I am attempting to install my Tokico illuminas and progress springs. My strut bearing is completely shot. They were KYB strut bearings. I HAVE to drive my car tomorrow. What do you recommend I do. Either way I have no bearing. I know I need to buy Nissan bearings but what do I do in the meantime?

 

take them apart with small flat head screwdriver and try to re-grease them.

 

It was demolished. I used the small pieces temporarily. I will be purchasing two new ones this weekend. The spring on the passenger side was sitting a litttle crooked on the strut. Is this normal? I fit in on the car kinda weird too. I had to move the wheel assembly in an awkward position in order to fit the bolts. I almost looked like it fit better with the spring upside down.

 

Did you clock the upper perch correctly? The word OUT is stamped on top of the upper spring perch. That needs to be aligned with the lower strut mounting flange and face outwards twards the fender. If thats not clocked correctly, the spring will not sit evenly and you will have the famous poping noises.

You don't need Nissan bearings, just go to your local outo parts store and see if they have them. KYB sells the mount and bearing as an assembly. I have no problems using them, plus their cheaper then the dealer.

 

It didn't matter which way I turned it. It still sat crooked. It was weird. The driverside wasn't like that. I wish somebody familiar with struts/spring installs lives in baltimore.

I have kyb strut mounts and bearings and they are sh*t. The completely shredded bearing on the driverside was a kyb bearing and it wasn't even 2 years old.

 

No help?

 

something is obviously not put together right, take a pic of your strut assembly and post it. You'll get more help that way.

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....24#post6220624

 

once you install the upper seat, compress and seat it properly it all should line up.

 

I think I just found the answer. I always thought Progress Technology puts their "Front/Rear" sticker on the top of the spring. However, on the rear springs the sticker was on the bottom and on the top of the other one. I think my front passenger side spring is installed upside down. I will have to handle that this weekend.

 

If you don't already have the parts, I strongly recommend against using KYB mounts. Use Nissan mounts! The KYB mounts spec'ed for my 2001 GXE did not have the 1/4 inch bushing on the bottom side, that the strut rod seated up against. I had to shim the top of the strut rod to tighten down the whole assembly. Had lots of strut noise and knocks when driving. Putting oem Nissan mounts back on solved the problem. The KYB pos is on the left and NIssan on the right. Notice the little silver colored bushing on the bottom center of the Nissan that is missing on the KYB's? IMHO, only use Nissan mounts.

 

Yeah I just learned that today. I had a KYB strut mount and bearing on my passenger side and it was hella noisy. I went to the junkyard today and got two bearings and a strut mount from a max with over 200,000 on it and the parts were immaculate. I installed them and everything is smooth like butter.

DON'T BUY KYB MOUNTS/BEARINGS.....