Any reason NOT to get a Quick Strut vs. individual

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Monroe has a Quick Strut complete strut assembly for many cars, now KYB is coming out with them too (not to mention other companies like Gabriel, Tokico, etc.)

I was thinking: is there really any reason at all NOT to get a complete strut assembly? Is it a no-brainer? Obviously, there is more flexibility if you pick and choose the individual components you want--shock absorber, strut mount, bump stop, boots, insulators, etc. but for the far majority of people, why would you care?

The complete strut is significantly cheaper than purchasing the individual components, and I will presume that it's all pre-assembled correctly. Since it's a good idea to replace ALL the components (especially the strut mount) instead of using any of the old stuff, the complete strut makes even more sense.

Am I basically correct?
 
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The springs are not optional.They offer only one version.No base,sport,luxury spring rates.Only one.Check the number of springs for a Chrysler minivan say....must be 8 choices for each model year thru Mopar.
 
I think NHGUY has a good point. But on my Highlander there was only one option. And I would much prefer if quick struts were available. Sadly they are not.
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
The springs are not optional.They offer only one version.No base,sport,luxury spring rates.Only one.Check the number of springs for a Chrysler minivan say....must be 8 choices for each model year thru Mopar.


+1. That's the case for most any car. One size fits all is an inherent compromise. Maybe good, maybe not.
 
I like the quick strut assemblies. It's a sure way to know that everything is new. No replacement is going to be exactly the same, that's why you have to replace in pairs and get an alignment afterwards. If it really bothers someone that much they should go to the dealer and order each part they want replaced by the VIN. I am not bothered by it myself.
 
Did the Explorer & Camry Monroe Quick Struts with OEM part number for both in the last 2 years. The ONLY way to go!! Advance Auto priced match Rock Auto & I saved a "good" bit on both vehicles! Took about an hour to do each vehicle for both sides of the front ends.
 
Ford Racing has a sort of Quick Strut like application for the newer Mustangs. A couple of the Handling Packs have pre-assembled front dampers with lowering springs and GT-500 mounts.

I would love it if someone got Bilstein together with H&R Springs and offered performance quick struts.
 
Being limited to whatever spring they decided to include that day is just one reason that a quick strut may not be right for you.

A quick strut is designed to appeal to the buyer that is looking for the convenience of having it all assembled and a "quick" installation. The quality of the components doesn't really enter into the equation, but price does. In order to offer the lowest price, compromises are made on all of the components of that quick strut. In almost all cases lowest cost components wins out over better quality components in a quick strut.

That doesn't mean a quick strut is automatically wrong for your application, but it's unlikely that it's right. Unless you just don't care what is being installed in your vehicle. If it's an older daily driver/beater then a quick strut may be the perfect solution. Just understand what compromises you're making before you buy.
 
quick struts save you on a few things:

(1) labour costs: quick struts do not need the additional steps of spring compression, busting the strut to plate nut, etc.

(2) costs on some additional (oftentimes unanticipated) components: example: strut bearings, springs, etc.

I'd go with quickstruts nowadays whenever possible: it saves the time, effort and costs on things that may come back to haunt you afterwards (weak springs, worn/questionable strut bearing plate, etc.)

Q.
 
^ All that but if you get a lifetime warranty then when it starts making noise you don't get into an argument on if it's the mount or something internal to the strut.

Someone on here who drives a saturn s-series got a crummy quick strut mount-- was making noise right out of the box.
 
I went with Monroe Quick Struts for all four corners of my wife's Corolla. I figured that whatever dampening rates and spring rates they were manufactured with would be close to OEM but sadly that was not the case. I was more than happy with the actual build quality of the replacement parts but unfortunately the front units were way too soft, almost like I hadn't replaced them. The spring rate and shock valving just aren't what they should have been even for an appliance of a vehicle like a Corolla.

This experience has not necessarily put me off quick struts, but at least Monroe's flavor of them. I would try KYBs first.
 
