this morning my dad's friend came over and took the car for a drive. he sounded very confident when he said that the issue isn't critical, but the front struts will need replacing. so aside from new bushings i'll also be buying new struts soon, but before i make any purchases i have a couple questions.

i saw that people were quoted at up to $700 to get just two struts replaced. is strut replacement something that you can do on your own? and if it is, is it even safe to do on my own? i'm sure the cost is where it's at for a reason

aside from that, what are the best struts/lca bushings a student can buy? i don't need them to be special; i would really prefer to spend as little money as possible. i just need them to be reliable parts that are worth the money

 

i dont know if your mechanically inclined. but if you are i would suggest doing it yourself. its not that hard replacing struts. the reason why you were quoted that is because most of that bill is going to be for labor. and with lca bushings go with ES bushings. but it might just be easier and better just to replace the whole lca instead of just the bushings. i just replaced both my lca's last week. its really not that hard just time consuming. i plan on putting a thread up after i replace my inner/outer tierods on what i did later this week. and as a fellow college student saving money matters!!!

 

Strut replacement is not too hard. If you have a metric socket wrench set, jack stands, breaker bar, pliers... all you'll need to rent at the auto store is a spring compressor.

http://www.shiftice.com/strut_install.html

After replacing the front struts you'll need to get an alignement.

To make it easier just get a new LCA like gregmaxin suggested.

EDIT: To get that webpage visible you might have to hit the refresh button

 

and if you decide to get lca's get them from fcp import. thats where i got mine and you get a big group buy discount for being an org member. the guy's name is ellison i think and the member name is fcpimport.

 

could you share some numbers on struts/lca bushings/lcas? in another thread someone offered lcas for $200 and i don't know if i could do that.

also, what are the benefits of using ES bushings as opposed to oem bushings? i know a lot of people recommend them, but i haven't found any reasons why i would pay the extra money

 

i have new LCAs for sale, i can do 180.00 plus shipping, and i have ES poly LCA bushings for 30 plus shipping, if interested

 

There are several advantages to LCA bushing--I'm not going to cover any of them because. It’s going to be out of your price range.

Purchase a new control arm with the bushings in them already. Don’t go eBay or cheap, get decent ones from rockauto.com, like a Mevotech. They should be about $55 each side. Check retailmenot.com for a 5% off coupon.

Rent a sprint compressor from an auto parts store and do the struts yourself. If you are not lowered look for Tokico blues. Avoid crap like Monroe, etc.

However, you didn’t mention why you think your struts are bad. Usually they are bad if they are leaking or when the car bounces around like mad.

 

I'll vouch for the Mevotech LCAs. Seem like good parts for $55 a side. Rockauto.com is a great place to get parts from as well.

 

If someone is charging 700 for strut replacement.... smh...

I bought brand new KYB AGX adjustable struts for like 475 on tirerack.com and the Progress Springs (last pair he had in stock) from Cattman for like 215 I think?

Had my entire suspension replaced by a guy down the road for $210.

Just gotta search for good prices. But yea, if you have jack stands and a good jack (which i didnt at the time) you can do it yourself pretty easily.

 

my mech did my setup for 200.

The most i wd pay for labor is 300. 400 is dealer cost at 100/hr. Any cost higher than that the guy is ripping u off

 

Since no one mentioned struts - if you are keeping OEM springs, get KYB GR-2's. Best bang for your buck, you can get them from importrp in the GD section. But I'll be honest, if you are replacing struts you REALLY should replace your hardware as well - dustboots and strut mounts for sure.

OP, where are you located? I do suspension installs for a LOT of local org members.

 

what are the benefits of replacing the entire lca instead of just the bushings, besides the fact that it's easier?

it isn't dropped and i am keeping the stock springs. and dj i'm in hawaii. i doubt you'd want to work on my suspension when you're down here for your next vacation

 

None really, it's basically the same save for the fact that the metal would be new/freshly painted - which you can do to your existing LCA's while they're off the car.

Agree, I'll let you handle that job

Have you considered going with ES bushings and Moog ball joints?

 

i want to consider them but nobody is telling me the benefits of using them -.-

 

Firmer more controlled ride. The control arm pins now turn properly in the bushing instead of sloshing around in the worn OEM rubber.

Ball joints - much beefier than OEM - same, additional control, performance, and handling.

100% worth it. Find someone that has a press and use your existing LCA's.

While you're at it, replace your sway bar links with Moog, and sway bar bushings with Energy Suspension as well.

 

ugh i really want to get all the recommended parts, but at the same time i have to look at things from a utilitarian stand point.

at this point i know i'll be installing the bushings myself, but i don't know which ones. so far everyone suggested different struts so i'm not so sure about those, but i'll be installing those myself as well

 

That's the epic battle every car owner faces. Personally, I'd do struts/mounts/boots/endlinks/sway bar bushings first and not even think about LCA's until after the struts are done - because personally I don't know how someone can diagnose bad LCA's just by driving the car. The suspension job itself will make a WORLD of a difference.

 

the bushings are actually deteriorated and that's something separate that i caught earlier

 

what about monroe quick struts? ($140 per on amazon, w/ free shipping) just read some terrible (old) reviews but i also read reviews that claim they work perfectly

kyb struts+boots+mouts are cheaper by $30 but that isn't with everything the monroes have

 

Where are you in Hawaii? I'm in Keaau.

