Monroe Quick-Strut springs: Use as-is or swap?

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Bottom_Feeder

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So I bought a set of four Monroe Quick-Struts to take advantage of their recent rebate offer. My wife's '02 Corolla S has needed new struts for a while and after pricing out all the individual parts, I figured this was the easiest and certainly cheapest way to go.

Problem is, hers has the optional 4-speed auto trans and AC. Looking at Rock Auto for springs (as a reference), Moog has three different front spring sets available depending on options, and I can only assume that Corollas like ours need heavier springs due to the added weight of the 4-speed auto and AC. I tried contacting Monroe about this via email, asking what springs are used on the one-size-fits-all Quick-Struts, and was told only to give them a call and someone could help me. Why not just give me a one or two sentence answer? That's all I want! Come on...

Anyway, my concern is that the Monroe springs will be too soft and will initially ride too high. I don't want either, and I don't want to waste money getting it aligned and decide afterward that the car's ride is not how it was or is supposed to be. This seems to be an issue with quite a few Quick-Strut buyers and I want to avoid it.

So my question: Should I install the Quick-Struts as they are and save myself a lot of time and energy, and assume they will be fine? Or should I 'do it right' by spending the time swapping in the existing correct springs to guarantee it will not be a problem, which unfortunately nullifies the biggest advantage of buying Quick-Struts in the first place?

I'd love to hear your opinions...
 
On a semi-related note, from what I've gathered online, the Corolla S option package is for appearances only and does not change the suspension at all. Yet KYB has two different GR-2 struts for Corollas, one for the 'performance' S models and ones for all others. Monroe does not make that distinction, using the same struts for all Corolla models. Who's right? Beats me at this point.
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I would assume that the majority of 02 Corollas were sold with automatics and a/c and that if Monroe chose only one spring it would be for the most common model. But I'd also be surprised if they had different springs for manual vs automatic and not for different models of the car... IIRC there was a base and then an S version that only cost a little more.
 
Good question! They did sell a lot of the cheap corollas with 3 speed autos or stick shifts. For a while they also had 1.6 and 1.8 liter engines but the 1.6 sure popped up a lot.
 
The aftermarket never has the number of options the OEM dealer would.A 2002 Caravan lists about 10 different shock and spring combos.Guess how many Monroe lists? ONE. So either your base model is now going to ride like a sportscar,or your full on luxo model is going to be unbearable.The aftermarket usually errs on the harsher side,and over time they will get softer.However they may be too harsh when new.
 
Originally Posted By: bepperb
I would assume that the majority of 02 Corollas were sold with automatics and a/c and that if Monroe chose only one spring it would be for the most common model.

Good point, and I agree.
 
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
On a semi-related note, from what I've gathered online, the Corolla S option package is for appearances only and does not change the suspension at all. Yet KYB has two different GR-2 struts for Corollas, one for the 'performance' S models and ones for all others. Monroe does not make that distinction, using the same struts for all Corolla models. Who's right? Beats me at this point.
frown.gif



I am going to assume the XRS is the one with the different springs, but that was only for the 2003 model year and onwards I believe. I also believe the S has the same struts as the regular model, but clarification from someone at a dealer or elsewhere would be best.
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
The aftermarket never has the number of options the OEM dealer would.A 2002 Caravan lists about 10 different shock and spring combos.Guess how many Monroe lists? ONE. So either your base model is now going to ride like a sportscar,or your full on luxo model is going to be unbearable.The aftermarket usually errs on the harsher side,and over time they will get softer.However they may be too harsh when new.

Which is my concern. I won't mind initial harshness as they break in since I like a firmer ride, but I don't want it to ride nose-high either. I'm going to be a bit annoyed if I do the swap and it looks jacked up in the front.
 
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Anyway, my concern is that the Monroe springs will be too soft and will initially ride too high.


If the springs are too soft, won't it sit lower?

I feel your pain. What should be easy, gets complicated when you sift through the details. Best of luck.
 
How many miles on the car? High miles could mean sagging springs. Almost any new springs are a lot better than old worn sagging springs.

In addition, KYB makes a quick strut for the 93-02 Corolla. They are supposed to be out in late 2012. You might want to try those instead, especially since KYB is OEM for most Toyotas, including your Corolla.

http://showmetheparts.com/kyb/
Part numbers
SR4064 front right
SR4065 front left
SR4066 rear right
SR4067 rear left
 
I would have the same concerns as you if I were using quick struts. I would not want to hurt the appearance or more importantly the handling (from a safety aspect) of the car.

However I would say to myself:
1. Quick-struts are cheap and easy for me to do.
2. A 2002 Corolla is an appliance not a show car.
3. The money saved doing Quick-struts myself, allows me to pay for an alignment if needed when its done.

The wild card in all of this is that its HER car and if she's not happy with the change, you have a whole-nother problem. Although in my experience they notice more if you move the seat and mirrors than if you change the struts.

Maybe put the car up on stands and measure the factory strut and the new strut. Of course this wont account for the different springs or the new shock but it may give you more info than staring at parts in a box. Also measure the current ride height while your at so you can compare if you make the switch.
 
Well, my concern about the appearance are more about not wanting it to look 'wrong' as opposed to it looking 'right', not necessarily looking bad vs. good. Also, if it rides too high, it will effect front end geometry.
 
AS IS,did that Monroe Quick Strut on my 2001 Corolla 2 years ago rides just fine. The Toyota springs looked to be thicker diameter metal than the Monroe.
 
Originally Posted By: cjcride
AS IS,did that Monroe Quick Strut on my 2001 Corolla 2 years ago rides just fine. The Toyota springs looked to be thicker diameter metal than the Monroe.

Thanks. Any installation issues or anything? Are you happy with them?
 
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Originally Posted By: cjcride
AS IS,did that Monroe Quick Strut on my 2001 Corolla 2 years ago rides just fine. The Toyota springs looked to be thicker diameter metal than the Monroe.

Thanks. Any installation issues or anything? Are you happy with them?
The Quick Struts were a breeze to put on compared to the "old" way of compress spring , inspect/replace bearing etc. The back struts require you to open the rear brake lines. If you do the rear be prepared to bleed those brake lines. I'm pleased with them, that said the springs are showing a bit of surface rust already. Just spray some Rust Check etc on the springs[keep it off the rotors].
PS I have 4 Speed Automatic With Air
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: cjcride
The back struts require you to open the rear brake lines.

If that's because the rear lines pass through a flange on the strut body, then you do NOT need open the lines. Just hacksaw a slot in the flange and bend the flange out of the way so the line may be extracted. Reverse for the new strut.
 
Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: cjcride
The back struts require you to open the rear brake lines.

If that's because the rear lines pass through a flange on the strut body, then you do NOT need open the lines. Just hacksaw a slot in the flange and bend the flange out of the way so the line may be extracted. Reverse for the new strut.

Thats why, your plan would work. I considered cutting it but already have a power bleeder so I bled the the rear lines.

Note: the front Quick Struts have U shaped flanges [no need to open brake lines] But the rear Quickstruts were NOT so Quick.
 
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