Strut Installation..
02-19-2005, 08:27 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Richmond, Va
Posts: 158
Strut Installation..
I have loooked in different posts and FAQ's and still do not know what needs to be replaced on a "full" strut installation.
I just got my car aligned and the cambers for both front and rear are off enough that there is something that needs to be changed there. 210K miles on the 96 GXE. Still same springs and struts from beginning.
I plan to do this next weekend, and want to order or get whatever I need now. I plan to keep the stock springs. Just want the soft ride again, and am not worried about lowering the call.
Can anyone list all the parts that need to be changed?
1) 4 struts - This I know..Probably going with KYB GR2 (I think that's right
2) I read that strut boots should be replaced.
3) etc....
Also good places to shop for each.
Feel free to PM me as well.
I just got my car aligned and the cambers for both front and rear are off enough that there is something that needs to be changed there. 210K miles on the 96 GXE. Still same springs and struts from beginning.
I plan to do this next weekend, and want to order or get whatever I need now. I plan to keep the stock springs. Just want the soft ride again, and am not worried about lowering the call.
Can anyone list all the parts that need to be changed?
1) 4 struts - This I know..Probably going with KYB GR2 (I think that's right
2) I read that strut boots should be replaced.
3) etc....
Also good places to shop for each.
Feel free to PM me as well.
02-19-2005, 10:44 AM
#2
Member who somehow became The President of The SE-L Club
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 16,033
If you want a nice soft ride back, you do not want to put GR2's in, they are very firm. Put a set of Tokico Blue Performance front struts and rear shocks in your car to get back the new car ride your looking for.
You should replace the dust boots up front and in the rear. You should also replace or regrease the front strut bearings.
Camber is really not adjustable, especially in the rear. If it's that far off, something is bent. If you have a print out of the cars current alignment specs, please post them so we can take a look and see what's really going on. You will need to realign the car once you put the new front struts in.
You should replace the dust boots up front and in the rear. You should also replace or regrease the front strut bearings.
Camber is really not adjustable, especially in the rear. If it's that far off, something is bent. If you have a print out of the cars current alignment specs, please post them so we can take a look and see what's really going on. You will need to realign the car once you put the new front struts in.
02-19-2005, 03:12 PM
#3
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Richmond, Va
Posts: 158
-Strut Boots ...Any better place than Advance Auto? Someone mentioned to get the 95 Miata for the Rear and the 95 Mustang for the front.
-Front Strut Bearings..One of the FAQ's which goes to motorvate said to just replace and not re-pack. Said it won't last as long, true? Also is this the crunching sound I hear when turning the car?
-Tokico Blue----Best price from where? Rear shocks? I was told that the car had struts all around?
-Question?..What is the dampened? OR the circular gasket I have seen some people say replace? Is this needed to be done?
Alignment Specs:
Front:
Camber L=.2 R=-.4
Caster L=2.7 R=2.4
Toe L=.11 R=.09
Total Toe = .19
Steer Ahead = .01
Rear:
Camber L=-1.0 R=-1.5
Toe L=.20 R=.01
Total Toe = .21
Thrust Angle = .09
-Front Strut Bearings..One of the FAQ's which goes to motorvate said to just replace and not re-pack. Said it won't last as long, true? Also is this the crunching sound I hear when turning the car?
-Tokico Blue----Best price from where? Rear shocks? I was told that the car had struts all around?
-Question?..What is the dampened? OR the circular gasket I have seen some people say replace? Is this needed to be done?
Alignment Specs:
Front:
Camber L=.2 R=-.4
Caster L=2.7 R=2.4
Toe L=.11 R=.09
Total Toe = .19
Steer Ahead = .01
Rear:
Camber L=-1.0 R=-1.5
Toe L=.20 R=.01
Total Toe = .21
Thrust Angle = .09
02-19-2005, 03:25 PM
#4
Member who somehow became The President of The SE-L Club
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Join Date: Jun 2001
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Strut boots, you can go with Nissan replacements being your not lowered. Aftermarket boots by KYB are part#'s SB103, front and SB108 rears. You can probably get them at most auto parts stores.
