replace or not to replace struts

[good_old_geo]

Ive lately been having problems with my car. At about 65 mph the car shakes like crazy(like going through a rough patch of road). as I get faster the shaking is lessened. At low speeds this doesnt happen but there is a notable noise coming from the tires. I replaced the ball joints and tie rods, had the tires balanced and a four wheel alignment done. The car still shakes albeit not as bad as before. The mechanic at belle tire said that my struts need replacing due to mileage (160k) and the two rear tires have flat spots already. I always check my suspension and I noted that when the front and rear of the car are pushed down the car springs softly back up into position like noted by many do it yourself manuals. Do you guys think the struts are the problem? How can I really be sure that this is the reason for all this?

[dirt666]

Buy some decent tires and your problems will be noticably better. Go to a tire shop that sells tires and nothing else. Not brakes, not struts, not exhaust, but tires. Most people do not seem to understand the fact that tires are what meets the road, and is the biggest factor in how the car drives on the highway. These cars are so light that most front end components last much longer than the rest of the car. The struts on these cars are an issue, just don't think replacing them will cure all. More consistant with worn struts are these symptoms; bouncy, tends to wonder and float, etc. When I got my SR5 this June it had brand new top of the line Canadian Tire Sport All-Seasons(junk). The struts on my car are not very good either, but I didn't replace them. I went out and got some decent tires, I paid $47 Cdn ea for a set of Yokohama All Season TC320's from National Tire Wholesale in Delta. My buddy could not believe the diference it made in the handling of the car. If you have flat spots on your tires you will never get rid of your problems. With the tire balancing machines out there now, you can literally balance a square block....but how smooth does it turn? A decent tire shop will tell you this.

[REN69]

Yeah, that's not neccessarily your struts.. sounds more like a tire balance problem, either your tires are out of balance or they're just bad now. Time for new ones.

[tashirosgt]

What kind of car are we talking about? A Geo (from the title of the poster) or a Corolla? What year?

[good_old_geo]

its a 96 geo prizm. have any of you guys had this problem....on acceleration and deceleration there is a SINGLE click coming from the front end of the car. It happens for example when you place the car in first gear then step on the gas on sudden acceleration there is a click then when you lay off the gas another click is heard. my haynes manual said it was the motor mounts...I had them checked and the guy said they were fine.

last question....which is more durable? kyb(gas) or monroe struts

[REN69]

If you want soft and mushy go Monroe.. if you want a little stiffer than OEM and something that will handle a lot better around corners then go KYB.

[thoughthard]

Are you using aftermarket alloys?