Anyone used Monroe OESpectrum?

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Monroe has a new line of products apparently directed at "today's foreign nameplate vehicles":

http://www.monroe.com/products/OESpectrum

Appearing to be more than just a re-label of their bottom-tier products, the OESpectrum dampers seem to have some unique technology, such as Twin Technology:

Quote:
Impact Control Valve (ICV), which delivers exceptional control under virtually all driving conditions, and a patented Low Speed Tunability (LST) piston design that isolates impact-related noise, vibration and harshness.


And from this link:

Skid-Pad Tests Demonstrate Improved Stability, Tighter Control on Foreign-Nameplate Vehicles Equipped with New Monroe Technology

LAS VEGAS, NV, November 2, 2010 – The results of sophisticated stability and steering tests conducted on several popular foreign-nameplate applications show that new Monroe® OESpectrum® shocks and struts help improve overall vehicle handling in a variety of common driving situations.

In addition to providing increased stability and control, OESpectrum shocks and struts help eliminate the ride harshness commonly encountered in many foreign-nameplate models due in part to the stiffer spring rates and lower profile tires on many of these vehicles. “The owners of foreign-nameplate vehicles often complain about the harshness that comes with low profile tires and a stiffer suspension, yet they appreciate the tighter control their vehicles provide when they’re brand new,” said Bill Dennie, director, channel management, North American Aftermarket, Tenneco. “OESpectrum units help eliminate the tradeoff between control and ride quality and our testing has shown that consumers notice and appreciate the difference.”

Vehicles included in the tests were the Toyota Camry, Mazda 6, Volkswagen Passat, Nissan Maxima, Volvo V70, Mitsubishi Diamante, Hyundai Sonata, and Honda Accord. Separate tests of luxury foreign-nameplate models were conducted on BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C Class sedans.

“There is a clear need in the foreign-nameplate category for shocks and struts that outperform conventional aftermarket units and provide a true OE-style ride,” said Dennie. “Third-party testing and our own extensive in-field validation shows that Monroe OESpectrum shocks and struts address this need, and at a fraction of the price of many products sold through the dealership channel.”

OESpectrum shocks and struts utilize Tenneco’s “Twin Technology Active Control System,” consisting of its latest Impact Control Valve (ICV), which delivers exceptional control under virtually all driving conditions, and a patented Low Speed Tunability (LST) piston design that isolates impact-related noise, vibration and harshness.
 
sounds like of the monroe reflex, which was only available for trucks, but got great reviews. reflex used acceleration-based valving, rather than position or velocity. there was a general curiosity as to why this wasn't offered in their sedan lineup. maybe this is it???
 
I asked Monroe Tech support re: sensatrac vs OE spectrum a while ago. The question was directed towards a particular application (Honda Civic); however it is possible that there have been technology changes on OE spectrum struts for other applications.

This is what they said:

"Thank you for contacting Tenneco Automotive.

The actual internal technology of the struts on this vehicle have not changed. The name is all that changed. It was done to represent the technology as something different from traditional Sensa-Trac technology.

Thank you for your interest in our products."

So, it appears that they are just a relabeled version of the Sensatrac....at least for the car that I had inquired about.
 
I guess it may be application specific. I noticed that the OESpectrum literature mentions a LST valve, while the Sensa-Tracs describe the infamous "PSD" valve that many people equated with the "blown-strut" feeling.
 
I have them on the front of my A6, and they perform exactly the same as the OE shocks that they replaced. They were made in Belgium and were actually a bigger diameter than the originals.

$60 each compared to >$150 for OE, it was a no brainer. I suspect that they were not made by Tenneco, but possibly were a relabel of an OE product sold under the Monroe name. I think they were the heavy duty option that could be had on the European model of the A6, and that is why they were a bit larger.
 
I did a bit more online research and it appears that the comments on various Subaru, Nissan, Honda and BMW forums consistently state that the ride with OESpectrum struts/shocks are firm, but not harsh. So, no more "floaty" performance.

Some forums have commented that the OESpectrum name definitely identifies a different design - some people received 3 OESpectrum struts and 1 sensatrac...and noticed that the rebound rate of the strut rod is different with the OESpectrum.

I decided to order two OESpectrum rear shocks for the 2007 Elantra that I am working on this weekend. It will be interesting to see how they perform.
 
Also, note that Monroe's lifetime warranty covers "wear-out," which is something that is clearly excluded from KYB's policy.

Quote:
Tenneco Inc. warrants qualifying Monroe® products against defects and wear-out when used on private passenger cars and light trucks under normal operating conditions for as long as such original purchaser owns the vehicle on which they were originally installed.


http://www.monroe.com/assets/downloads/english/warranty_claim.pdf
 
I prefer a more firm ride. For the price, these look pretty good actually. I'm going to replace all 4 struts on the Accord late spring/early summer.

My thinking is, ride the OEM struts out as far as you can (with Honda that appears to be pretty far) and then replace with cheaper struts. I'll have about 170k miles on the car by the time I replace the current struts, so spending $200 or so is reasonable for a car that age.
 
Installed the rear Monroe OESpectrums on the Elantra today. Car rides smooth and controlled.

I think I would buy these again given the low price and liberal lifetime replacement policy.
 
Just put 4 of these on my Corolla. I am impressed! Nice and tight around corners without much if any body roll, but not harsh at all over rough roads. Just solid feeling. Not bouncy at all.

The struts I replaced were Monroe Sensatrac which were too soft IMO and totally shot after 75K.

The OESpectrum does in fact have lifetime wear and tear replacement, so all you need is to pay labor time they need replacement. The shop I went to said bring it back after 50K and they'll replace them no questions asked, or sooner if they get too soft.
 
Well, thanks for the update. I'm following the advice given earlier in the thread: just run the OEM ones as long as I can. I was asking for our Acura which, at the time, had somewhere around 100k miles probably. It now has 145k miles and damping performance really hasn't changed. It's softer than our Ridgeline, but I wouldn't call it uncontrolled. My wife actually forbids me to touch it, because she loves it, so my decision has pretty much been made for me anyway!

Everywhere I've read, including feedback on here, indicates that these are the real deal.
 
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
What did those run you, Drew?


$830 installed with alignment. I did not supply the struts to the shop that installed them so I paid the usual shop markup. Didn't want to deal with any warranty hassle that way.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Well, thanks for the update. I'm following the advice given earlier in the thread: just run the OEM ones as long as I can. I was asking for our Acura which, at the time, had somewhere around 100k miles probably. It now has 145k miles and damping performance really hasn't changed. It's softer than our Ridgeline, but I wouldn't call it uncontrolled. My wife actually forbids me to touch it, because she loves it, so my decision has pretty much been made for me anyway!

Everywhere I've read, including feedback on here, indicates that these are the real deal.


OEM is always best, and as long as there isn't any fluid leaking, they should be at least safe. The Monroe Sensatracs I had, 2 of them were leaking bad.
 
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