Strut bearings - I regrease the bearings and have never had a customer come back to me with a problem. I use a purple synthetic racing grease, not wheel bearing grease. You might as well replace them if your not up to regreasing them. They could be the cause of the crunch when you turn your steering.
Tokico Blues, shop around, shox.com, tire rack or many other dot com stores have them. Ebay might also have good deals on them. Dampers = slang for struts or shocks. Techinically the Maxima has front struts and rear shocks. As far as the gaskets go, you can omit them, replace them or make new ones from an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of headder gasket paper sold at most auto parts stores. Just trace the old ones or do your best at free hand. The gasket paper you buy is much thicker then the red gaskets Nissan sells and does a better job of isolating the suspension from the chassis of the car. More isolation means a quieter ride.
Your alignment specs are ok, make sure you have the car realigned after you put the new struts/shocks in, the values will change.
Strut bearings - I regrease the bearings and have never had a customer come back to me with a problem. I use a purple synthetic racing grease, not wheel bearing grease. You might as well replace them if your not up to regreasing them. They could be the cause of the crunch when you turn your steering.
Tokico Blues, shop around, shox.com, tire rack or many other dot com stores have them. Ebay might also have good deals on them. Dampers = slang for struts or shocks. Techinically the Maxima has front struts and rear shocks. As far as the gaskets go, you can omit them, replace them or make new ones from an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of headder gasket paper sold at most auto parts stores. Just trace the old ones or do your best at free hand. The gasket paper you buy is much thicker then the red gaskets Nissan sells and does a better job of isolating the suspension from the chassis of the car. More isolation means a quieter ride.
Your alignment specs are ok, make sure you have the car realigned after you put the new struts/shocks in, the values will change.
02-19-2005, 03:30 PM
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Richmond, Va
Posts: 158
Thanks for the info.
I have my checklist now, and thanks for the tip on the header gasket paper. I enjoy a soft ride with handling, and little noise.
Any other words on advice before I do the installation? Anything else I should look at changing?
I have my checklist now, and thanks for the tip on the header gasket paper. I enjoy a soft ride with handling, and little noise.
Any other words on advice before I do the installation? Anything else I should look at changing?
02-20-2005, 08:31 AM
#6
Member
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 76
Has anyone heard of the new "Quick Struts" from Monroe? Saw an ad in the paper, and don't know if they make them for the Max.
In one package, you get the following: New Sensatrac Strut, with dust boot; new oem-type coil spring and strut plate bearing (already loaded). The idea is that you don't have to compress the spring to R&R the whole package. You supposedly only have to remove the three bolts at the top of the unit, and two or three bolts at the spindle. With the car up on jack stands, the pressure is off the springs and you just replace the whole thing.
Price was around $140-160, depending on application. For a do-it-yourselfer who is not looking to upgrade from stock, this seems like a pretty decent way to get the job done. My local mechanic quoted $500 for new struts & bearings installed, plus $80 for alignment. Any thoughts?
In one package, you get the following: New Sensatrac Strut, with dust boot; new oem-type coil spring and strut plate bearing (already loaded). The idea is that you don't have to compress the spring to R&R the whole package. You supposedly only have to remove the three bolts at the top of the unit, and two or three bolts at the spindle. With the car up on jack stands, the pressure is off the springs and you just replace the whole thing.
Price was around $140-160, depending on application. For a do-it-yourselfer who is not looking to upgrade from stock, this seems like a pretty decent way to get the job done. My local mechanic quoted $500 for new struts & bearings installed, plus $80 for alignment. Any thoughts?
02-24-2005, 10:07 PM
#9
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Try southwestautoworks.com. They have pretty good prices. But as someone also said, ebay may have a deal. Or look around for anyone that might be selling theirs. Not sure if there is a group deal thread here for any shocks. But Tokico Blues are very good. I'm using them w/ the Eibach pro kit. Gives me a pretty good ride and handles great.
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