Originally Posted by spasm3
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by spasm3
I'm just not a fan of quick struts, unless you are selling the car. Springs may be a different height/rate etc.
Your mechanic recommends them as they are faster for him to change, but not necessarily better.
Oem mounts with Kyb or the monroe spectrum shock.
I have kyb on the elantra and while i'm ok with them, they ride stiffer that stock, harsher to some.
Well they are cheaper too. Can't get quick struts for my Mercedes, seems like there's 3 different types of springs so each side is over $400 once you factor in the spring, strut and mount which you have to buy separately and then of course you need the spring compressor too so it's not as easy a job as a quick strut.
Don't know about Mercedes, only for Saturns, Olds , Pontiacs and Hyundai.
I have never changed the springs( I'm not in the rust belt). The only thing i have replaced is the mounts which usually contain the bearing. And the strut itself. I reuse the strut shaft cover.
So it usually costs less than quick struts. If you need to replace springs, the quick struts might be less. I've just read about noises and failures of aftermarket strut bearings, so i prefer oem when i can. ( no oem for saturn s anymore).
I'm sure Mercedes probably requires specialized tools. But for the common domestics, a simple quality spring compressor set is all you need. I bought mine over 20 years ago, more than paid for itself.
While springs have a lot of stored energy, its basic common sense to take these apart. If you have the skill to jack up and remove the struts, you have the skills to compress the spring and change out.
I don't spin the shaft of the strut with an impact to tighten the bolt.
I have even used a laser pointer and marked the concrete before removal and used that to line back up afterwards, i do recommend alignments though.
I always change the springs out when doing struts. I'm not sure it has anything to do with rust, they just wear out as the car ages. Last set of springs I did, the height looked the same after they were out of the car, but the new springs made the car sit about an inch taller than when the old springs were in there. The springs affect the ride height, the struts just dampen the impacts, less spring travel means less dampening or a harsher ride. That's why I always change out springs and struts. Springs wear out just like struts.
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Originally Posted by spasm3
I'm just not a fan of quick struts, unless you are selling the car. Springs may be a different height/rate etc.
Your mechanic recommends them as they are faster for him to change, but not necessarily better.
Oem mounts with Kyb or the monroe spectrum shock.
I have kyb on the elantra and while i'm ok with them, they ride stiffer that stock, harsher to some.
Well they are cheaper too. Can't get quick struts for my Mercedes, seems like there's 3 different types of springs so each side is over $400 once you factor in the spring, strut and mount which you have to buy separately and then of course you need the spring compressor too so it's not as easy a job as a quick strut.
Don't know about Mercedes, only for Saturns, Olds , Pontiacs and Hyundai.
I have never changed the springs( I'm not in the rust belt). The only thing i have replaced is the mounts which usually contain the bearing. And the strut itself. I reuse the strut shaft cover.
So it usually costs less than quick struts. If you need to replace springs, the quick struts might be less. I've just read about noises and failures of aftermarket strut bearings, so i prefer oem when i can. ( no oem for saturn s anymore).
I'm sure Mercedes probably requires specialized tools. But for the common domestics, a simple quality spring compressor set is all you need. I bought mine over 20 years ago, more than paid for itself.
While springs have a lot of stored energy, its basic common sense to take these apart. If you have the skill to jack up and remove the struts, you have the skills to compress the spring and change out.
I don't spin the shaft of the strut with an impact to tighten the bolt.
I have even used a laser pointer and marked the concrete before removal and used that to line back up afterwards, i do recommend alignments though.
I always change the springs out when doing struts. I'm not sure it has anything to do with rust, they just wear out as the car ages. Last set of springs I did, the height looked the same after they were out of the car, but the new springs made the car sit about an inch taller than when the old springs were in there. The springs affect the ride height, the struts just dampen the impacts, less spring travel means less dampening or a harsher ride. That's why I always change out springs and struts. Springs wear out just like struts.
