In an old post on here somewhere for the 9th gen.............somebody else did mention it.

 

Thank you sir! Found it:

https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/kyb-quick-struts-for-2003-corolla.1690313/?post_id=14351125#post-14351125

 

How hard can it be to build a bearing with no play but moves freely!!

 

I recently replaced my original suspension. I used new, bare KYB struts and bought new Toyota mounts which definitely use ball bearings. The Toyota mounts are far and away superior to the KYB mounts. KYB makes great OE struts, but KYB mounts are the same mediocre mounts sold anywhere. Seems, though, that the KYB Strut Plus is supposed to be hard to turn (based on reading that thread linked above). Let us know how it's functioning once you drive it. I suspect it'll be OK.

 

Drives just fine. As stated in the thread linked above, must be that once the struts are loaded, the mounts free up.