Strut Mount Replacement Questions

[cdssolara]

For those of you who have replaced your front strut mounts, has it solved the clunking problem? If so, has the noise gone away and stayed away, or come back? Also, have you replaced them with OE replacement mounts, or something else? I've noticed a few people using KYB mounts as replacements. Will these work with non-KYB struts? Thanks.

[Ratko]

thats a good question that i would like to know aswell.

i had really bad strut mounts (front and rear) but i also had blown struts all around aswell... anyways i had knock, clucking, clicking, everything you could image.

i replaced my struts with Konis and got a set of used strut mounts from a camry owner in Socal aswell and since ive done that, no knocking or anything since.

but thats not to say that these wont wear out either. i think that any new strut mounts from the dealership should be revised enough to have eliminated any sort of issues they had in the past, but again im not 100% sure on this info.

i would also like to know if the KYBs are the same design as stock units and if they are post-TSB on the chassis years affected.

[jwa276]

do you know where i can find a set of performance mounts, possibly polyurethane? i have a knocking sound coming from the front right of the car, and im suspecting it to be just that

jon

[cdssolara]

I was checking out some of the on-line distributors of Toyota and TRD products in the hope of finding strut mounts listed. So far, no luck. However, at Partznet.com, I noticed that they had listed a set of performance replacement suspension bushings in their TRD section for the Solara. I was curious about whether that would include the bushings for the strut mount, so I sent them an e-mail about what was included in that set. So far, I've heard nothing from them. If I get an answer that might apply to this issue, I'll post it.

[dj14901]

I had the KYB replacement front strut mounts installed and they solved my problem (clunking/rattling noise in a '98 Camry)... Kocho on CamryMan has done an A/B comparison with the replacement Toyota mounts vs. the KYBs and he had better luck with the Toyota version, although they didn't completely solve the problem. FYI his setup (I believe) is the TRD struts/Eibach springs, whereas I have the KYB GR-2 struts/Eibach springs...

Hope that helps!

DJ

[Camry9294]

What's the diff. in price? I know that the oem will cost more, but will it solve the problem better?

[jwa276]

im probably going to try and get my hands on some oem replacements. since im using tokicos and not kyb's it might work a little better. although i wouldnt mind having aftermarket mounts...

jon

[dj14901]

OEMs were about $59 each, I paid $45 each from Shox.com...

[']['R][) camry]

Oh so that is what is causing the “clunk” noise when I turn and go up or down a hill. I thought it was my axle but that would not make any sense since it only happens when the suspension is traveling.

Other then the noise, is there any reason to fix it quickly? It does not effect your control of the car does it?

Oh and I have no clue what happened to my user name…. It was ‘][‘R][) camry now it is all fuc&ed up.

[cdssolara]

Originally posted by dj14901
OEMs were about $59 each, I paid $45 each from Shox.com...

How did you find OE strut mounts on Shox.com? When I go into the site, I am asked to select a manufacturer. When I browse the list of manufacturers, I don't see strut mounts, or even bushings, listed. Your help would be appreciated.

[cdssolara]

Originally posted by \'][\'R][) camry


Other then the noise, is there any reason to fix it quickly? It does not effect your control of the car does it?

From what I've read in other posts by people who've had this problem, it shouldn't affect your car adversely. My understanding is that the strut is just not seated properly, and moves around slightly inside the mount. Although it sounds pretty bad, I guess there's no danger that the strut, itself, could come loose. Again, that's just based on what others have been told; I'm not claiming to be an authority on this. All I know is that the sound is very annoying and I want to get it fixed.

[']['R][) camry]

Originally posted by cdssolara


From what I've read in other posts by people who've had this problem, it shouldn't affect your car adversely. My understanding is that the strut is just not seated properly, and moves around slightly inside the mount. Although it sounds pretty bad, I guess there's no danger that the strut, itself, could come loose. Again, that's just based on what others have been told; I'm not claiming to be an authority on this. All I know is that the sound is very annoying and I want to get it fixed.

thanx for the reply... that is what I think. I noise only happens to me every now and then... it started happeing about 20,000KM after I got the car lowered, I am at about 37,000KM now and it still does it only once and a while... I will get that fixed when I get new KYB struts

[dj14901]

Sorry, shox.com only carries the KYB aftermarket mounts, I forget which Toyota dealer had the best price on the OEM mounts...

[shackelton]

I have been researching replacement struts and strut mounts recently. I have a '92 Camry sedan with 155K on it. Wanted to improve the ride, nothing too radical. Looking at KYB I see not only the struts, but strut mounts, strut mount bearings, and strut bearing seats. All of this for the front alone is over $550 (all KYB) and $220 for the rears.

Do I need to replace all of these parts along with the new struts? None of the struts are leaking; the car is just really bouncy and loose (compared to my '00 Camry sedan).

Thanks.

[dj14901]

I just got the front strut mounts (to elminate the famous Gen4 clunking sound), the front and rear struts themselves, and boots to go on the struts... I think that would be sufficient in your case, as well...

Thanks,

DJ