strut spring compressor

[supton]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Quick struts are awesome! Plus, there is a rebate on them for another week. Both Monroe and Gabriel have a buy-3-get-1 free after rebate until 10/31. You can order them online and still qualify for the rebate. Even if you receive them after October, it's still ok as long as you place the order in October

Yeah, I saw that today, it's making me thinking about that path. More than I want to spend, but eh, not that bad.

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Remove the strut+spring assembly and take it to a shop. Pay the half hour labor, let them compress the spring and change out the top mount.


I'm having a mental block with this, even if it makes sense--part of the reason of getting another vehicle was to not have to take time off from work! I got "lucky" this year and didn't use any vacation this summer (to my chagrin), so I do have plenty of days to take for the rest of the year.

I should hit up the local garage and get an inspection, find out if the struts are dead or not. I might find I need other work instead.

*

Still haven't heard why anti-seize is the right lubricant.

 

[cjcride]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
From this summer on my Accent. New struts and mounts and ne wheel bearings. Didn't really need an alignment afterwards too.

We also have a 2008 Accent.
How many mile were on the Accent at strut change?
Did it ride better?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted By: supton
Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Quick struts are awesome! Plus, there is a rebate on them for another week. Both Monroe and Gabriel have a buy-3-get-1 free after rebate until 10/31. You can order them online and still qualify for the rebate. Even if you receive them after October, it's still ok as long as you place the order in October

Yeah, I saw that today, it's making me thinking about that path. More than I want to spend, but eh, not that bad.


Autozone has a 20% off promo code. Stack it with the rebate, and it will be in the mid-$300 range for all four. This will be your best value, as it ends up being cheaper than Rock Auto

They have a lifetime warranty and should last at least 50k. I used Gabriel quick struts on an ES300, and they were fantastic.

 

[Nick1994]

My 97' Camry had new Munroe Quick Struts that the previous owner had put on by a shop 6 months before I bought it. The rear still sagged. My current Camry has original rear struts I believe, has a decent ride height.

I wouldn't worry about it sagging unless the tires are going to rub (they shouldn't, even bottomed out).

My rear strut mounts make the most god awful noise you've ever heard when I go over speed bumps. Mostly when cold out. It's a creaking groaning noise. Doesn't matter to me, I ignore the noise. Although yours being front and a rattle might be worse. If it rides ok, I don't see why it should need struts.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: slacktide_bitog
Autozone has a 20% off promo code. Stack it with the rebate, and it will be in the mid-$300 range for all four. This will be your best value, as it ends up being cheaper than Rock Auto

They have a lifetime warranty and should last at least 50k. I used Gabriel quick struts on an ES300, and they were fantastic.


Amazon has Monroe's for about $100-110 each; Rockauto is about the same price once shipping is taken into account. Advanced is about $150. Autozone is about $140 for Gabriels. That's before any 20% discount or the Monroe "buy 3 get one 1 free".

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
My 97' Camry had new Munroe Quick Struts that the previous owner had put on by a shop 6 months before I bought it. The rear still sagged. My current Camry has original rear struts I believe, has a decent ride height.

I wouldn't worry about it sagging unless the tires are going to rub (they shouldn't, even bottomed out).

My rear strut mounts make the most god awful noise you've ever heard when I go over speed bumps. Mostly when cold out. It's a creaking groaning noise. Doesn't matter to me, I ignore the noise. Although yours being front and a rattle might be worse. If it rides ok, I don't see why it should need struts.


Interesting. I guess if it wants to sag then it will. I can ignore that.

My RF mount makes noise over things I can't see. Haven't figured out how I missed that one on the test drive (or the windshield!), but it's quiet on the highway. It's also not cold yet--it's still above freezing in the morning. Felt like it wandered a bit in crosswinds today on the highway, not bad, just the sensation of it.

Maybe I'll just get an inspection first and see what they say. If they don't see issues maybe I'll let sleeping dogs lie. I do think an alignment is in order, not sure if one was done after the LF was replaced (need to check the workorder for that).

 

[Wolf359]

I wonder if the Camry quick struts were the defective ones. That's what happened to me about 2 years ago on the Taurus. I suppose you could just call them and ask them if you have the defective ones, you just need to send them a picture of the tag on the struts. Mine saged too, but it rode ok and I didn't want to mess with it again. When I got the new ones, it went back to the regular height.

Also the strut mount on the quick strut can also go bad, but with the lifetime warranty you just swap them for another. My front sets did that too, chased down a few things and then gave up looking for the noise, didn't think it was the mounts because it was just a year or two old, but when I changed them after a few years, the noise went away, wish I had done them sooner. The replacement ones never made noise.

 

[Nick1994]

Hard to see ride height in the pics, but here's pictures of my previous gold 97' Camry and current maroon 00' Camry. Well, before the 00' was totaled. Rear corner is now smashed. Hubcaps are off and wheels painted black. 97' was a bit lower in the rear.

The Monroe struts rode fine, but I don't think the springs are up to the task for the rear.

 

[SHOZ]

Originally Posted By: cjcride

From this summer on my Accent. New struts and mounts and ne wheel bearings. Didn't really need an alignment afterwards too.

