $900 at an independent shop, but always confirm the application by VIN because Classic and DT parts do not interchange.
Can I replace Ram 1500 front struts myself?
Yes, if you buy complete strut assemblies. A pair of Monroe Quick-Strut units comes pre-loaded with the coil spring and mount, so no spring compressor is needed, and a competent home mechanic can do the front pair in 3 to 4 hours. Parts run about $210 to $640 for the pair depending on platform and 2WD versus 4WD, plus a $85 to $115 alignment afterward, saving $250 to $500 versus an independent shop. Air-suspension trucks are not a driveway job.