strut bearings are insanely expsensive for something so small and not even that impressive. If anyone knows anywhere cheap to get strut bearings let me know. They are the little things that are on top of the front stronts to let it rotate when u turn the steering wheel.

 

If the bearings arent physically deformed or damaged, they can be "repacked".

Just carefully seperate the 3 pieces that comprise the bearing and lubricate them all with a healthy dose of waterproof axle grease.

 

It's a $20 part that the weight of your car sits on. It holds the spring perch in place against the upper strut mount, plus it has to rotate freely under that load.

For the job it does, you think thats expensive?

 

i wouldn't bother to even try to repack the bearings or relube them. to do all that work to find out you still need new bearings would be just useless.


i'm about to change my bearings in a week or two. the driver side is squeeking worse and worse everyday.

 

Do yu have to completely remove the strut to replace it, or can you just undo the top, and raise the front up with a jack to drop the assembly?

 

Remove the strut, compress the spring and take off the upper mount to get at the bearing.

 

The physical property of something opposed to what it does has nothing to do with price. Price deals with materials made to use the item. The only time application raises the price of something is when the maker knows the buyer will pay it, and thats when i get pi$$ed. Its a simple simple bearing design. Not a 20 dollar bearing.

 

I've been reading that strut monuts are about $35 each. Who has them for $20???

 

Umm yea, OK. Run that by an engineer.

 

I guess since I'm an engineer in training, and intern at one of GM's concept car design and development suppliers, I will. Wait my last internship here I had to do research on bearings and ordering them for something on the H2 aftermarket. Low and behold, the bearing I ended up using is one of the most complex and intricate kind for loads of up to 10,000 pounds that is so tightly pressure fitted that the bore is actually the same size of what is going through. How much did it cost? 18.50. How much were types that nissan uses? 3 bucks. Let's not argue over the internet here, we're all nissan love, but I think when you look at the big picture here, you can agree that 35 bucks for that is overpriced. Yes its an important piece, but tha doesnt mean it should be turned into a monopoly.

 

you can make the same arguement for almost any product made today. the turnaround equals profits. low overhead and mark-up at retail.

what exactly is your case here. yes, the items of course are marked up. in reality, how much do you think it costs to make products such as spring, struts, tires, etc. absolutely nothing compared to the profit. people are paying close to $100 per tire when it probably costs $10 to make after design costs.

reality is, if you need it you'll pay the $35 or $20. if you want to repack the bearings then that's your perogative.

 

you can make the same arguement for almost any product made today. the turnaround equals profits. low overhead and mark-up at retail.

what exactly is your case here. yes, the items of course are marked up. in reality, how much do you think it costs to make products such as spring, struts, tires, etc. absolutely nothing compared to the profit. people are paying close to $100 per tire when it probably costs $10 to make after design costs.

reality is, if you need it you'll pay the $35 or $20. if you want to repack the bearings then that's your perogative.

 

well the point got strayed from real easy. Anyone know where to get the strut bearings cheaper then from the dealer?

 

 

Could YOU build that bearing for $20.00?
Or build it in 2 hours (2 hours @$10.00 per hour).

It is all relative.

 

Courtey sells them for about $26.50/each plus shipping.
-Cyrus

 

If you want OEM, go to www.nissanparts.cc:

54325-5V000 Bearing-strut
list $31.95
sell $24.35
shipping $7.95

This new number does cost more than the old part 54325-31U01, which was $18 list.

Oh well, new and improved!

Tim