Toyota Avalon Suspension Questions

hawiianavowner · June 2007

Just a few more questions:

Do I have to take the sway bar links off also? It seems that the the upper end of the link would be hard to remove unless the wheel was off. So if no wheel removal, are you saying to just unbolt the lower end of the link in order to remove sway bar?
Also if I do have to remove the links, do they have bushings or washers or anything else that may need changing?
If so I'll have to get them ahead of time from the dealer.

thanks again, i really appreciate it.

55396 · June 2007

If you are only changing the sway bar bushings, you don't need to remove anything but the brackets for the bushings themselves. Just keep both sides of the car at the same height to avoid preload.

texases · June 2007

I'm considering a new Avalon, and was thinking about getting the touring suspension. Only problem is the lower-profile, shorter-life tires. Anyone have a preference on touring vs. XL+aftermarket shocks?

abfisch · June 2007

What a great question. I am not sure exactly what you get with the touring besides lower profile tires, and larger wheels. And, how much extra it is. When I bought my Avalon in 02, they did not have that option. And the diff. in the XLS, and all the electronic gizmos I really was not interested in anyway. Sometimes touring models, have more motorsport oriented parts, sometimes not.

If you don't want to mess around, I would think that the touring model is the way to go. I probably spent close to 2-3K modifying the Avalon, the way I wanted it. TokicoHPshocks, Energy Suspension PU bushings for the sway bars and control arms and obviously a new alignment, tax, and the hassle factor. The shocks I could not do myself, nor the control arms. The ride and handling are definitely unique, that is for sure. It doesn't ride like my BMW with the sports package, but I had a choice today and took the Avalon. I just wanted to put her in drive and go. Nothing more comfortable.

abfisch

texases · June 2007

Thanks for the info - I got interested in the touring when CandD had it finishing first among 6cyl sporty but mainstream sedans.

55396 · June 2007

"Anyone have a preference on touring vs. XL+aftermarket shocks?"

You may want to check resale values. People don't usually consider that. Also depends if you like to do things in stages to see the result. That's me. I like to make something the way I want it, and I can take it as far as I like. Like AB says, we now have something unique. I'm quite satisfied. If you want to float like a butterfly - or a Buick, stock struts are probably OK. Maybe just do bushings. I like more control, albeit with a bit stiffer ride, so did bushings and KYB GR2 struts. Come to think of it, I haven't installed my rear bushings yet. The fronts made a noticeable difference. Check bar size before ordering. Mine, on our 03 were an odd size. 17mm, and I could only get 16mm bushings for the rear, so I need to resize the holes.

hawiianavowner · June 2007

Ok, thanks!!! I see now it must mean the bushings are split to allow removal and installation...it wasn't so obvious from the pics in the factory manual, nor I haven't gotten my order yet.

toyota12 · June 2007

This is in follow-up to the problems of many others including myself with strut mount noise over bumps and rough surfaces. Despite new shocks, mounts and anti-swaybar bushings, I still had excessive noise soon after each repair. Not as bad as the original clunk over a pothole of the rear-left but enough to be annoying and aggravating. Once having the rear seat out completely and exposing the upper mount assembly, I was able to tell, see and feel that the strut mounts were "loose" while in the rear seat area with another person driving and all it took was a slight amount of pressure to quiet them down. I am sure there is suppose to be a little play however for after all the top of the strut is moving up and down and the mount is like a ball-joint. I have seen that with the struts, as an accessory one can obtain a bump guard or jounce bump which helps with bottoming out but in my case the noise was generated with even 15 mph over a slightly irregular residential street that caused the suspension to "jiggle."

"abfisch" had noted a few times that all was needed was to tighten the 3 retaining bolts down. This sounded reasonable but in my case they were already as tight as they could be and were already flush.

I experimented and built the area up using some towels and foam rubber and replaced the rear seat and this took 80% of the noise away. Although this was good, I wanted a more permanent and gratifing fix to this few year old problem that I had spent considerable money and time on to replace all the possible offending parts. I had Monroe Sensa-traks struts and mounts placed since the Toyota dealership wanted twice the amount. It may be that it takes a true Toyota OEM strut and mount that may fit somewhat different and be "tuned" for the way the car was set-up but I had my repairs done piecemeal and this thought is in retrospect.

