I am new to these boards and hae questions about rear strut replacement. My 1999 Corolla CE has about 110K miles, and the rear struts are going. One of the rear tires is "cupping" and my mechanically-inclined neighbor confirmed to me that I might need to look into strut replacement.
Now, I haven't really done a lot of car repair work myself before, so I was wondering if this is something I should attempt or pay a professional. I was searching the board here and didn't come up with anything real specific about rear strut replacement on this model Corolla.
Can anyone give me an idea of a fair price for this job? A local Toyota dealer quoted me a price of $860. Do any of you know of a reliable shop I can go to in Northern Virginia (pref. western Fairfax County) that might be more reasonable? If I go the DIY route, any good tips as to what to buy, things to look for, what not to do, etc.? I saw something about the struts coming with pre-compressed springs or something like that in another thread. If you know of any on-line step-by step guides, please let me know. I do own a Haynes Manual.
there could be more wrong with the car than just bad shocks if the tires are cupping. I would pay a professional in your opinion. The dealers are always really high, ask your nieghbor where he goes to take his car and ask around. you can find a reliable mechanic for probally $500 to do the job!
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89 Corolla All-Trac Sedan White 188,xxx (Sold)
89 Corolla All-Trac Wagon Blue 172,xxx (Current)
Its not difficult to do yourself you just have to pay attention to what your doing. If you know anyone that has done this before, ask them to show you and you will save a ton of money and time.
The local NTB gave me a quote of $570 plus alignment. I already have an alignment program with them anyway, so I could have that done for no additional charge. My neighbor owns a Porsche and does a fair amount of his own work.
The local NTB gave me a quote of $570 plus alignment. I already have an alignment program with them anyway, so I could have that done for no additional charge. My neighbor owns a Porsche and does a fair amount of his own work.
Ron
your neighbor would probally be willing to do it if you offer him the right dollar. I say buy your own parts from a good place like www.rockauto.com and then give your nighbor $175 bucks for labor
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89 Corolla All-Trac Sedan White 188,xxx (Sold)
89 Corolla All-Trac Wagon Blue 172,xxx (Current)
your neighbor would probally be willing to do it if you offer him the right dollar. I say buy your own parts from a good place like www.rockauto.com and then give your nighbor $175 bucks for labor
Thanks for the link. Any of the strut brands you recommend? Also, are there any words of wisdom about this job that you might have that I might not find in the Haynes manual? I saw a post about replacing front struts in a 99 Corolla but didn't know how much of that was applicable to the rear. (That sounded obscene, didn't it? )
Thanks for the link. Any of the strut brands you recommend? Also, are there any words of wisdom about this job that you might have that I might not find in the Haynes manual? I saw a post about replacing front struts in a 99 Corolla but didn't know how much of that was applicable to the rear. (That sounded obscene, didn't it? )
Ron
if it was my car I would replace all 4 at the same time, i also would replace the springs, and if you are planning on it yourself, spray some WD-40 on all of the suspension bolts you need to remove a day or two before you plan on removing them. This will make removing them much easier!
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89 Corolla All-Trac Sedan White 188,xxx (Sold)
89 Corolla All-Trac Wagon Blue 172,xxx (Current)
I am new to these boards and hae questions about rear strut replacement. My 1999 Corolla CE has about 110K miles, and the rear struts are going. One of the rear tires is "cupping" and my mechanically-inclined neighbor confirmed to me that I might need to look into strut replacement.
How do you confirm with a "might need to look into" anything. I would ask your neighbor (with the Porsch) if he would be willing to show you how to do the strut swap. Offer to pay him and let him decide. He may just be willing to show you for nothing more than a friendly thank you. People like to feel needed sometimes and that may be just as important to him as getting paid. You never know.
I agree with ghost ryder35, I would change them all at once if the funds were available, as well as springs if you plan on keeping the car for a long time. A lot of us on here have upgraded from stock struts/springs so this is only an opinion as far as the spring recommendation is concerned.
Thanks everyone for your help.
Ac ouple of questions: I looked at the rockauto.com website, and it seems pretty good. Do the "strut assembly" packages include the springs? Which brand(s) do you recommend (or recommend avoiding)?
ALso, do you have any particular tips concerning changing the rear struts that might not be in the Haynes Manual, like particular tools to have or advice for staying out of trouble?
ISO - sorry it took me so long to update my experiences on rear strut replacement. I just did the rear struts a few days before Christmas. I posted a new complete thread on my experiences replacing both front and rear struts.
My goal was to have my car ride and handle as good as new and I think I accomplished what I set out to do. Good luck!
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