bckncook

I'm replacing my suspension w/ Tokico Illumina struts and H&R springs. I was given the following advice regarding other things that needed to be replaced while installing the suspension: "You will probably need to replace the strut boot/bumpstops (they are molded as a single piece of rubber). Most people use KYB replacements instead of OEM. The KYBs are shorter, allowing more suspension travel. You may also need to replace your front strut upper mounts if the rubber has deteriorated."

Assuming this is correct, can anyone familiar with this process tell me what the exact KYB part(s) are that I need (model number, etc.) for the boots and bumpstops and where is the best place to buy them?

Also, should I buy entire new front mounts or just the rubber piece inside them? What brand and where to buy these as well?

I have an appointment to get these installed Saturday, so try to help me out on this as soon as you can on this. Thanks in advance!

felix

iTrader: (13)

I bought my KYB dustboots at www.sparkplugs.com. They're not made for our cars but the SB103 and SB108 fit perfect. Trust me. Fairly cheap from the site. Make sure to order 2 of each.

bckncook

Can you confirm that the boot and bumpstop are made as one piece and the part numbers you gave meet both needs? The guys at two of the part stores I visited swore otherwise (not that they are the most knowledgeable folks in the world).

Any help on the front mount question?

mzmtg

iTrader: (11)

Those are the correct boot part numbers. I think they are listed in many catalogs as parts for Mustangs or Miatas (I can't remember which). You dont want the KYB front mount, it is not the same quality as OEM. Get OEM front mounts from Nissan.

bckncook

Just the rubber part if deteriorated, or the whole mount? When I was at Advance, they said they could order the rubber piece separately, but of course that wasn't an OEM part.

mzmtg

iTrader: (11)

The rubber and metal are all molded as one piece. I don't see how you could replace just the rubber.

outsider

when do you know that suspension is starting to go bad
for some strange reason my car feel different every day

bckncook

They're not one piece on aftermarket brands. Look at the KYB here:
http://www.rockauto.com/ref/KYB/Detail.html?sm5122.jpg. Advance said they could order the two separately. $30 for both pieces and less than $5 bucks for the rubber seal.

Looking at OEM stuff on the Jerry Rome page under front suspension parts, there are things called rubber seals, seat rubbers, etc. There's no pictures, so I don't know if they are what we're talking about or not. Perhaps you'd know if you looked at them.

If they do come as one piece only, is there a way to tell if my front mounts need replacing without taking them apart and looking at the rubber? Or should I just leave them alone?

The boots are easy to tell when they need replacing. I KNOW my boots need replacing... they resemble a stack of (separate) black rubber washers

mzmtg

iTrader: (11)

That small piece in the picture is the plastic strut bearing, not a rubber seal.

bckncook

OK, so how do I know if they need replacing before dumping the $60-70 for them?

bckncook

As for the boots, what about these Summit Racing ones mentioned on the Max Mods site?

http://maxmods.dyndns.org/index.php?MaximaDustBoots

NetFurie

The rubber/metal part you're talking about is technically called the strut insulator. It's different from the mount. I would go ahead and replace them if they've never been changed since you've already got the assembly apart. One of mine broke at 120,000 and the other at 130,000. You'll know it's broken if you hear a "clunk" from one side or the other over bumps. It'll be fairly obvious. Another way to check is to open the hood and watch the rubber part while bouncing the car. If it moves, it's broke.
You can get them for about $36 a piece from jerryromenissan.com or nissanparts.cc

ny96max

when i did my suspsension over for the 3rd time i bought the following:

- x4 KYB Dust boots
- x2 OEM strut mounts (one went bad and made horrible noises after 100k)
- x2 OEM rubber upper spring seats
- x4 OEM spring coil insulators (front and rear, 2 per spring, upper and lower)
- x2 OEM strut bearings
- x2 OEM brake line clips

Ant

bckncook

These lists are getting extensive and likely expensive. I've seen no warning signs related to my suspension to date with 95,000 miles.

What are the most prudent things to replace in terms of cost vs. benefit while doing this? Just changing the boots might not be enough, but that list above seems like more than could be justified having never had problems with any parts (my car was woman-owned and dealer-serviced the first 92,000 miles).

Could we form a consensus here on what parts I'd be foolish not to replace and what parts I should wait until I have problems with? On top of that, everybody's calling stuff different things and I'm getting lost. I am not a suspension guru, so I wrote this thread to clarify my thoughts, not to complicate them

Oh, and any thoughts on those Summit Racing boots mentioned above?

NetFurie

Look at it this way. If you can do the labor yourself, then all you'll waste is time if something breaks or wears-out a month after you change the struts. If you're paying someone to replace the parts, you're going to pay twice.

I doubt we'll all come to an equal concensus, but I'll give you a rundown of what I replaced three weeks ago when I did mine.

1. Struts
2. Springs
3. RF strut insulator (cause it was broke; the other was replaced 10k ago)
4. dust boots ($12 for all four from summitracing.com; had to cut them a bit)
5. All four rubber insulators (part between strut and body of car; reduces noise. I made them myself from stuff at home depot for about $4. Old ones were in shreads)

6. Regreased my old bearings with lithium grease.

Optional:
7. Long travel rear mounts from mzmtg.

sunysb83

iTrader: (4)

i bought the dustboots from summitracing when i did my suspension over the weekend, if i recall i think they did not come with the bumpstops. njmaxseltd did my suspension for me and i think he cutted the bumpstops off the oem ones and placed those on top of the dustboots.

felix

iTrader: (13)

just buy the KYB boots - perfect size and have the short bumpstops.

bckncook

What are the part numbers and where did you buy everything, NetFurie?

Anyone else have anything to add regarding the "do it now" vs. "wait and see" replacement list?

PLUMMAXSE

iTrader: (2)

I replaced my oem suspension last month with H&R and Illumina's. I replaced the dust covers/ bumpstops with KYB SB103 and SB108. My funds were low because I need tires and so there were a few parts I didn't replace. The upper strut mounts needed replacement also those thin orange gaskets on all the struts. I regreased the strut bearing with lithium grease and reinstalled. The thing is when you replace stuff on the front struts you need to realign the front end. Also removed the isolators(rubbers) from the coils and reattached them to the new springs. If I have it to do over I would have replaced the upper strut mounts and the orange gaskets with rubber from Home Depot.

NetFurie

part numbers:
boots - RAN-RS1927 (summit racing) $6.95 a pair
strut insulator - 54320-40U02 (www.nissanparts.cc) $31.01 each
struts/springs - illuminas/tokico lowering springs (ebay - jdmwerks) $500
orange rubber insulator piece - I have no idea, just some rubber gasket stuff from home depot. about 1mm thick.

I still have the original bearings at 134,000 miles. I had planned on replacing them with the strut install, but the place I ordered them from still hadn't shipped a week later; and I refused to pay $45 a piece for them locally at the dealership. So I inspected the old ones and found them plenty greasy and in good shape.

MaxKlinger

Do you know if this information applies only to the 4th gen cars or if it also applies to the 5th gen? I just bought H&R springs and Illumina struts to put on our '02, and only now realized that they don't come with boots or bumpstops. Will the KYB parts work for both the 4th gen and 5th gen cars?

Thanks!