Parts for your 2002 Toyota Crown-Struts

Are struts used on the 2002 Toyota Crown?

Short answer: struts aren’t used on the 2002 Toyota Crown (S170 series Royal/ Athlete). The Crown of this era runs double-wishbone suspension at the front and rear with separate shock absorbers, not MacPherson struts.

That call can be backed by technical sources: the S170 Crown service literature and Japanese-market brochures (1999–2003) list double wishbone front and rear, Toyota’s EPC diagrams show upper and lower control arms with a standalone damper, and third-party spec repositories such as Carfolio and the Toyota Crown (S170) technical summaries also publish “double wishbone” for both ends. Those documents detail no structural MacPherson strut assembly on the 2002 Crown passenger models.

Why no struts? Toyota positioned the Crown as a premium, quiet cruiser with sharp stability. A double-wishbone layout lets engineers control camber change and roll more precisely than a MacPherson strut, which helps ride comfort, tyre contact in corners and overall refinement. It also reduces shock and road noise transmission into the cabin—very on-brand for an executive saloon. Packaging under the bonnet and around the firewall is tidier too, as there’s no big strut tower dominating the engine bay.

Worth noting: some owners mix the Crown up with the Crown Comfort taxi (XS10), a different model that did use MacPherson struts up front. The 2002 Crown Royal/Athlete discussed here is the S170 passenger line, and that’s the one with double wishbones and separate shocks.

Because there are no “struts” to replace, servicing focuses on the parts the Crown actually uses:

• Shock absorbers (dampers): check for leaks, weeping, or bounce, replace in axle pairs.
• Upper/lower control arm bushings and ball joints: look for play, splits, and clunks over bumps.
• Sway bar links and bushes: common wear points that cause front-end rattles.
• Wheel alignment: essential after any arm/bushing/shock work to protect tyres.
• Variants with TEMS or self-levelling/air components (where fitted): inspect sensors, wiring and air bladders for leaks or faults.

Regular inspections (every service or ~20,000 km), listening for knocks, and watching for uneven tyre wear will keep a 2002 Crown feeling planted and comfy without chasing “strut” parts it was never built to use.

FAQs

Does a 2002 Toyota Crown have struts or shocks?

It runs double-wishbone suspension with separate shock absorbers, not MacPherson struts. Only the Crown Comfort taxi (a different model line) used front struts, which is where the confusion usually starts.

What suspension does the 2002 Toyota Crown use?

Front and rear double wishbones. That setup gives better camber control and refinement than a typical strut design, which suits the Crown’s luxury brief. Service items include shocks, bushings, ball joints and sway bar links.

Can MacPherson struts be fitted to a 2002 Crown?

Not practically. Converting to struts would mean heavy re-engineering of towers, geometry, and compliance parts. It’s far better to refresh the existing double-wishbone gear with quality shocks and bushes.