[QueensCamry78]

Hi guys, I'm new here. Currently I just purchased a 1992 Camry LE. Currently all four shocks of the car are worn out quite badly. It's quite scary driving the car now with this worn out suspension.

I'm looking to purchase an aftermarket shocks with some lowering springs. I just want to lower it a little bit, nothing crazy. 1.5" drop is the most I would do. The problem is that I'm not sure if the struts that I have currently is sealed or non sealed. Few stores around here told me that I need to find out which type of shocks that I have on my car currently because both types aren't interchangable.

I never own a Camry before & I never know what's really the difference between the sealed & non sealed shocks. I went to few Toyota parts dealer around here & none of them know what I was talking about. They're all said that there is only one type of shocks for my Camry.

Is it possible for me to find out which type of shocks by my VIN number? Or do I need to open the whole suspension to find out which type of shock do I have currently on my car?

Thanks a lot guys. I really appreciate your help

 

[atobe]

the best way is to take it off and see what it is. i thought i had seal but i ended up having serviceables ones once i took them off by then it was too late. so if you have a lil time. jack up a wheel take it off. take off the 3 bolts in the hood pop out the strut a lil bit and see what you really have. if you see anything that resembles that it can be taken out with a wrench then you have sericeables

 

[QueensCamry78]

Servicable, is that the one with a refillable cartridges?

 

[jackfrost1031]

Yes, It is.

 

[88 LE]

Sealed vs. serviceable:

http://www.toyotanation.com/faq/all_html2.php?prog=1&lang=en


Scroll down towards the bottom of the page.

 

[QueensCamry78]

Oh okay, great. Thanks for the info guys. Can you install the sealed struts on a 1992? Or is it a must to get the servicable?

 

[amerikim]

QueensCamry78,
a unsealed strut means you can replace the inner workings while the sealed strut means you replace the whole strut as one piece.
You cannot service a sealed strut.
If you are unsure, just get the whole strut so you dont have to mess with it, it will fit and it comes in cool colors - eye candy.

 

[soundlzrd]

Most people i sell struts to go with the sealed tokicos because a) they are unsure which they have or b) their stock units are rusted. However serviceable is cheaper.

 

[Admiral]

go for tokico .... they pretty in blue

 

[atobe]

serviceables are only cheaper by 10$ each so might as well replace the whole thing it does look better than the stock's back.

 

[QueensCamry78]

Oh okay. I think I'm just gonna replace the whole struts then. Thanks a lot guys for all your input. I appreciate it.

 

[The Wolf]

Can you install the sealed struts on a 1992?

I asked a similar question in another thread.... I am probably going to attempt this, but my shox.com sales rep didn't think the fronts would fit.... Will 95-96 Tokico's fit without any mods/extra parts on a 92-94 Camry?

 

[QueensCamry78]

I asked a similar question in another thread.... I am probably going to attempt this, but my shox.com sales rep didn't think the fronts would fit.... Will 95-96 Tokico's fit without any mods/extra parts on a 92-94 Camry?

Yea, I also asked a local store & they told me the samething. They told me that Tokico doesn't make a full struts for 92-94 Camry, only servicable one. They told me that KYB make it though. I'm thinking about going with KYB now.

 

[soundlzrd]

Yea, I also asked a local store & they told me the samething. They told me that Tokico doesn't make a full struts for 92-94 Camry, only servicable one. They told me that KYB make it though. I'm thinking about going with KYB now.

KYBS suck. I had them on my car for a year because i was being told exacly what you are, its a lie. You can fit tokicos on your car and i reccomend to all my 92-94 camry owning customers to do the same.

 

[The Wolf]

KYBS suck. I had them on my car for a year because i was being told exacly what you are, its a lie. You can fit tokicos on your car and i reccomend to all my 92-94 camry owning customers to do the same.

Cool, thanks! I'll e-mail the sales rep at Shox.com and get the full housing, then! Hopefully, I'll have 'em on in a few weeks, since class starts Monday....

 

[QueensCamry78]

Yea, I also asked a local store & they told me the samething. They told me that Tokico doesn't make a full struts for 92-94 Camry, only servicable one. They told me that KYB make it though. I'm thinking about going with KYB now.

Why do you feel that KYB is sucks? Is the ride quality?

 

[amerikim]

Why do you feel that KYB is sucks? Is the ride quality?

It's a preference thing.

The KYBs are softer, closer to stock.
The Tokicos are firmer and some like that.

Some say the KYBs outlast Tokicos but personally I went with Tokicos. Only thing I would do different is go with the full struts instead of inserts. One less thing to futz with.

Whatever shocks you choose, get some shock boots to protect the damping rod. One scratch and its ripping up the seals. Quite a few people miss this on reassembly.

Check out Sean's signature, I got mine from him.

 

[QueensCamry78]

Oh I see. It sounds like the KYB would fit me better because I'm looking for something smooth. Slightly stiffer than stock is what I'm looking for. Thanks for your input.

 

[The Wolf]

Only thing I would do different is go with the full struts instead of inserts. One less thing to futz with.

Whatever shocks you choose, get some shock boots to protect the damping rod. One scratch and its ripping up the seals. Quite a few people miss this on reassembly.

I actually just e-mailed shox.com and the sales rep replied with this: "yes we'll do that, however because the book says differently it will be
noted that it was done by your request and you take responsibility for
it, meaning there is no warranty from the factory on applications that are
not in their catalog specific to the vehicle."

Damn them! Especially when I can go to ebay and find this.. What's that in the description? 92-96? Hmmmmm....:disappoin

I also got some universal boots from Advanced Auto Parts for about $13/each.

 

[soundlzrd]

If you ordered from me my price is the same as shox and you do the the warranty.