I just did get a can of "Great Stuff" for cracks and gaps--a spray foam that expands and binds and squirted this on top of the mounts in hopes this would create pressure and a seal and reduce the noise and bind-up that little bit of movement from the upper aspect. So far this worked like a charm. I replaced and tried every other bit of repair and this less than $5 fix seems to be the best. Hope this helps someone else.

abfisch · June 2007

I don't remember writing about the top nuts but maybe I did. The main thing with the noise though is the strut mounts themselves, which should be replaced when the struts are replaced. Toyota has had problems in the past with the wear of these parts. Just go to any Spring and Axle place, and they should be able to give you a fair assessment.

The spray foam sounds like a messy but fair idea. Usually the noise is caused by motion, something that "Great Stuff" would be able to suppress but not eliminate. Whatever works though. Good enough.

abfisch

abfisch

dreameral · July 2007

How do you remove the rear seat cushion section. It seems attached and I don't see and screws holding it in place. I don't want to force it

toyota12 · July 2007

The rear seat consists of the seat itself cushion and the rear back rest.

The seat portion is snapped-in place. Just pull up on one end near the front portion of it and it will come loose--do this again for the other side. There is a stronger snap-in for the mid-portion--again use steady force in the front rear and this will come out. Don't worry--you will not break anything (my same thoughts initially). The fasteners to the seat are very sturdy and I have taken it out several times now without difficulty.

After you get this out, the rear portion is bolted down by 4 bolts that secure a U-shaped metal hinge to the rear chassis. There are two in the lower center which are the larger ones and two on the lower aspect at the very ends. A hex wrench is useful for the 2 center ones and either that or just the right type of wrench is needed for the outer two.

Now be on the lookout that the seatbelt fasteners are attached to the two most-centered bolts and the seat-belts from the rear deck also cross over the rear cushion backrest but they are easily moved aside.

The rear back is held securely by three rear hinges that fit in a socket-like assembly but doesn't snap in place.

I found it best as it is awkard to remove it--I stand where the rear seat that was just removed--position myself centrally, squat down (thanks to the amble rear passenger seat and leg room) and put both hands underneath it and lift upards. Best to have two people do it from each side of course but if you don't have a helper, one can do it just barely!!

You can either slide it forward to get to the rear strut mount upper assembly or if you want to remove it entirely, then move the seatbelts out of the way and tweak it out (bit cumbersome but after a few times it gets to be old hat.

The putting back the two cushions is essentially the reverse--just be sure that the three rear fasteners go up and over and into the 3 slots so it fits flush with the rear. Also, when putting the seat portion back in, you have to thread the three seatbelt fasteners--one is a double through the appropriate holes in the cushion.

You cannot break anything or do any harm. Many car parts such as carpet fasteners in the trunk or headlamps or door panels have these plastic snap-like material that after a car gets some age on it, they may become brittle and caution and easy-going is the key. But the snaps for the seat are heavy-duty--it is only the seat cushion itself that snaps from three points and yes the first time you have to give a little heave-ho. The rear cushion just fastens into a holder and then bolts in from the front area.

And by the way, my spray of Great Stuff so far has solved my problem of the upper strut mount assembly having too much play and annoying noises over rough pavement. My $5 can fix (only used probably 50 cents worth) has done a much better job than the $700 I spent replacing the strut mounts, struts and anti-sway bar bushings. It took me some repairs, going to several places, etc. but I essentially finally figured it out myself and have a better knowledge of it than most mechanics who offered their recommendations.

Now granted the first one had replaced the strut mount and that was essentially the problem the whole time. Initially it really made a metal-to-metal noise over pot-holes, manholes, etc. But I don't know why it didn't fix it 100%. Unless the Toyota strut mounts are somehow different that other manufacturers. My car has 170,000 miles on it and I am sure the springs are soft and the rear doesn't sit up as high as it did when new (since my Mom has the same exact car and year but with 30,000 miles on it and hers sits up higher)--but all the mechanics noted that this shouldn't have anything to do with it--and normally springs do pretty good and rarely need replacing so unless it is broken or something, they will not recommend replacing it. Perhaps ideally I need to replace those too or perhaps get a new Avalon!!!

