Stock Strut Replacements

[bricooper78]

I did try to search for this first, and didn't see anything directly related to this, so here we go..

I got told by a shop my car is "in amazing shape for it's 9 years", and then got the bad news, needs struts all the way around. I didn't know the rear were struts, but okay.

I've seen monroe and kyb listed quite a bit, but in the context of lowering.

I have stock height, and with the streets around here can't drop the car, which sucks, it would look better, however I digress...

I was on this site http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/mm...uts~parts.html and quite honestly have no clue whatsoever what this is. I am assuming I can re-use stock springs, correct?

These kyb are talked about as being better, and on here they are like 70 bucks, not 150-170 for the monroe's.

I just want stock replacement, and 850 bucks at the shop sounds like alot, but i do have a buddy who has experience in this and so we may actually try to pull it off by ourselves LOL

any words of wisdom are appreciated guys and gals!

[SuburbGT]

Originally Posted by bricooper78

I did try to search for this first, and didn't see anything directly related to this, so here we go..

I got told by a shop my car is "in amazing shape for it's 9 years", and then got the bad news, needs struts all the way around. I didn't know the rear were struts, but okay.

yes you have struts in the rear

I've seen monroe and kyb listed quite a bit, but in the context of lowering.

kyb is better for lowering, monroe is a better stock replacement

I have stock height, and with the streets around here can't drop the car, which sucks, it would look better, however I digress...

eh, not a valid excuse

I was on this site http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/mm...uts~parts.html and quite honestly have no clue whatsoever what this is. I am assuming I can re-use stock springs, correct?

yes you can re-use stock springs if u want, but if they go bad, u gotta do all the work again and pay another ~$60 for an alignment

These kyb are talked about as being better, and on here they are like 70 bucks, not 150-170 for the monroe's.

I just want stock replacement, and 850 bucks at the shop sounds like alot, but i do have a buddy who has experience in this and so we may actually try to pull it off by ourselves LOL

850 for just struts is high, it's really not hard to do by yourself, but have someone else align it for you

any words of wisdom are appreciated guys and gals!

hope that helped, a little at least

[westerndragon]

yes struts are fairly easy to install but after you finish definatly get it aligned professionaly im about to replace a mount in my brothers GA for the rear just make sure you use a quality spring tool....broke a thumb about 5 years ago when a cheap tool snapped on me

[MIAaron]

Monroe quick-struts. All pre-assembled, just swap out the strut assemblies(5 bolts each).

Front: 171762
http://www.amazon.com/Monroe-171672-...gy_auto_text_b

Rear: 171686
http://www.amazon.com/Monroe-171686-...6273809&sr=8-2

[ltpats]

Originally Posted by MIAaron

Monroe quick-struts. All pre-assembled, just swap out the strut assemblies(5 bolts each).

Front: 171762
http://www.amazon.com/Monroe-171672-...gy_auto_text_b

Rear: 171686
http://www.amazon.com/Monroe-171686-...6273809&sr=8-2

Thats the way to go, no muss no fuss and they come with the top of the line sensatrac struts too.

[MIAaron]

FWIW, I got mine locally for $560 out the door a few weeks ago. Monroe had a promotion going where you got $150 rebate if you bought four quickstruts. I think it expired at the end of May though.

Edit:
I haven't put them on so I can't comment on the ride yet, but coming from KYB/Eibach it's gotta be better.

[westerndragon]

Originally Posted by ltpats

Thats the way to go, no muss no fuss and they come with the top of the line sensatrac struts too.

there is nothing about sensasuck struts thats top of the line.

went through 2 sets of struts in 3 years on monroe POS untill i replaced them with KYB's and those have been on for 4 years now

[MIAaron]

The monroe quickstruts have a lifetime warranty. That was the main reason I bought them locally, if one goes bad I can just exchange it at my local store.

Edit:
Both of my front KYB's took a dump in under a year. KYB wouldn't do anything for me, but luckily Tirerack did. Don't even get me started on their mounts...

[westerndragon]

they have a lifetime warranty from manufacturing defects not normal wear....

and my kyb's have been great for 4 years i think that says somthing BTW i live in maine the very center of the pot-hole universe

[MIAaron]

Nope, the warranty includes normal wear. For someone that went through two sets of them in 3 years, I figured you would have known that??

The roads where I live are crap as well. Not just potholes, but general disrepair of the roads. I've had KYB's not last long either. I'm sure there are ton of other posts on this forum that say the same crap. It doesn't prove anything, all struts will wear out...some earlier than others...even of the same brand.


