Shock and Strut Replacement -- Cheap, OEM, or Upgrade?

158 messages, Last post on Nov 04, 2009 at 7:41 AM

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What is this discussion about? Performance Mods, Suspension

This forum is to discuss shock/strut problems and how to best deal with what is becoming a rather expensive replacement item on cars approaching 60K-80K miles. Are products sold by chain stores just too cheesy to give decent performance? Is it worth upgrading shocks and struts if you are a more or less docile driver? Is OEM a rip-off for what you get?

Let's hear your ideas and experiences.

Outline

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#63 of 158 Re: Rattling Front End [jerseycoast] by burdawg Aug 27, 2007 (10:20 am)
Replying to: jerseycoast (Aug 27, 2007 9:53 am) Do you drive on rough roads? I ask because when I lived on the east coast there were some pretty rough roads. That could be an explanation. If your talking about two new strut assemblies, without the springs (old springs compressed and re-used), two new upper bearings, alignment and labor, it sounds a bit high. If completely new struts are used (new springs already installed) then it could be about right. I'm not real familiar with the car though so there could be something I'm not aware of that makes it more expensive.
#64 of 158 All four struts frozen (mechanic caused?) by kennyd1 Sep 14, 2007 (4:39 pm)
Took my 98 Dodge Neon to have the radiator fan relay replaced at a local shop. Also, purchased an oil change with "complimentary" tire rotation. Picked up the car and drove the .5 mile home without noticing anything. Drove the car to work the next day and the ride was terrible with hard bumps and bouncing. Called the mechanic first thing to see if any adjustments had been made to the suspension during the tire rotation to explain the rough ride. He got defensive and stated that he did not do a tire rotation and nothing he did could have caused any problems. Though the garage secretary mentioned the tire rotation twice to me before the work he stated that the tire rotation was listed on the receipt but he blamed it on a computer error. Took the car back that evening and the mechanic found that all four struts are frozen. No movement up or down. He could not explain what would freeze all four struts simultainiously and implied that the problem was there before he touched it. It was not. This same mechanic had replaced the brakes on the car 6 months earlier with no problems at that time. His only solution was for me to pay $800 to replace all four struts with no acceptance of fault or reduction in price. Could he have damaged all four struts with improper lift placement or usage? Replies to this message: kiawah (Sep 14, 2007 4:45 pm) kennyd1 (Sep 15, 2007 3:09 am) burdawg (Sep 15, 2007 11:06 pm) kennyd1 (Sep 16, 2007 3:38 am) kiawah (Sep 16, 2007 3:51 am) kennyd1 (Sep 18, 2007 5:54 pm) burdawg (Sep 18, 2007 7:06 pm) kiawah (Sep 18, 2007 7:58 pm) burdawg (Sep 19, 2007 5:45 am) and 1 more... dag5 (Jan 22, 2009 7:33 am)
#65 of 158 Re: All four struts frozen (mechanic caused?) [kennyd1] by kiawah Sep 14, 2007 (4:45 pm)
Replying to: kennyd1 (Sep 14, 2007 4:39 pm) Unlikely. How many miles on this vehicle, and are these the original struts? Replies to this message: kennyd1 (Sep 15, 2007 3:09 am)
#66 of 158 Re: All four struts frozen (mechanic caused?) [kiawah] by kennyd1 Sep 15, 2007 (3:09 am)
Replying to: kiawah (Sep 14, 2007 4:45 pm) 80k and original struts. It would make sense that these things are due to be replaced. But I do not understand how all 4 struts froze up at the same time in the same way. What are the odds?
#67 of 158 Re: All four struts frozen (mechanic caused?) [kennyd1] by burdawg Sep 15, 2007 (11:06 pm)
Replying to: kennyd1 (Sep 14, 2007 4:39 pm) I've never heard of a strut "freezing up". Do you mean that there's no travel in the suspension at all? Even if a strut was damaged I don't see how it could happen to all four simultaneously. Is the ride height the same as it has always been? Replies to this message: kennyd1 (Sep 16, 2007 3:38 am) kiawah (Sep 16, 2007 3:51 am)
#68 of 158 Re: All four struts frozen (mechanic caused?) [burdawg] by kennyd1 Sep 16, 2007 (3:38 am)
Replying to: burdawg (Sep 15, 2007 11:06 pm) You cannot push down on any corner of the car. And when you lift up on any corner there is no movement either. It is as if all four struts froze at the lowest point of travel(car sits high). I am not sure about the ride height. The gap between the tires and the wheel wells are even on all four sides and if anything a little bit wider than before. That is why the first thing that I thought about was the mechanic's lift. Replies to this message: kiawah (Sep 16, 2007 3:51 am)
#69 of 158 Re: All four struts frozen (mechanic caused?) [kennyd1] by kiawah Sep 16, 2007 (3:51 am)
Replying to: kennyd1 (Sep 16, 2007 3:38 am) Very unusual.
#70 of 158 bad mechanic by wpatters Sep 16, 2007 (10:35 am)
I would take the car to AAA station if you belong to them and they will honestly diagnose the problem and tell you what is wrong...part of the road side insurance. If you do not have that then just take it to a good mechanic and get another opinion and then take that info back to the first guy and ask them to fix it...if not take them to small claims after you get the repairs done so you can show the judge what it costs. Even if they lifted the car wrong the extension of the shocks should not have frozen them. If they used the bottom of the shock/struts connection to the chassis to push on for the lift it should have not harmed them. I use a car jack all the time and place it directly at the bottom of shocks so I don't have anything "hanging" down when lifting to work on a brake or wheel. Do you have struts on all four wheels? If only on the front then take the rear shocks off and try getting them to move. Have you looked at anything else that might be holding the car frame from allowing the chassis to move? It might not be the struts or shocks at all and something else keeping the chassis from moving in relationship to the frame. Just a thought. Something this strange you have to start thinking outside of the box....look for anything not what should be but anything. No one can tell me that all four shocks are acting the same exact way from failure. Something other than the shocks is going on....take that approach. Replies to this message: burdawg (Sep 17, 2007 8:39 am) kiawah (Sep 17, 2007 9:13 am)
#71 of 158 New question about Jeep shocks etc.. by wpatters Sep 16, 2007 (10:38 am)
I have a 93 jeep GC with about 135k miles and the orginal shocks. There seem to be two shocks at each wheel...one that looks like a regular shock and then another that looks like a backup if the jeep comes crashing down. Anyone know if both need replacing or just the primary. The jeep seems to not need shocks but with that many miles I wonder if the ride would be different and I just don't know it since I have nothing to compare it too.
#72 of 158 Re: bad mechanic [wpatters] by burdawg Sep 17, 2007 (8:39 am)
Replying to: wpatters (Sep 16, 2007 10:35 am) I would be real interested to hear what the problem really is. This is quite strange. Replies to this message: kiawah (Sep 17, 2007 9:13 am)