Best Shocks/struts for a Plymouth Breeze

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JHZR2

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Hi,

My mother's 97 plymouth breeze is getting up there in miles, and needs new shocks. It rides a little harsher, and the dealer quoted $450 per axle. These arent really shocks, but more like a strut of some sort, where the spring is part of the shock assembly... Not something that I want to handle...

Anyway, Is there a better option than Mopar replacements? Ive never really heard much good about typical American replacements, and Bilstein is the only regular shock that Id think about replacing them with, if I avoided OE, but I dont really know too much about the offerings. The car gets really severe service. It is a great running, driving, and handling car, believe it or not, and has been troubel free and returned excellent mileage. We are very happy with it, especially with the bum wrap that US made cars get.

So any reccomendations would be great. Im not opposed to any brand, etc., so long as its high quality and will last a LONG time. We dont need any sort of performance items, but if a performance shock will give an even better ride and last longer in the application, then its worth considering.

Please let me know. Thanks for the advice!

JMH
 
If they make them, I would go with KYB GR-2 from tirerack.com. Can't go wrong with these, especially for the price.
 
quote:

Originally posted by Ross:
If they make them, I would go with KYB GR-2 from tirerack.com. Can't go wrong with these, especially for the price.

Agreed! IMHO, KYB is the best strut/shock for the money. Stay away from Gabriel and Monroe, these are nothing but junk.
 
Replaced 97 Stratus with Monroe sensa=trac @ 75k, and the ride was improved over OEM. Vehicle now has 140k and the ride is OK with good highway stability. I would go KYB now if I had the opportunity. Better value.
When they pull the rear tires, you can have them install a zerk fitting into the rear suspension and eliminate that squeak if you have it!!!
 
OK, thanks everyone... Will be going with the KYB GR-2 and the Michelin Hydroedge tires. This should keep my mother driving smooth and safe for a long while more, and take advantage of the good handling that this car has.

JMH
 
Even KYB's quality has been deterioriating like crazy these days. 2 Incidents to recall:

(a)I replaced my bad struts on my 323 rears and straight off of supplier (a reputable supplier in this geographical region) both fronts and rears were made in spain.

Put them in and had my car properly aligned. Those **** thing lasted approx. 10 months (approx. 14000kms) and all 4 of them were shot: no pressure, no control.

The good news was that those were the KYBs under older warranty policies (lifetime limited) and after a bit of negotiation with the supplier/regional KYB rep, he gladly took those back and gave me a full refund (I bought a set of Tokico Luminas for that).

(2)Stock 2001 Civics (esp. rears) uses US manufactured KYBs. On of the rears on my dad's car (brand-spanking new car, straight off the dealer's lot) decided to go bad in about 22000kms and it took me 5 tries and numerous dealership visits before the problem was acknowledged and fixed under warranty. After 48000kms, the other side give off the ghost and was also replaced under warranty. Both marked as Honda OE parts with KYB USA on them.

I ended up pursuing Tokicos on them altogether and it's been good ever since.

I wouldn't touch on KYBs on a 10-ft pole these days.
 
Although KYB made the struts, they were made to Honda's specification

Yeah, kind of like how Fram makes Honda oil filters to 'Honda's' specifications. LOL
grin.gif


I had a pair of Monroe Formula GP shocks/struts on my 5.0 Mustang, and they were very good quality.
 
Although KYB made the struts, they were made to Honda's specification.

My Ford Mustang came with struts made for Ford by Tokico. Are they anything like the aftermarket Tokico struts? They are not.
 
Yes, it's is spec'ed to Honda's spec but the quality sucks though.

To me it's just a sign that KYB no longer being considered of good quality.

Doesn't matter anymore. My sources said that KYB's quality no longer there.

The only exception would be shocks straight from Japan KYB manufacturing line. I bought a set of 4 for my wife's previous 4-runner and it's been great!
 
quote:

Originally posted by Quest:
The only exception would be shocks straight from Japan KYB manufacturing line.

