I only need to replace the front driver side.

How important is it that I do the passenger side one as well. Does it really matter?


Money is an issue at the moment

 

I always think it's better to change in pairs but if money's tight, do what you gotta do. It's not that serious.

 

If you have one good strut and one worn out strut, the car's handling could be a bit strange on rough roads, the car would tend to pitch to one side. This would also make the new strut wear out faster. It is best to do them both but if you can't, do the one and get the other one replaced as soon as you can.

 

yeah ive noticed a bit of an off alignment and the steering is stiffer than it should be

 

You'll have to align it twice, as well.

 

Strut replacement does not require alignment on 4th Gen.

 

I hope this statement refers to the rear and not the front...

 

Never heard of any car not needing an alignment after strut replacement in the front....i mean i know some peope mark threads on tie ends and stuff like that but to get it dead on you need a machine...

 

if you're pressing for money. Go to a junkyard and buy a used strut assemebly. That way you don't have to worry about messing anything up since it'll be used and broken in. But get the strut taken care of. If you ride on it for a long time, your wheel bearing may go bad also.

 

The holes in the strut and knuckle are not slotted. There is not any slop at the top strut mounts either. If it moves at all there will be less than 1degree of slop. Camber is not adjustable on our cars, look it up.


"Never heard of any car not needing an alignment after strut replacement in the front....i mean i know some peope mark threads on tie ends and stuff like that but to get it dead on you need a machine... "

Most cars have camber adjustment, ours don't, they kinda suck that way. There is no reason to separate tie rods, just remove the two bolts at the strut/knuckle, and the three nuts at the strut mount.

I am talking about the front. As far as I know, Toe is the only adjustable aspect of our front ends. You could put LCAs and struts in, and an alignment shop wouldn't be able to do anything, and if they claimed they did they'd be raping you.

 

Really? But those two bolts that go into the knuckle are kinda big and has slight play which I have seen an alignment shop adjust...

 

I doubt it would amount to half a degree. Id like to see someone actually post a before&after.

 

If thats the case, the owner must have bought camber bolts for the car. I believe you replace one of the bolts on each side with it

 

Just do as it's needed. But chances are sooner or later you gotta do the other side also

 

Wow, glad you mentioned this. So if I understand you correctly, the only thing they adjust is the tie rod?? But then, how do the tires wear on the inside although the control arms are good?? Kinda confused...

 

The tie rods are the only adjustable item and that adjusts your toe in. If the edge of a tire is wearing, that is most likely a camber problem and there are no adjustments built in by Nissan. When you lower a car, that changes camber. When you put bigger tires on, that changes the camber. That's one reason that camber bolts exist on the aftermarket. But the problem exists that if you have mods, the camber angle needs to be re-calculated, the stock camber angle is not necessarily correct anymore.

 

I'll be replacing my front struts soon- maybe within the next week or so. Then I'm taking it to the shop to get it aligned and I'll post my before and after results. I just put some 6th Gen 17" wheels on her yesterday. They look pretty clean IMO.

For the record, my '97 GLE has 224,000 on the ODO.