But it is running good and there is no noise now so things are good for now. I bought it new in 1996 with the hopes of getting 200,000 miles on it or more and so far still trying to achieve that goal.

abfisch · July 2007

Great post. Don't sell it; the new ones are not the same.

abfisch

tjc78 · July 2007

"Don't sell it; the new ones are not the same"

That's right they are roomier, more powerful and get better fuel economy.

I loved my '03 XL but the '06 XLS I own now beats it in every way with the exception of the front seats. The '03s were a bit larger.

abfisch · July 2007

tjc78:

You know I feel just the opposite. I guess that is why they changed it. I have an 02 with a bench seat. Like seating in a living room. I sat in the new one. Not only did the console hit my knees when my foot was on the gas with the seat all the way back, but I hit my head getting out of the car on the roof line. And then the trunk is much smaller, and then although the stats are greater, it cannot tow over 1000lbs. Soooo. I walked away from it, going, numbers can be deceiving, but this new one does not do it for me. And for the 30K, I found something that was alot more fun, from a fun standpoint. If that is what you mean by "beat it". The new one is a very nice, comfortable cruising car, people on this thread still complain time to time about the suspension. But suspension issues usually arise with the age and mileage of the vehicles, not with someone that is I guess lucky enough to change vehicles every three years.

abfisch

55396 · July 2007

"And then the trunk is much smaller"

I assume that was the trade off for the reclining rear seats - which I would never use. Sounds like a sales gimmick to me. They may work fine, but when I own a car, I drive it or ride in the front. If someone wants to ride along, they can damn well sit upright and suffer. There, I said it and I'm glad. Seriously, does anyone use this feature? How? For Grannie?

nimimi · July 2007

So far, I've only taken a few longer trips with more than two people in the car. My daughter and much younger sister-in-law praised the comfort and room of the rear seat. So, if all your trips are by yourself, the back seat is useless -- use it the same way you do your trunk and carry golf clubs, suitcases, bags, etc. back there. But if you have friends and relatives that accompany you anywhere, they'll praise your car for its comfort and convenience.

fin · July 2007

Never use the recline feature. The back seat is almost excessive.. Agree, the car needs a larger trunk as this one is smaller than the prior generation trunk.

The bottom line here is that no car has it all. Not even the "next generation" of the same car has it better than it was in every area. Another ex: The '07 Limited seats are truly inferior to the '03 XL seats in comfort. Yes, the 07's are heated and cooled, but the '03 was more comfortable as a daily driver.

Overall, if a better family sedan (for us) were out there, we would have it. For now, Avalon wins. Been that way since '98. This is our third one. Enjoy the Avy.....

abfisch · July 2007

Well said fin. It was a good car from the get go and continues to be. Unfortunately, they seem to want to push the electronic gizmos that some enjoy, and take away practical features that others enjoy.

My avalon did not come with a mist feature for the wipers. I know they make it and probably does now. The double unlock feature on the German cars, that roll down all the windows at the same time while the car is in the sun is priceless to me. I was wondering if the new Avalon has this feature.

abfisch

fin · July 2007

To abfisch: After reading the owner's manual and even trying the remote key fob in several random patterns, just for fun, it's apparent that there is no function to put down the windows or open the moonroof by remote on the '07 Avalons.

This feature is available on some Lexus models. And if you read the Edmunds.com Lexus forums you see reports of "openings" happening by themselves for no obvious reason. That's not good. Never heard anyone say this in person, but... maybe. It's wireless signal, so, as you say, more electric gizmos....

Enjoy your Avy... great cars..

tjc78 · July 2007

The Avalon is close enough to a Lexus that I think they leave features out on purpose just to give Lexus that little "leg up". For example that window down function when unlocking the doors can't be more than just a relay or two and cost a few bucks. However, it is just a little extra touch the people who buy Lexus would expect. Same thing goes for the power tilt/telescopic wheel on the ES. They do the same thing with the Avalon and Camry. For example I love that both my Driver and Pass windows are Auto Up/Down on my Av and that my (seldom used) heated seats are variable temp. On the Camry the seats are one setting and the passenger window is manual.

