suspension...

[elpuas3000]

how do you know is time to get new front and rear struts/shocks???
is it easy to change it ?

[Gr1m]

if its your first time and you have an impact gun and a spring compressor you could probably bang out the 4 corners in under 2 hours

[Alerosaint]

hmm that sounds about right

[elpuas3000]

if its your first time and you have an impact gun and a spring compressor you could probably bang out the 4 corners in under 2 hours
okay but how do you know is time to get new ones?

[Gr1m]

do you have stock suspension? if you go over speed bumps or anything do you hear a creaking door noise? that would mean your struts are shot

how many miles are on your car? i would say anything over 60k you should change everything out and you will notice a big difference

[Justin081]

i have been noticing when i got over bumps i can hear a banging noise that sounds like its coming from my suspension. i think it might be the struts banging when they move but im not sure. does that mean i need new ones?

[elpuas3000]

do you have stock suspension? if you go over speed bumps or anything do you hear a creaking door noise? that would mean your struts are shot

how many miles are on your car? i would say anything over 60k you should change everything out and you will notice a big difference


oh okay so i think time to change them :(
but i only hear the noise in the rear but in the front...
but ill change all of them just in case...

[TheEdgeofSanity]

another way I've been taught is to push down on the front of the car and let go and if it bounces more than once, then its time for new struts. same for the rear, push down and see how it bounces. mine creak badly, but they still feel good going down the road and the car isn't visibly sagging or overly bouncy and thats with 109,000 miles on the odometer. i must confess that i had a spring break yesterday but that occured from my own neglegence.

[elpuas3000]

do you have stock suspension? if you go over speed bumps or anything do you hear a creaking door noise? that would mean your struts are shot

how many miles are on your car? i would say anything over 60k you should change everything out and you will notice a big difference


when changing the shocks is there anything else that got to be change???
like the springs do i got to get new ones or the old ones are good?

[Gr1m]

if your taking the time to replace the struts, you might as well replace the springs as well.

[Nate's Alero]

trust me it isisnt hard, if you do a CV joint, you might as well do the struts/springs

[elpuas3000]

are the strut mounts got to be change 2?

[goldalero99]

As with most things, it is easier if you have the right tools. If you don't have an impact wrench, the top nut on the front struts can be a bitch. I had to use a special tool like this:

http://www.germanautoparts.com/images/7607a6e223231323e4d4/f

The other tool you will need is the strut spring compressor tool. I was able to use a loaner tool from Advance Auto at no charge. It's probably a good idea to change the front strut mounts while you are at it.

[elpuas3000]

As with most things, it is easier if you have the right tools. If you don't have an impact wrench, the top nut on the front struts can be a bitch. I had to use a special tool like this:

http://www.germanautoparts.com/images/7607a6e223231323e4d4/f

The other tool you will need is the strut spring compressor tool. I was able to use a loaner tool from Advance Auto at no charge. It's probably a good idea to change the front strut mounts while you are at it.
i though i only need it an impact gun and a spring compresor...?

[goldalero99]

i though i only need it an impact gun and a spring compresor...?

If you have an impact wrench, you probably don't need this tool. I didn't have one so I had to use the tool to get the nut off the top of the strut. :thumb:

[elpuas3000]

okay guys i think am going to change the struts the rear and the front but before i do it i need to know what parts do i need.
if you know parts could you please tell me please and ty
ill start...

4 struts
4coil springs
4 strut boots ....
and what else????

[HazMatt24]

I found it useful to have a big ass offset wrench which worked in lieu of that tool and something to set the black widow we found on the spring on fire was pretty useful too but that's another story.

4 struts, that's a given

4 springs, only really needed if you are going to lower the car but you might as well go ahead and do it while you have everything apart

4 strut boots, only if the one's you have are all tore up

Beer should be about the only other thing you need.

[elpuas3000]

I found it useful to have a big ass offset wrench which worked in lieu of that tool and something to set the black widow we found on the spring on fire was pretty useful too but that's another story.

4 struts, that's a given

4 springs, only really needed if you are going to lower the car but you might as well go ahead and do it while you have everything apart

4 strut boots, only if the one's you have are all tore up

Beer should be about the only other thing you need.

oh okay ty but i dont think am getting the beer sorry i dont drink beer... :eek:

[elpuas3000]

which brand would you recommend me KYB or gabriel?

[Gr1m]

KYB GR-2's or AGX's FTW

[alerored04]

I had a set of GR2's that lasted almost 60,000 on lowering springs. The ride was great as was the price. Check out Tirerack.com for them. Best price I have found. If you are not going to lower it I would leave the stock springs though. Stock replacements would be a waste of money.

[HazMatt24]

I have KYB's and Sprint springs with no complaints

[mfuller]

I don't think anyone really answered your question on "How do you know when it's time to replace struts".
Here's the deal......the struts don't wear out, the damping mechanism inside them wears out. Please don't call it dampening.....it's DAMPING.
Dampers are mechanisms which control the oscillation of the springs (how fast the springs compress and rebound). When the dampers wear out, you will notice that the ride becomes much bouncier - this should not be confused with a stiff ride. What you will notice with worn-out dampers is that when you hit a bump, instead of hitting the bump and then the car taking a set, the car will continue to bounce ever so gently until the oscillations of the springs stop. The more your springs oscillate, the harder it is to control the car. Why do you think racing dampers are valved so stiff? There's tons of energy stored when heavy racing springs compress, and you don't want that stored energy being released in an uncontrolled fashion and throwing off the balance of the car.
Make sense?