Hi,
I have a bad strut on the front (leakage), so I placed an order for KYB strut assembly kit (SR4074/SR4075) today. Maybe Honda OEM is actually KYB? I am a Youtube DIY Mechanic that does not know much. I only have one car, so I want to do it myself. What else do I want to replace since I will be there?

Car: Accord 2002 4 cyliner, 140K miles
Experience: brake pads replacement, Valve cover gasket replacement

Questions:
1. It seemed not too difficult to do it. Good idea to attack it myself?
2. Is there anything else to replace? When you do a timing belt, you change the water pump as well. Same idea. I hear sway bars, arms etc. How do you know if they are bad?
3. Do I want to replace rear shocks as well? If I do, do I want to buy KYB brand again? That is another $260. Someone mentioned FCB brand, which costs $50 each. What do you think? Rear is less important than the front, right? I want to keep this baby for another 10 years.
4. Do I need a power ratchet? I have a regular impact drill, but not those small, skinny ones.
5. Anything else to check from under around the area? I know nothing about ball joint and so on. Before I take it to an alignment, I want to fix all that I can, so that they don't scare me with other "potential" problems.

How it started was that I had a flat on a rear tire. A small tire shop fixed it, but the guy said "The tire is worn unevenly. Take it for alignment. I don't have the equipment here." It seems that this one tire on rear passenger side is the only one that have this problem. (I don't rotate tires, but it used to be on the front before I bought 2 new tires.) I don't know how to fix it, but I got under the car and found a leak on a front strut. The rear end - We (a friend that knows about cars and I) did not see anything visually. I have not hit a pothole, and people say that if you have not had a wreck, or a pothole, the rear alignment is not usually needed. Anyway, I need to do the strut assembly first.

Thank you!

 

I did it. One side was relatively easy, but the other side was really difficult to re-align everything to put the bolt through. I scratch the shaft and some paint came off. Hopefully it won't rust.
Good to have another person,just to stand on the bar while you align.

Are the rear ones even harder?