55396 · July 2007

Many times things are deleted or disabled on lesser models.
Example: An item may use an identical circuit board, but a portion of it may not be populated with components for the extra function, and even though the basic board is the same, the assembled boards would carry different part numbers. In other cases, it may just be a missing jumper that could be replaced by an owner to enable that function.

max41 · July 2007

My girlfriend has a 2000 Avalon and has been complaining about clunking from the right rear for months. Like everyone else I have emptied the trunk, removed the spare, etc. to no avail. I thought it might be the trunklid torsion bars but couldn't see where they were hitting. About a week ago it got much worse, the right rear appears to be just floating on the spring and there is a noise almost like threads rubbing along with the clunking as you drive or even just press down on the fender when sitting still. She went to Sears and they ordered struts without looking at the problem and said it would be a week for them to come in.

Guessing maybe the nut on the top of the strut may have come loose and not wanting it to file out the hole if it was not replaceable, I removed the rear seat tonight (great Toyota engineering to require two different sized sockets for the rear seat removal)to see if I could tighten it and found the strut shaft protruding up through the mount after having pospped the plastic cap off! It is totally loose on top although the nut is still on fine. I can't tell for sure in the dark but it looks line the mount has busted leaving a loose collar under the nut.

Looks like I'll have to go to the dealer and buy a couple of mounts or it will be another week when they discover the strut wasn't the main issue. From previous posts it sounds like the dealers don't stock struts... do they generally stock the mounts since this seems to be a chronic lapse in Toyota quality? (In case you can't tell, I've never been a Toyota fan due to a total lack of decent styling, except maybe for the trucks and the older Lexus is300's, and this has done nothing to make me see that their quality ought to override that.) :confuse:

55396 · July 2007

I would certainly look at aftermarket struts as described in these forums multiple times. Stock is junk. Check ebay or Froogle. I have stock ones with 50k on them that I would let go cheap too. I went to KYB GR2's for a more sporty suspension.

abfisch · July 2007

The ride is perfect, isn't it. Sporty or actually alot more controlled, but not too harsh. It is amazing the difference to those that have taken the step out of the OEM lane.

I have about, 70K on my TokicoHP's and I can tell they are just starting to wear a little, but nothing near replacment.

abfisch

smith1 · July 2007

It's not clear to me whether any of the upgrade struts discussed in this thread are available for the CURRENT generation Avalon. The KYB 2007 application catalog (at KYB's website) indicates they do not have a front strut ("NA") for 05-07 Avalon, and lists part number 334388/9 for rear struts for "2004-06" Avalon (!). Since 2004 and 2006 are different generations, I'm not sure what years these actually fit.

I haven't found a Tokico application catalog online, nor have I found any online Tokico seller that lists struts that are indicated to fit the 05-07 Avalon.

Has anyone actually done KYB or Tokico strut upgrades on the 05-07 Avalon? If so I'd appreciate knowing where you got the struts and the part numbers. Thanks.

gerry100 · October 2007

A few years ago when I had my '03, the shocks went " jello" on me at about 30K and I went to KYBs with excellent results.

In my '06 company car the same thing just happened over the last 1000 miles, It does happen quickly and progresses rapidly.

I'd like to take the same route with my '06 XL but initial checks indicate that there isn't an aftermarket shock available.

Anybody aware of any?

smith1 · November 2007

I asked the same question a while back and got no answer. I've wanted to replace my 07 XL shocks with something better since the day I got the car. It doesn't appear KYB/Tokico/etc. are selling shocks for the current gen Avalon yet. Seems like a missed opportunity, as obviously there are people whose OEM shocks are already wearing out (you) and people who would like to trade out the OEMs for something a little firmer (me).

