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Struts- KYB Monroeo Gabriel?

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Old Jan 2, 2016 | 01:02 PM
  #1  
oldpuck81's Avatar
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Struts- KYB Monroeo Gabriel?

I need struts all around on my 94 GXE. Are there performance/durability differences between the 3 mfr's for this car? An eBay site is selling the kit for $233 which sounds like a pretty good deal. AutoZone sells Gabriel and KYB w/ a limited lifetime warr. I want the struts that will give the firmest, most controllable ride and handling. thx.
Old Jan 3, 2016 | 09:46 AM
  #2  
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Absolutely go with KYB over Monroe/Gabriel

Monroe/Gabriel (same thing) are definitely inferior to KYB's. Now that Tokicos and Konis are obsolete, KYB is our our best option now.

Having said all that, I have Monroe/Gabriel on my black car, only because I got all four for a great deal. They are totally acceptable, but I certainly don't expect them to last as long/hold up as well as KYB's would. I will say they are oddly a little bit rough even though the car is bone stock.
Old Jan 12, 2016 | 02:33 PM
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Tokico's are still around, if you patiently watch eBay you can find them. One of the fronts is for sale now, check the link which is ebay item #121747249479

I stalked eBay for about 6 months and ended up with 4 new in box Tokico blues, they really the best.


(ebay item http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tokico-Gas-Shock-Strut-Nissan-Fits-Maxima-Axxess-HB3067-1-Right-Front-Shock-/121747249479?hash=item1c58b39947

Last edited by JoeyChrome; Jan 12, 2016 at 02:35 PM.
Old Jan 12, 2016 | 02:52 PM
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Need an answer for this question. Let just say i bought 2 right front shock, but then i use one of the right for the left side. The only problem i see an issue is the brake line bracket. If i didn't mind that problem. Will the right work with left, vise versa?!!

If so i may pick this up, since the ebay posting has 2 right side!!
Old Jan 12, 2016 | 07:58 PM
  #5  
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2 VE's are better than one!
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Originally Posted by JoeyChrome
Tokico's are still around, if you patiently watch eBay you can find them. One of the fronts is for sale now, check the link which is ebay item #121747249479

I stalked eBay for about 6 months and ended up with 4 new in box Tokico blues, they really the best.
Nice job. How recently was this? The real score on your part was finding the driver side front. For some reason, Tokico stopped making ONLY the driver side front years before the others. The rears were still fairly plentiful last time I looked.
Old Jan 12, 2016 | 08:48 PM
  #6  
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Originally Posted by imported_Nismo_max
Need an answer for this question. Let just say i bought 2 right front shock, but then i use one of the right for the left side. The only problem i see an issue is the brake line bracket. If i didn't mind that problem. Will the right work with left, vise versa?!!

If so i may pick this up, since the ebay posting has 2 right side!!
I don't really know the answer to your question, but the thing that needs to be checked is the coil spring seat. The seat has a grove for the spring and the end of the spring has to sit in it. If the spring doesn't sit in the grove, you will have all kinds of noises from the spring moving around.
Old Jan 12, 2016 | 09:02 PM
  #7  
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2 VE's are better than one!
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Yes it will work. I just checked my spare set of Tokico fronts that I picked up from Mike Kantor some years ago - the spring perches are actually the same on each strut. I figured they would be mirrored but they're actually identical. Hard to see in the pictures but the "notch" for the end of the coil is on the right side on both perches.

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Old Jan 13, 2016 | 09:11 AM
  #8  
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2 VE's are better than one!
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I talked to the seller (Group A Auto) of that listing just now and they only have one strut. He said he wasn't sure why the eBay listing shows 2 because they for sure only have 1.

So nix that idea of buying two of the same and swapping the brake bracketry.
Old Jan 13, 2016 | 05:09 PM
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Thanks James for the comparison! At least now we have more options lol.
Old Jan 14, 2016 | 10:22 AM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by James92SE
Nice job. How recently was this? The real score on your part was finding the driver side front. For some reason, Tokico stopped making ONLY the driver side front years before the others. The rears were still fairly plentiful last time I looked.
This was all throughout 2015, I just search every week or so and I got both rear and both front. I still have one spare psgr side, for my automatic '92. Just waiting on a d/s, it'll turn up eventually...
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