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Before that, I'm wondering if they're right about a break-in period for struts (I know that my Legacy didn't start out riding this harshly when I bought it new) and if there's anything in the installation that could have been "overtightened" to affect the ride. I'd appreciate any advice.
BTW, I put Bilsteins on a '69 Dodge Dart V-8 I owned. A foolish attempt to turn chicken feathers into chicken soup, I know in retrospect, but that car handled great!
But to be fair, they may have sold you the correct shock (correct in that it fits and is shown as correct in their books) and been acting in good faith in doing so---it just might be that this is not the shock for your needs, or that meets your OEM specs.
I have a choice between getting KYBs or Subaru OEM struts for about the same price. Do you have any recommendation of one or the other? (My inclination is to go with the OEMs, but I'm curious to know if there's a reason to favor the KYBs.)
Thanks again for all the help with this really stressful problem.
Sears took the Monroes back and refunded my payment, and my teeth aren't rattling every time I hit a bump now.
Thanks again for all your help in straightening this out!
Also I am considering Bilstein shocks based on some info on forums. Any reason not to use Bilstein. Would anyone recommend another brand for a 2000 Explorer? I am looking for a good value on the shocks.
Finally, any other suggestions to improve the ride?
Thanks
Francis
Yes 115K is more than enough mileage to justify replacing the shocks.
If you plan to keep the vehicle a long time, and you enjoy great handling, Bilsteins will certainly serve you well. Beware of cheap, chain-store shocks. Quality shocks are not only for ride, they help with tire wear and stability on the road.
You could replace them yourself but you may need a few special tools, and you'll have to be sure to work SAFELY.
AJ-USA, San Diego, provided two for $157.48 inc'l freight 11 June 07 & installed by the local Midas shop.
Because Bilstein doesn't provide shocks and struts for 95 T Birds, AJ-USA sent KYB (GR-2) shocks and struts. They too, improved the ride. The four shocks and struts were $154.90 25 May 07. Midas installed these too.
http://ajusa.com
Regarding the time to do a replacement of a strut: with zero experience, but with reasonable tools and a helper who had some idea, it took me most of two days to replace the first one, and another day to bend a new brake line and finally get the fluid to stop leaking. A total novice like me could easily make this into a real job, but I imagine that a seasoned tech, using air tools, could do one in an hour or so. For example, on the second rear strut, I had the original out in exactly one hour. It is somewhat tricky getting things to fit back properly when reassembling; takes creative manipulation of unyielding metal parts. Plus, the repair manual instructions were not truly complete. An alignment is absolutely necessary before this job is complete.
I learned a lot from the experience and just got the parts for changing out the front struts, which might be a little easier because access to the top mounting bracket is exposed in the engine compartment. From my perspective, doing it myself is now a matter of long-term survival. I cannot afford to pay someone a couple thousand dollars to replace four struts when I could do it myself for about $500. I just have to get more efficient.
Your top mounting plate bolts to the body,right? The one's I've seen have a heavy, stiff rubber insert/grommet/bushing with a hole through the center. The hole is where the threaded end of the shock goes, right? That hole usually has a metal sleeve (bushing) in it that prevents the shock rod(terminolgy?) from rubbing directly against and wearing the rubber. It sounds like the cylindrical metal piece you are describing is that bushing. It's part of the mounting plate, and probably not supplied with the shock itself.
In my Celica, the old struts only had a metal sleeve (bushing, there was NO rubber), through which the shock piston (rod) was inserted, i.e., the threaded end was inserted. I re-used that part because a new bushing did not come with the new "strut." There were no instructions in the Celica repair manual (Haynes) or with the new strut talking about this part, so I wasn't sure it was needed or not, and if it was needed, I wasn't sure whether it should go onto the shock rod prior to or after the mounting plate (I forgot to take a photo of the "before" condition of the old struts). My decision was to go ahead and use the old bushing, and to put the mounting plate on the rod before the bushing, just before the damper nut.
I am seeking verification that what I did was proper or not. A shop did an alignment yesterday, and did not complain that it couldn't be aligned, so I assume it might be ok, but still want to understand what is actually right, and learn what that bushing is for, so I could understand what would happen if the bushing had not been used.
BTW: the strut boot (kit) had a plastic "bumper" up top that replaced the one that was on the original strut, but the original one fit completely over the shoulder of the threaded part, onto the slick part of the stainless steel of the piston. This means that the new plastic bumper fits around the shoulder and therefore about 3/32 in of plastic is wedged between the mounting plate and the shoulder of the piston, holding whatever forces get transmitted at that point. That seemed a little strange to me, but all of the clunking from the rear end is now gone.
I do appreciate your kind response, many thanks.
I thought she was kidding till I drove it. Absolutely no suspension. It felt like someone had welded the shock absorbers together. The garage said it was not their problem.
My question, did you ever get to the bottom of "What happened?" Or, who did what?