55396 · November 2007

"the shocks went " jello" "

You may want to try Energy Poly sway bar bushings. They improved my 03 quite a bit before I did the new struts. Very inexpensive too. See earlier suspension posts. My old ones only had 50k on them and weren't that bad. May even try to sell them.

toyota12 · December 2007

This is in follow-up to my rear strut mounts on a 1996 Toyota Avalon. I replaced the left rear before as well as the struts for a metal to metal like noise especially during cold weather and going over rough surfaces or over a pothole with the affected side but speed bumps did not seem to incite the problem. This winter my rear right started acting up just as the left did before. Knowing pretty much exactly what was wrong, I found the lowest price at Sears ($80 for labor and $50 for the strut mount) whereas everyone else wanted $325 or more. The mechanic took it for a test drive and did whatever else and said he found nothing wrong with the car and didn't want to replace the strut. I thanked them for their honesty (also Sears does not charge any diagnostic charges at least for this as many auto repair places now seem to want to tack on an $80 or 90 fee --the local Toyota dealership does so as well as many other shops). I said I have been through this before and I'll take the chance of having the strut repaired to eliminate the very annoying and cringing and grimacing over rough surfaces for peace of mind. The other counter person had heard my conversation and said just spray some lithium lubricant on it--I said I was tired of having to take the back seat out for all the temporary fixes and that the nuts were also on as tight as they can be. So far, the replacement has fixed my problem. Next time I will have it done in pairs as such paired things tend to go out within 18 months of each other--CV joints is another fine example of such wear. In my case, nothing short of replacing the strut mounts worked.

tamraw · January 2008

I know nothing about cars and am trying not to get swindled like always. I have a thick bar broken in half hanging down inside of my front driver's side tire. I had one person look so far and they said it was a sway bar and that they would have to get into the steering column to fix it and that they didn't do that. They referred me somewhere else, but the question is that when I look up sway bars on the internet, they don't look the same. The parts I see on the internet are the upper part that is coming down from somewhere up above. But, the part that is broken is the large (approx 1 inch diameter) bar that is supposed to go horizontal toward the middle of the car. This has snaped. Is this indeed a sway bar? Does anyone have any idea what it SHOULD cost to fix something like this? The car runs as smooth as ever and I don't even know how long it has been hanging there! Thanks for any advice.

fin · January 2008

Quick answer: The front sway bar connects the two front wheels to keep the car from "swaying" as it travels on an uneven surface or navigates a corner. There is also a rear sway bar that does the same thing in the rear. The bar is round and somewhat crooked as it goes under the engine, running the entire distance across the car. There may be small, shorter "link rods" at each end that drop down, or go up, to a bracket near the tires. The sway bar is the long rod, not the shorter links.

Wait for a more tech member, such as *abfisch*, to give you a more detailed answer. But at least you know what the sway bar is and what it does. You will likely not hurt the car driving slowly but higher speeds may make it hard to control on some roads. It needs to be fixed. Hope this helps.

mdm4 · January 2008

Does anyone know if you can swap the XLS springs onto a Touring Strut? A friend has a 2008 Touring and would like to soften the ride a bit. I know that the struts between the two models have different part numbers but will it work and will it provide a softer ride? In working on older cars I know that changing the springs have always played an important role in ride quality more so than just changing the shocks. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

toxman · February 2008

">I have a 2001 avalon with 115K on it. Several months ago someone backed into the left rear door. It seemed to be minor damage. However, they did have to replace the back door. Following the accident, I had to replace the left rear bearings because they started making a noise. coincidence?

After the accident, I put new Michelin Primacy tires on it and had it aligned. Then I noticed that it pulled to the left on the highway. The body shop, that is very reputable, checked the frame and it was off by 6 mm in the back. Not much. They realigned it again and everything was straight.

My Avalon still pulls to the left. I'm not sure what to do and am thinking about getting rid of it. I hate to because I just put new brakes, tires, timing belt...the whole enchalada thinking this car would be good for another 250K...

Any advice?

fin · February 2008

Hard to say if the minor accident caused enough stress to damage a bearing. Probably not, but there is no way to know. Mileage alone may have done it. Avalon alignment and the pulling to one side on this 5 model year run can be a problem. Search Edmunds Avalon forums for many past discussions on this subject.