 

ah nice. i'm on oahu

 

Shux, if you were on the Big Island, I would tell you to come over. I can change the struts for you.

 

well thanks for the offer lol. seems like all the members that are in hawaii are scattered on the outer islands

 

Check the regional forums, make a post requesting for help, make sure you pay in lots of beer

 

ES bushings make the car handle better. They also ride harsher, but really I dont think most people notice the difference. Urethane does not deteriorate and will not "disolve" the way the rubber will. The maxima has some common fluid leaks that tend to hit right on the LCA bushings. With ES bushings that doesnt happen.

However.... ES bushing set is $36 (or 18/side) and a Moog Ball joint is $25. While those parts are pantastic and will last you about 10 years. The whole arm from Mevotech is $55 and wont require any labor like a press, etc. So, $55 vs $43, but you need to factor in labor.

Mevotech is also a knock off of the Moog balljoint, so while quality is not quite as high, you are looking at 5 years instead of 10. possibly longer.

Which is why I recommended what I recommended to you.

it's great to get in there and do the tie rods, control arms, bishings, and strusts. But once you add up the little parts, like strut bellow, mounts, strut bearings and all that stuff you are looking at nearly a grand to do the front suspension.

And again, I would do Tokico struts since you are not lowered. KYB's are fine but I think Tokico blues are cheaper and are baiscally an OEM replacement.

So, that's much more long winded than my first post--but keep in mind I do control arms all the time. Also, a lot of the prices will be higher for you in HI.

 

THe monroes are jus replacement struts. Wont give u any added performance. But for ease of installation and new strut assembly, they are the way to go.

 

wow thanks for the post snomax. it was definately informative and helpful. i guess i'm on the fence again....i'll either get ES bushings or mevotech lcas

well i'd actually prefer to do it on my own, so i get the experience and so i don't trouble other people

 

blues are OEM replacement but are a like 10 bucks more than GR2s

 

actually yea all the bad reviews on monroes are complaining about how there are much better set ups for performance, but i'm not necessarily looking for improved performance, i really just need a replacement

any other reason why i should stray away from the quick struts?

 

I really dont understand some ppl. Monroe advertises the product as OEM replacements. They dont say anything about added performance.

WHen i read comments about ppl complaining that the monroes dont add any performance...i jus scratch my head. Monroe NEVER claimed to add any perfromance.

If u want added performance with stock springs get some blues.

If u jus want replacements then get the monroes or GR2s.

If u want easy DIY installation get the monroes

 

^^ makes perfect sense.

Though I'd still pick the KYB's. Monroe's are just tooooo soft.

 

thanks for the input everyone. well i splurged and bought 2 quick struts and 2 mevotech lcas. if this was something that i got a mechanic to do i probably would've went with the kybs or another strut with improved quality. i don't have access to the beefier spring compressors and i wouldn't trust myself with the tiny ones, so the current solution had to be the quick struts

on a side note, before making the purchase i got the suspension checked out at an auto shop and they said new struts and control arms are in fact needed. the guy mentioned that they'd be using quick struts and it's $320 per strut (i bought them on amazon for $140. $320 is msrp though) and that in the end labor for swapping the control arms and struts would be $450. why are "labor" costs that high for QUICK struts and new control arms?

anyways other than that...does anybody know of any threads about replacing struts and control arms? i was referenced a video for control arms which i appreciate, but i also want to see a how-to thread so i can reference the steps easily and see other people's opinions and experiences

 

Here's the strut install:
http://www.shiftice.com/strut_install.html

Here's control arm - for a 4th gen but pretty similar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTIePKbH3hY

 

Good job on the quick struts they are easy to put in and you get all new parts. I put 2 new ones in the rear of mine and they are fine.

 

I put Monroe Quickstruts all around over 18 mos ago and they have been just fine.

 

lol that strut link was posted at the top and that's the same video i was referenced

i know of those links but i just want to see if there are how-to threads, or even just threads where people write how the process was for them. just so i can see how it went for other people (i know it's not necessary, but i like to be VERY prepared) if there aren't any threads like this then that's fine

 

replacing the lca is doable, but its not an easy task. I did it on a lift and it cost a fortune just renting out the bay. It took me most of the day to do it, but then i also swapped out bearings, tie rods (inner outer), changed tires, brake pads, the whole nine yards. If you don't have a lift, it can get tricky here and there but its doable. Seperating the ball joint required more force than i thought i needed. Driving the car right after without an alignment will eat up your tires if your tie rods weren't almost to the same length. If i had to choose, i would probably pay someone to change out the lca.

I would however do the struts myself.

 

IMO it's not THAT hard, but can be a pain without the right tools. I've done it plenty of times in a driveway. Ball joint puller is key - can be rented from Pep Boys or Autozone.

 

well i started on one of the control arms. at first i was gonna do it by hand but i found out pretty quickly that i would need impact tools. hooked up the impact gun and everything was easy except the nut on the ball joint...ended up tearing that apart but i got it loose with some penetrating fluid and a vice grip. good thing i got the full lcas lol

right now i'm trying to separate the ball join stud from the spindle but nothing's working >.> that's the last part that needs removal and it won't budge...any ideas on how to tackle this?

 

Pry bar or ball joint fork