The ones my friend got from Rockauto.com were made in Japan.

Perhaps the US factory is for OEM struts/shocks, with aftermarket ones made in Japan.
 
yes - we got KYB GR-2 struts put on in all 45 corners. The car sits higher as of now, but it'll likely settle some. It is firmer than before, and they work very well with the handling characteristics of the car!

Thanks,

JMH
 
If you don't mind, what did it cost for the struts, and installation, alignment. Break the price down for each if you can. Seems to be a wide variance of what people pay for this stuff. I tend to favor KYB and was interested in the criticism directed against their failing quality, and hope they work out well for youse.
 
The cost was $500 for front and rear. I dont have the breakdown, but know the alignment (we got tires and so had a 50% off alignment coupon) was ~$30.

From car to car there is a wide variety in price.

JMH
 
I take issue with anyone calling Monroe junk. Their cheap ones are not very good, to be sure, but the Sensatracs are quite good, if you are looking for a comfortable ride, and last very well too. The Reflex, if it is made for your app, gives handling benefits as well.

If Monroe made a Reflex for the Festiva, that's what I'd run on it. I'm running GR2s, because everyone on the Festiva boards said they were great, but honestly, I'm unimpressed. To put that in perspective, I went from factory stock 226,000 mile struts to new KYBs...
 
Vader - also bear in mind at 226,000 more than just your struts are worn out in your suspension. suspension bushings are also probably shot and new struts are not going to compensate for that.
 
quote:

Originally posted by ediamiam:
also bear in mind at 226,000 more than just your struts are worn out in your suspension. suspension bushings are also probably shot and new struts are not going to compensate for that.

Very true.
 
Guess I should have expounded a bit. Calling Monroe junk, is like calling any other diverse brand junk. It's one of my pet peaves. Monroe makes low end stuff that roughly duplicates OEM in ride and longevity, more or less depending on the app.(MonroeMatic) They make mid-grade stuff that exceeds OEM ride, handling, and longevity, though usually compromising more to ride at the expense of handling.(Sensatrac) They also make high end lines that offer substantial improvements in ride and handling.(Reflex, Magnum, Severe Service)

KYB does the same, and I feel that, in the applications I've tried them in or researched, namely, the Mazda 626, Ford Festiva, and Impala SS, the GR2 is an OEM replacement shock, duplicating OEM ride, handling, and longevity. That's not a bad thing. In the case of the 626, I was looking for that. In the other two cases, I was looking for considerably more.

As for the Festiva;
Installed all at the same time;
KYB GR2 Struts
KYB strut boots and bumpers
KYB Strut Mounts
Moog Control Arms(integral ball joint and bushings)
Moog Tie rod ends, inner and outer
OEM Sway bar bushings(Sway bar on these cars doubles as a locator link so the bushings are doubly important)

As an aside, in my past walk on the "dark side" as a car salesman, I drove several brand spankin' new Festivas. Ride, handling, and overall tightness is pretty darn close to what I remember. Competent, tight, and balanced under braking, but with tons of body roll, and a somewhat choppy ride. It's a car you overcook into the corners, and then let the braking bring the back around on. Any power in the corner, and it's understeer central.

I've done a lot of strut/shock/suspension replacements on high mileage cars. That is the first thing I usually do to a "new to me" car, other than general maintenance and tuning. I'm usually quite impressed with the improvements. I guess this is more a testament to the factory stuff in the Festiva, than a put-down of the KYB parts.

[ May 05, 2005, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: VaderSS ]
 
Jeez Vader don't take things so personally. Its really difficult to quantify performance on shocks/struts since handling and ride requirements tend to be so subjective between driver and car. Typically the low-end of these products are able to barely mimic oem ride. Many would prefer to improve on that. I've found for my applications I can get improvements with KYB, and be consistent, hence tend to go back to KYB. I've also remember putting Monroe Gas Magnums on a chevy s10 20 years back, and being impressed with the improvement in ride.
 
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