We also have a 2008 Accent.
How many mile were on the Accent at strut change?
Did it ride better?
I had 135k miles at the time. The fronts were not all that bad but the rear shocks were. I figured the car is half way through it's life so I swapped out the struts, shocks and mounts; did wheel bearings in front too.

 

[JC1]

Check out APXauto parts for quick strut options. I picked up a complete set of four quick struts sensen brand for under $240 shipped for a 97 civic.

They have a lifetime warranty.

 

[Merkava_4]

I got this one and it's worked out well for me. They're wanting $55 but I got mine at Harbor Freight on close-out for $14. It was branded US General at the time. Google "ATD 3054"

 

[supton]

Had our first good cold morning today; 28F when I left home. [Had to turn the heat on in the house!] I swear, the LF had a knock this morning, I thought I had heard it once or twice already. Although the swaybar links are known noise sources too.

Originally Posted By: JC1
Check out APXauto parts for quick strut options. I picked up a complete set of four quick struts sensen brand for under $240 shipped for a 97 civic.

They have a lifetime warranty.


Everything I've read about Sensen is that they are poor quality. Also, it's like $80 each time for an alignment afterward.

*

I don't know at this time how much I will drive this car. I might do 20k/year for a few years; or do 10k and ditch the car. I am willing to spend "reasonable" money on it, but not big money, in case it goes away (along with what I spent). At the moment I'm doing my 100 mile day round trip commute in it, looking to see what breaks first.

 

[Wolf359]

You can get 3-5 year alignment warranty from various companies like Goodyear, Firestone, NTB. I got a 3 year one from Goodyear for $165, but they had a $25 off coupon for $50+ in service so it was really $140 for a 3 year alignment warranty.

And yes, Sensen is considered a cheap brand, the lower tier stuff tends to be junk and won't last more than a year or two. I'd at least get something brand name, Monroe, Moog, Gabriel, KYB, they all have their detractors about quality but they're still better than basic no name stuff.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Originally Posted By: supton
Amazon has Monroe's for about $100-110 each; Rockauto is about the same price once shipping is taken into account. Advanced is about $150. Autozone is about $140 for Gabriels. That's before any 20% discount or the Monroe "buy 3 get one 1 free".


Before all the promos, Amazon and Rock Auto are cheaper.

But after the discount and rebate, Autozone wins

I think these are the right part numbers: (99 Camry, right?)
Gabriel G56930, G56931, G56932, G56933
Monroe 271678, 271679, 271680, 271682

Either way, only 4 days left

 

[supton]

Monroe says 171679, 171678, 171681, 171680. The Monroe numbers you list are for the V6.

171679 $106.15
171678 $106.15
171681 $109.47
171680 $108.47

$430.24, but subtract out the rebate, get $321.77.

Autozone doesn't carry Monroe, but has KYB and Gabriel. Gabriel:
G56931 $144.99
G56930 $144.99
G56933 $139.99
G56932 $139.99

So $315.98; it appears you are correct. Amazon and ebay don't compete on the Gabriel prices; I find $165.88, $144.99, $141.98 and $120.36 (odd pricing!) on Amazon. Even if it wasn't ahead it'd probably be easier to do returns. Although I can't figure out Autozone's warranty, it doesn't state a period of time.

Edit: Rockauto:
Monroe, $402.16 plus shipping ($44), so about $348.37.
Gabriel, doesn't have all four of them (no go)
Moog, no rebates, comes out to $439.21.

 

[Merkava_4]

The OP doesn't seem to be impressed by the ATD 3054.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
The OP doesn't seem to be impressed by the ATD 3054.

No, that looks decent; but once I add up mount and strut I'm basically at the cost of a quick strut. Few bucks more and no effort compressing springs?

Actually, the strut mount seems expensive, like $50-70 per.

 

[John_Conrad]

http://www.harborfreight.com/macpherson-strut-spring-compressor-set-63262.html

wish they would've had that one when i bought mine! lol

i will get it if i do any more spring compressions.

 

[supton]

Any reason to avoid Pep Boys? $98 per.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: supton
Any reason to avoid Pep Boys? $98 per.

There isn't a reason to avoid Pep Boys except for the fact that some independent repair shops may do the same job for less money.

 

[supton]

Bought 'em from Pep Boys. $98.something each, so total bill was a hair under $400 for all 4 struts. Monroes so I'll knock another 100 off in a few weeks (once I submit the rebate). The aweful rattle is gone; didn't drive it far--but now it rides at least as well as my truck does.

However I think someone goofed and put an "OEMSpec" strut into one of the boxes; but I'm in no rush to redo this job.

Had a devil of a time on the first one; stupid sway bar link wouldn't come off. Spent 15 minutes fighting with it. Then I remembered how swaybars work and no other issues on the front end. Rear was a pain in the, err, rear: the bolts for the top are under the rear shelf. If I ever do it again, I'm stacking washers on the inside of the car, as the nuts "disappear" under bracing. And it's a pain in general. Very thankful for ratcheting wrenches! Otherwise, about an hour per corner; sprayed FF while I was at it, anti-sieze on everything, and pulled the rear drums too.

PO said nothing about replacement struts, but I took out Sensens, so I suspect at some point at least the struts were changed.