I guess I'd go with KYB, but be prepared to sacrifice some ride comfort and durability I think. Or spring for the OEM if you plan to get another 100K out of the car and it's otherwise in really nice shape.
I think KYB meets the demands of a substantial number of drivers but I think the product has design limitations---and you may indeed never exceed these limitations. Both a $99 and a $1000 digital camera take pretty good pictures, but......
Kayaba Industry US
Also a look a the types of products that they manufacture.
Products
All I'm saying is that due to their limited marketing efforts, the technology that this company represents is well understated. As an oem manufacturer one can understand their limited marketing efforts to the masses.
True and Toyota doesn't offer a lifetime warranty on either.
My point is that the person asking about KYB shocks has 256K on the car and doesn't want to spend $1K for replacement shocks when KYB could be had for $400. At this point any shock has to be an improvement over what is leaking now and with KYB he doesn't have to worry about shock failure for the life of the car. To me that's a deal with saving $600.
Maybe you need to cruise our Lexus forums and see if you can find someone who's made this switch? That might help you a lot to make a decision.
Lexus 400/430 Topic
I'll join this discussion myself and maybe I can learn more about how successful this application is.
My point was that from a consumer standpoint I wouldn't worry about the reliability of the KYB shocks.
so you'd have to know what they are putting in there.
$600 bucks sounds fine if they are a decent shock. Prices for labor can vary considerably in different parts of the country.
Total labor is listed at 5.4 hours. So it sounds like a pretty good deal.
This is a 14 year old Corolla. If the OP cared about performance or quality, the original shocks would have been replaced long ago.......and how much more 'long run' could there be on this vehicle? They're being replaced because they have to be replaced. I'm sure anything that fits and works would be fine and 100% better than what they have now.
I have had to replace both rear shocks on my 2005 Odyssey (poorley designed, wear out too soon) by 50K. At least Honda paid for the 1st one under warranty.
For the 2nd, I bougt the part at Honda (a ridiculous price. Something over $100). Local tire shop replaced it for about $30. Would have gone aftermarket, but turns out, only Honda OEM is available now.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I have a 2000 Acura 3.2TL. Just over 149K on it. At the last oil change (148K) the dealer reported that the RF sturt was leaking (I don't think much though, and it was fine 3K before that).
These are original to the car (I only have had it since 146K though). Seems to ride and handle fine, no noises, and the tires are wearing perfectly (only the 2nd set, with 58K on them).
actually, I need to look up what suspension I have. I am sure the real is multilink, so that means just plain old shocks. If the front is gold old 'bones too, won't that mean just shocks, so an easier time of it? Or do they still have strut cartridges to replace?
Maybe I am out to lunch, but I also just though of a mcpherson strut as a fancy shock inside the coil spring, instead of mounted outside the spring!
maybe I should crawl under the car tomorrow and look.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
With a strut, it does look like a shock inside of a spring. The critical difference however, is it is actually a major structural part of the suspension......one of the three attachment points. It is the attachment point, that holds the wheel in vertical position. If the strut breaks, the car collapses onto the tire in the wheel well, and you have a wreck.
You need to align the wheels after replacing the struts. At your mileage, they're way overdue.
But yes, new ones might improve the ride and handling, but the car is doing fine with the old ones one. Must be a testament to good suspension design.
I did see that the KYB GR-2s are available (only about $58/each at tire rack) for the TL. The fronts are shown as struts, but the rears are shocks.
Just have to get some install quotes for the labor, since not a chance I try it myself.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Struts are heavy duty shocks with suspension springs around them, and are an integral part of the suspension. They have to take the suspension apart to take them out of the vehicle, then take the spring off the strut (dangerous) to replace the shock, then put it all back together again and align the vehicle.
Shop around, it's a very common repair, many many vehicles have struts now a days.
Oh and by the way, if the old strut fails/breaks, the vehicle can fall on the tire causing you to loose control of vehicle.
even various indy places (I never asked the dealer) were all over the map, from around $850 to over 1,200.
The best price, by far? Sears. They are having a special on Monroe struts/shocks (common aftermarket units). For the TL, it was ~620 all together, then there was a mail in rebate on top of that. Their standard replacement price is not too bad, and right now, they have a 1/2 price on struts (and free on shocks) replacement special (for the labor).
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I dropped by a STS yesterday for oil change for my 1997 Taurus with 108k on it. I was told that all 4 struts need to be replaced and that's reason why I sense vibration on highway and when I brake. The price quote I got was ... as follows:
2 Q Struts $398 * 2 (I guess it's for front, don't know what Q struts are)
Labor 2.4 hr $216
2 Q Struts $389 * 2 (rear?)
Labor 3.5 hr $315
Alignment $75
Is it a fair quote? I hope not... From all past discussions here, I can understand it takes quite some time to replace struts so I'm ok with 6 hr labor cost. But why are those struts so expensive? Is it just for 1997 taurus? I searched online and I saw a lot of them were tagged $50-60 and 150 tops, am I looking at the same thing? What are my options now?
Thanks,
Minji