UNCJD

The Emperor needs new shocks. Looking online, I can get an assembly that includes the spring already installed, the boot, etc, for one price. I can get the cartridge for substantially less, though. Obviously, installing this would mean renting a set of spring compressors and taking the extra time to change everything from the old assembly to the new. But the savings is substantial; on the bottom end, all four cartridges could be had for less than a hundred and twenty bucks. The same bottom-end product in something like a hundred and fifty per set with the spring and stuff already installed.
Yes, I'm getting El Cheapo shocks. My question is, am I really saving anything by going with just the cartridges? My car is a 1995 and has almost 252,000 miles on it. From the feel of things, these are the original shocks. I think the full assemblies would make the job go faster, and there is of course the safety concern with compressing the spring. What would you advise me to do; save a couple hundred dollars on all 4 corners, or just get the full assemblies and maybe do one set at a time?

Nishy

I replaced my struts with KYB cartridges before I got coilovers and it's really not much work. I had to compress the springs anyway to get them out even when I went to coilovers. And it takes not even two minutes to change the spring over to the new one. I'd say just get the cartridges if the spring is still good.

dicer

The assembly is faster and the mount swivel is part of it too.

It takes a lot more than 2 minutes, and all depends on the type of compressor you have to, springs are very dangerous especially one that takes
thousands of pounds.

RA40

iTrader: (6)

How long do you intend to keep the car? This is going to be a situation of "you'll get what you pay for." These may last a few thousand or go much longer though generally, known cartridges like KYB will have better peace of mind. The local shops out here charge $50 per corner to install shocks. An experienced technician will have this done in under an hour-half pretty easily.

UNCJD

I don't know how long I'll be keeping it; I bought it as a beater to screw around with, but I find myself liking it so much I'd like to keep it indefinitely.
So, what would you folks change first: front or rear? This is my first RWD car. Always worried more about the fronts on my FWDs.

Daspyda

iTrader: (1)

You should change all four at the same time, unless you want some weird, possible dangerous, handling characteristics.

Nishy

What kind of spring compressor did you use? I rented a MacPherson strut spring compressor from autozone for $55 and after the strut was out, using two ratchets me and my buddy changed them in no time. The only thing that went wrong was the dust boot around the center was shredded from being old, so I just didn't use it on the new one, but I only had those struts for two months before I got coils.

dicer

Aren't the springs around the strut coils? So I don't understand you got coils? There always has to be some sort of strut and shock absorber.

I'm gona do one of mine the fast way the assembly and see how long they last.
Rent a compressor $55, you can buy one for 100 or so.

Nishy

By coils I meant coilovers, my bad. I used the same spring compressor as before.

UNCJD

Changed my mind about the el cheapo struts. I finally have a Lexus and so I'd like it to ride like one. For maybe twenty five bucks a corner more I can have brand name shocks.

dicer

I gotta go cheapo on some stuff I have too many that need the attention.

UNCJD

Do you think I'd be all right with Sensen or something like that vs. Gabriel or Monroe? My shocks are toast--prob 20yo originals--so even el cheapo would be an improvement.
I'm being told now i should replace all 4 at once to avoid unsafe handling dynamics, and I don't know if my CFO will let me get away with 4 gabriels or monroes.

sha4000

iTrader: (1)

You can get KYB struts for $80 apiece.
http://www.shockwarehouse.com/index....cted_year=1998

dicer

And you can get all 4 assemblies for 174 or so. Its a pain enough to get em out, that 80 does not buy the special tools or having someone else do it, nor does it buy the swivel mount.