Try this, in order: First, check all air pressure. Next, rotate tires diagonally. This will resolve tire defect causes. Make sure wheels are torqued properly at rotation as mag wheels will warp. After driving, if it still pulls, check the brake rotor temp with a heat sensor. Dragging calipers can cause pulling.

If it still pulls to one side, it's the alignment. It did not do it before the work, now it does. Find settings that eliminate the pull. Had to do this on my '03 XL, same basic car you have. It can be done, my tire guy did it. Hope this helps. Good luck.

55396 · February 2008

My 03 had a pull to the left also. We couldn't get the adjustment to go quite far enough to eliminate it, so installed an eccentric kit to provide additional adjustment.

abc222001 · August 2008

I have a '98 Toyota Avalon bought new and early on I experienced rattling in the passenger front wheel area. Ultimately, a Toyota dealer diagnosed it as a defective strut and replaced the right front strut under warranty.

So, 10 years later, my Avalon, which drove like JELLO ON WHEELS since day 1, is driving the same as always. It was always fine with me as I bought it to drive to a job down an interstate. These days, I drive to work in the city and with no problems. It's a mushy car, and always was.

I took my Avalon to CarX because of issues with my lifetime warranty replacement brakes (of course they couldn't hear the problem I described but that will be dealt with).

They pointed out that my '98 Toyota Avalon XL with 72K miles needed new struts and mentioned the wear and tear risks of not fixing them. The CarX manager quoted a price of $1,200 to $1,500 to replace my struts!

Needless to say, I declined.

This has been a FANTASTIC car with no problems, although I did replace brake rotors, etc. once at CarX.

This car was mushy out of the lot. I presume it had original struts/shocks that were poorly designed, but I see no reason to replace them given current mileage of under 7k per year.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2008

If you see unusual tire wear that could be an indication that you're pushing your luck. 72K miles seems a little premature but if we put say some new Bilsteins on your car you wouldn't believe the difference you'd feel I'm sure.

However, if you are experiencing no control issues, no cupping or feathering of your tires, and no excessive bouncing/bottoming out, then I guess you're good to go for a while longer.

55396 · August 2008

Not sure if there is a question here, but this topic has been beaten to death. I replaced struts etc. on mine, just because we prefer a more taut controlled ride and like to drive more aggressively. I replaced mine at 50k and they still functioned as stock is intended to. Still have them nicely packed in cartons, if anyone wants a cheap upgrade.

If you back up to Avalon forums, and search on abfisch and 55396, you will see all the details of what an upgrade will do for you. There are cheaper ways to do it too. We are very satisfied and the end result is that we will keep a car we like much longer, making the outlay worth it. Trading ain't cheap. Neither is the ongoing extra expense of license, insurance, depreciation etc. on a newer vehicle. Your local salvage yard may have a cheap labor rate too. Then only drive it straight to an alignment shop if they can't do it. Mine is going there for a wheel bearing replacement soon. I will buy the part online at half price.

carlupi · June 2009

What are the differences in the suspensions of the Avalon XL and Touring models? Is it just the struts (firmer in the Touring) or are the springs, sway bars, and bushings also different?

par_pa · August 2009

My 2000 Avy was among the firsts produced of the new generation and had short front springs. I noticed recently that front end seems lower that before. I want to check ride height, but couldn't find any specification nor proper way to measure standard curb ride height for the 2000 Avalon. As anyone information regarding those measurements. I have read somewhere that ride height may be measure from center of the wheel to lower lip of fender. Mine reads 14 3/8 inches.

55396 · August 2009

My wifes 03 w/16" custom wheels measures 15"

par_pa · August 2009

Thanks Jerry. So I was right, suspecting a lower height. It is more noticeable because I fitted 17" wheels from a Avalon 2005, and the front end bottoms out more often than before, even though I installed Tokico struts. So I guess I am out for a pair of new front coil springs!
PA

55396 · August 2009

Tire diameter should be the same whether 15, 16, or 17". You make up the difference in the tire sidewall.

artbuc · August 2009

I have a 99 XLS Platinum edition. How do I remove the back seat so I can get to the rear struts? Thanks.

mules001 · November 2009

My daughter is a single mother and social worker. So, she doesn't have much $$ to keep up her 98 Avalon. Has 190,000 miles. Suspension has not been touched and the car "floats like a boat in the ocean". Have just ordered new tires, and would like to address the suspension issue at the least possible cost. If anyone out there can make recommendations of particular parts (struts, etc.) and brands that would be cost effective, I'd be very greatful. What can I expect to pay to get this done? THANKS so much. Fred.

