I was going over some big potholes tonight by accident, and the rear corner of the car dropped down....it lowered - the tire is up in the wheel well a bit. I had to drive it home slowly, but it feels like there is no absorption in that corner.

How many possibities to replace?

 

Its the strut, the potholes finished it off but it was ready to go anyway. If you go to a shop they will probably install Monroe. Its not the best strut, but I tend to be out of town when this sort of thing happens and need it fixed immediately so I currently have Monroes all around. I believe KYB is the recommended replacement.

 

Is this an easy repair to do myself? I don't have a lift - I only have 4 x 6 Ton jack stands. Also, I don't have a compressor right now, I need to pick it up in New York state, but can a flex bar work for this job?. Do I need to buy that Macpherson Compressor tool?

 

Remember what i said about your car being unsafe to drive due to the rust issue it has??


In for pics of the rusted/rotted out rear strut tower....

 

1. don't assume anything.
2. Jack up the car and look underneath.
3. Take pics.
4. Post here.

 

i just hope it's a frozen strut.
if the rust is so bad that it busted through then it's time to part it out.

 

Its a PITA especially in the Ef ing cold. but its do able with out a lift. get lots of PB blast wd40 or what ever you like to loosen up bolts.
i like KYB. you need a spring compressor

example: http://www.02tii.com/images/2002/min...compressor.jpg

but get under it before you buy anything and send us pics like matt and greeny stated or write up a really good description of what you see.

 

don't write up a description. Get pics. Then give us a description. A 'trained eye' will see things much quicker and easier with a picture than with a description where you didn't know what to look for and left an important piece of the puzzle out.

 

a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

OK, pictures for sure before I buy anything and do any more driving - I don't want to crash. This is a pain simply because of the cold right now - it's EXTREMEMLY cold in canada right now, but I do have access to a friends garage if I need to do the repair.

I'll do the pictures then you guys can comment - or else I could be wasting money.

Luckily I don't have much driving to do at all.

 

well get your big coats on and go out with the camera and snap snap snap...then run back in.

we're not asking you to replace a control arm (like i had to do in a snow storm).

man up!!

 

I'm an idiot. I got wrecked.

Took the photos....will post when sober.

I don't know if I'm seeing things, but it looked like that corner moved up a bit today - it was lower yesterday.

 

I wanted the used ones on Matt93's website but I got an e-mail that their gone........they were tokikooo or something

 

Still waiting for pics here dude??

 

Sup Greeny. Took the photos. Opened the Photobucket page. Just need to transfer them to the computer. Brain not working today. Will be working on weekend. Getting excited about my next maxima repairs. Was cursing earlier today during test drive. I think the front right suspension is gone now too, the whole right side of car is slanting down now.

 

I'm actually have the exact same problem, except my front driver side strut blewout on me on my way home last night (522 mile trip) around the last 150 miles was when i noticed i could feel every bump a lot harsher then usual.

Not to be thread jacking but pics momentarily

 

That's strange.. the front driver side is back to the way it was

last night it was dropped in the front!!!

Maybe it was frozen from all the snow and ice and from being stiff could've knocked it out of align..i still deem it unsafe though. I have not driven it today

 

it could have frozen, and if that is the case then replace it ASAP

 

Photos doodes -

http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp65/1993-VG30E-GXE/REAR%20RH%20SUSPENSION%20FAILURE/?albumview=slideshow

Click on slideshow top right corner

 

AM - that's the same thing happening to me. When I went and test drove it yesterday, it lowered. both back and front. Then when I parked it, a few hours later it slightly rose, but the back corner on mine is dead. When I push down on the car there's no absorption.

I won't drive it on the side street even - it feels like it might break the chassis.

 

Yikes

How am i going to get back to ohio for school on tuesday....

 

Cape David can you check my photos when you get a chance.

 

congrats, your strut is bad.
replace them with some new ones and you should be good to go.

 

Inter - 2 questions:

1. Can I do the rear one without disconnecting the brake hose? That bleeder screw is still seized.
2. Do I need to do the coil springs at the same time

 

1) you can remove the caliper from the mount in order to prevent removing the hoses (just make sure it isnt hanging by the hose when you remove it.)
2) what do you mean by "do"? remove ? yes. Replace? no.

 

Hey Ben - when I said 'do' I meant replace, yes. I called 2 suspension shops close by and this is what they told me without even looking at the car:

1. It's likely the coil springs that need to be replaced (cracked or broken), the struts should be OK - and their explanation was: "The coil springs are what keep the car suspended at the proper height. The struts absorb the REBOUND of the spring action. If the struts weren't there, the car would bounce boing boing boing boing boing like a spring. If the srut fails, the car should still be at the proper height except very boingy.

Is he completely wrong?

 

if your strut is oem (never been replaced) it has just now finally failed.
I think he expects a 15 year old car with (how many?)km on it to have had the struts
replaced.
I had a strut die (front passenger) completely bottomed out, wouldnt come up. spring was fine. replace the strut, and was back on the road.

 

How do you know basically, when to replace the springs too?

 

some say that after a while they will sag some, but usually it's not really needed. You can put drop springs on it tho if you wanted to lower the car. but if you have alot of potholes that might not work out so well for you.

 

Anyone have the parts number for the Front driver side strut? and the rear passenger side one as well

 

I have the part numbers for the Monroe ones - but not the better ones. Monroe is all I'm getting. Let me know if you need them and i'll find the PDF.

 

Potholes are getting really bad here now. The city claims it's from the current melt-freeze cycles are much more.

 

Trying to price out the rear strut. Is there a difference between a STRUT INSERT & a STRUT ASSEMBLY? From the photo, the strut insert doesn't look like it has the metal part that the spring compresses to, it's just a straight cylinder.

The rear strut insert i've found locally is SACHS $59.74, is this brand good enough. Secondly, should I replace the strut bearing also?

 

Well if no body else is going to say this, I will.......Do not put $2 more into that rolling rust bucket, the car is simply not safe to drive on public roads anymore..

Find another car dude..seriously..

 

I wish I could bud - but no can do right now, can't afford to fly to the US and drive back another used one. Will do it in the spring/summer though. What i'm going to have to do is install the new parts in the rustima, then move them over to another rust free 3rd gen if I can find one in the spring.

But the bearing though Greeny - does that normally get replaced when doing the struts?

 

it only comes as an insert, any claim of it being an assembly is BS.
Sachs is an excellent brand, just rarely used on nissan.

 

if you're on a super budget...why not try and see if you can pick up the strut/spring assembly from a yard?

then all you need to do it bolt the strut to the car and slap the brakes back on. it should last you a little bit before you dump the ride.

 

BMW OEM...yeah never heard they were avail for the 3rd gens

 

yup, they are.
I have seen them cataloged at the very least. I had them listed for sale on my original website

 

http://www.ground-control-store.com/...p/II=744/CA=68