OP,
The quickstruts are easy, even for those people that don't have much experience working on cars. The first wheel 'might' take you an hour, and the rest will be 30min. It's a really easy job when you don't have to deal with disassembly / assembly.

[AaronGTR]

Originally Posted by MIAaron

Edit:
I haven't put them on so I can't comment on the ride yet, but coming from KYB/Eibach it's gotta be better.

What do you define as "better"? If you mean softer and more comfortable, then yes they will ride better. They will be softer of course so they won't perform as well as a car with Eibachs/KYBs. I've had KYB GR2's on my car for years and I used to live in MI too, so that's no excuse.

[DrFabulous]

Struts/springs is something that takes a little time if you've never done it before, but definitely not hard to do. No more difficult than doing brakes, I would say. Its just a matter of unbolting the strut/spring assembly, using a spring compressor to take the spring off the strut, putting the new strut and spring back together, and then bolting it on the car.

[bricooper78]

Alrighty, I'm not really new to car repairs, but I've never dinked with suspension and didn't know what I was going to be up against, the buddy worked at a repair shop where they apparently did these fairly often and said they weren't a big deal at all so that's cool, i appreciate the info thanks!

and yes suburb, that helped thanks--i use the streets and the just really no need to lower it as my excuse

[ltpats]

Originally Posted by westerndragon

there is nothing about sensasuck struts thats top of the line.

went through 2 sets of struts in 3 years on monroe POS untill i replaced them with KYB's and those have been on for 4 years now

I'm talking within the Monro line. Of course there are better shocks out there but unless your going to race what's the point. And with a lifetime warranty ya just can't beat it.

[ltpats]

Originally Posted by westerndragon

they have a lifetime warranty from manufacturing defects not normal wear....

and my kyb's have been great for 4 years i think that says somthing BTW i live in maine the very center of the pot-hole universe

No sir, they go bad you take them back you get new ones. I used to work at a place that sold them, thats how the lifetime warranty works.

[Y2KGA]

Originally Posted by bricooper78

I did try to search for this first, and didn't see anything directly related to this, so here we go..

I got told by a shop my car is "in amazing shape for it's 9 years", and then got the bad news, needs struts all the way around. I didn't know the rear were struts, but okay.

I've seen monroe and kyb listed quite a bit, but in the context of lowering.

I have stock height, and with the streets around here can't drop the car, which sucks, it would look better, however I digress...

I was on this site http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/mm...uts~parts.html and quite honestly have no clue whatsoever what this is. I am assuming I can re-use stock springs, correct?

These kyb are talked about as being better, and on here they are like 70 bucks, not 150-170 for the monroe's.

I just want stock replacement, and 850 bucks at the shop sounds like alot, but i do have a buddy who has experience in this and so we may actually try to pull it off by ourselves LOL

any words of wisdom are appreciated guys and gals!

Did the shop explain why all 4 struts are bad? Are they leaking? Does the car sag or bounce excessively? Do they make noise? Are the tires wearing abnormally?

Unless you notice a problem with the car or can see visable damage, your struts are probably fine and the shop just wants an $850 job.

[bricooper78]

the GA has 97K and factory struts--and yea I'm sure they want the job

the tires have been making noise and if the car goes over bumps it kinda has a hollowish pop-ish kinda sound, it's hard to explain, but it's really the only rattle the car has.

i took it to them thinking wheel bearing, and it's the struts, the left front, it's wearing the tires funny on the inner edge and they're starting to make noise, after 8K miles on them, and rotating them...directional tires too so i'm chewing up my left sides.

[AaronGTR]

Yeah, at 97k miles, they are probably bad. I replaced the struts on my GP which had like 130k on them... didn't make any noise or leak or anything.... they were simply worn. Going over expansion joints on a certain section of freeway I noticed the car never really "settled". That's how I could tell they had gotten "soft" and couldn't control the spring motion any more. Replaced them and it road like an entirely different car. Much more controlled and comfortable, and more quiet too.

[bricooper78]

Okay everyone, I'll ask this way:

if it were your money, and this car will get the around town flyby here and there but will never be on a track what do you put on?

cause now i'm thinking lowering it isn't a bad idea.. so what would you do to it?

[DrFabulous]

Originally Posted by bricooper78

Okay everyone, I'll ask this way:

if it were your money, and this car will get the around town flyby here and there but will never be on a track what do you put on?

cause now i'm thinking lowering it isn't a bad idea.. so what would you do to it?

Lower it. Best money I've spent on a GA. And the bad roads aren't an excuse.... just drive carefully.

Hell, I make it thru the winter no problem when lowered.