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
I went with Monroe Quick Struts for all four corners of my wife's Corolla.

This experience has not necessarily put me off quick struts, but at least Monroe's flavor of them. I would try KYBs first.


Which Corolla do you have?
 
A 2002 with a 4-speed auto and AC. Apparently those options required the firmest springs of three different rates that came from the factory. Any aftermarket replacements all have three choices depending on transmission and if it has AC or not.

I assume the Monroes came with the middle rates for a one-size-fits-most part. It's quite apparent that they are not firm enough, the springs or the shock valving.
 
I put in Monroe Quick-Struts all the way around in my I35 a few months back. I chose loaded struts because my dust boots were also torn, and I wanted to do the job myself and not mess with compressing springs myself or paying someone else to do it. The ride is on the softer side but it beats the roughness and jarring with the old struts. I don't mind a soft, cushy ride in a luxury car anyway.
 
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Originally Posted By: KB2008X
Being limited to whatever spring they decided to include that day is just one reason that a quick strut may not be right for you.

A quick strut is designed to appeal to the buyer that is looking for the convenience of having it all assembled and a "quick" installation. The quality of the components doesn't really enter into the equation, but price does. In order to offer the lowest price, compromises are made on all of the components of that quick strut. In almost all cases lowest cost components wins out over better quality components in a quick strut.





The components are probably the same exact parts already assembled.


A quick strut doesn't take up any more space than a bare strut, and the box for a quick strut is the same size box as the strut-only counterpart. Compare this to separate boxes for the strut, then the spring, then the mount, etc. Quick struts take up a LOT less shelf space, lower inventory costs, lower shipping/transportation costs, etc.

Quite a few aftermarket strut mounts are inferior to OEM mounts, whether bought separately or as part of a quick strut. Even name brand strut mounts can be white box from India/China.
Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
A 2002 with a 4-speed auto and AC. Apparently those options required the firmest springs of three different rates that came from the factory. Any aftermarket replacements all have three choices depending on transmission and if it has AC or not.


I assume the Monroes came with the middle rates for a one-size-fits-most part. It's quite apparent that they are not firm enough, the springs or the shock valving.

Monroe shocks are usually pretty soft anyway, especially the old Sensa-Trac versions, which they have since replaced with OESpectrum for "foreign nameplate vehicles."


The good news is that now they have KYB quick struts for your 2002 Corolla. KYB is the OE supplier to the Corolla, and your OEM Toyota struts were made by KYB. In addition, the aftermarket GR2/Excel-G strut is said to be 10-15% more firm than stock. But it may not have been out when you replaced yours; it is a fairly new addition to their lineup.



@OP, yes you are correct. Yes, you are 1000x better off with quick struts, unless you want to modify your car like using Bilstein or Koni or some other high performance struts.
 
quick struts all the way, for one, i will never EVER mess with a spring compressor (manual or air driven). I value my life. end of story.
 
For my car, neither KYB nor Monroe makes a quick strut for the rear (it's available only for the front)
 
Originally Posted By: lizpat
For my car, neither KYB nor Monroe makes a quick strut for the rear (it's available only for the front)

I wonder if that's because you usually don't need a compressor to get the spring off a rear strut.
 
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
The springs are not optional. They offer only one version. No base,sport,luxury spring rates.Only one.Check the number of springs for a Chrysler minivan say....must be 8 choices for each model year thru Mopar.

This.

You have no idea if the spring is right for you application or one that the manufacturer deemed "good enough."

Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
quick struts all the way, for one, i will never EVER mess with a spring compressor (manual or air driven). I value my life. end of story.

Use a decent spring compressor and use it correctly and they're perfectly safe.

I, too, value my life, and I've used spring compressors a bunch of times. Be smart and you'll be fine.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal

I would love it if someone got Bilstein together with H&R Springs and offered performance quick struts.


Agreed; most of my cars have a sport or performance suspension and the quick struts that are currently available would be a downgrade at best.
 
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