Mr_Shiftright · December 2009

Probably a strut such as KYB would be fine for this application, especially if she plans to keep the car for a while.

Labor to removal, disassemble, reassemble and replace all four struts would be about 5 hours.

Parts will vary but something like $65--$80 per shock/strut sounds about right.

So depending on the labor rate in your area, This could be a $600---$800 job.

There are cheaper struts out there, but you get what you pay for. If the car has to stagger on for 6 more months, then maybe you could buy some cheap strut from a chain store and get by with that---probably better than having totally blown struts, as your car seems to have now.

However, keep in mind that it takes as much labor to install a cheap strut as a decent one. KYB is not the best of the best but they are very good from the price.

03avalon · December 2009

I have an '03 with 86k mi. I just measured the bars: 17mm for BOTH front and rear. Looks like the rears will be relatively easy; the fronts are buried and probably will have to go in thru the wheel well.
Does anyone have any practical experience about what it's really like to remove the front bushings?
Also, does anyone have a web site that actually has the part numbers for the '03 SPECIFIC shocks/struts?
Thanks

55396 · December 2009

I changed the front bushings with no problem using ramps. It's tight but not a big problem. Just make sure the ramps are equal height so as not to load the bar.

Use Google Product Search. You can then sort by lowest price but may have to jump pages ahead (12?) as related small stuff will sort first. Try Camry struts to expand the selection. I believe they are the same. Try ebay also.

I did not change the strut mounts on mine and didn't realize you could do just bearings (rubber donuts?). Now I have some clunking on rough stuff. I'm wondering if I can correct this by reolacing the strut bearing or if new mounts are required. I would think bearings would do it. I would guess the springs would need to be compressed to change either. Has anyone done this or have details? ABFISCH, where are you?

55396 · March 2010

Abfisch and I have many posts about upgrading our suspensions with KYB or Tokico? HD struts and Energy performance sway bar bushings in the 04 and earlier forum. It has been some time since I did mine and our 03 now has 85k on it. Still drives like new. What a great improvement that upgrade made. We recently went on a drive and found a road that was blacktop and winding along a river. I was pushing it, and this car loved it. It responds like it was meant to be sporty and a pleasure to drive. No sense of going anywhere near it's limits, and I have really stuffed it hard into some tight corners. I never thought I would say this about an Avalon, but it is fun to drive. I thought about upgrading, but what for? I know I won't find anything that drives and handles this well unless I went to a BMW. I may just drive this puppy til it drops. As abfisch says, it's feels close to a BMW. I have driven them back to back, and I'm critical. Close enough for me. I highly recommend this upgrade. The bushings are making some noise on big suspension moves as they need lube once in awhile. Maybe I'll install grease zerks. I did it a couple of years ago and I just sprayed the bushings to relube. It lasted a couple of years. Some day I will relube properly. I still have not installed the rear bushings. Gotta do that, but really, it's quite good as is. If it weren't, I would have done it long ago.

rexk · April 2010

Dear Abfisch. It appears your the expert on suspension issues with the Avalons. I have a 2003 AVALON XLS. 70K. My wife and I love the car. About 6 months ago started to notice a Thud from the rear end when going over pot holes and bumbs. (Like a loose 2X4 in the trunk) It appears my rear sway bar bushings may be a little loose. I could see the bar has been moving side to side, slipping within the bushings. I removed the sway bar and links. The Noise is now 100% gone.

Can I just replace the bushings with stock bushings? Is it normal for the bushing retainers clamped on the sway bar could have slipped as i see one of the retainers about 1 inch from the bushing?

Thanks for your help,

Rex K

Toyota Avalon Suspension Questions

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