150k miles on my 2011...thought I'd put new shocks and struts on since the dealership recommend it. If course since it's going to be apart I figured why not new coils. Any tips\suggestions are welcome. I ordered new strut mounts with bearings and upper front spring insulators...what else? I will probably get the upper and lower insulator pieces for the rear coils and lower for the front. The dealer suggested changing the spark plugs so I'll do that since I'll remove all the parts to access them when doing the struts. Jeff in Long Beach. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
Are you going to mount the springs onto the shocks yourself? Those home DIY tools to do it with are sketchy and you gotta make sure you do it right so you don't kill yourself. Or see if a shop will do it with their more heavy-duty safer tool?
Yeah, I'm planning on mounting the springs on the struts. If I don't like the way it's going I might make a jig for my hydraulic press or take it to a shop.. we'll see..lol. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
The borrowed spring compressor I tried wasn't going to work. The best at what two parts stored offered. Ended up bringing them to the tire place. Charged me 100$ for 20 minutes of work but they said it was a hour. Rears probably easier and doable. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
I wholeheartedly support you spending way too much time making the most solid bomb-proof jig for your hydraulic press possible. The forces involved should never depend on a tiny little nut that might not hold....
Flat Rate is what the "job" pays. If it is 1 hour labor, you get charged 1 hour. Whether it takes 20 minutes, or 2 hours. With experience, a tech can do the job quicker. For some customers, we just left the car for the time they were told because they cried, instead of being happy we fixed it faster.
I put Konis and eibach on an audi a6, the eibach dropped the car over an inch, I'd make certain of how much they drop the car before buying shocks, if the shocks are meant for stock height and the car is dropped an inch, the shocks will be out of their comfort zone. The a6 was a pig but with the shocks and springs it was a gas, it would lean over a little then hook up and was on rails, but it was still a pig. Flat rate.....took the wife's bmw x1 in for some work, the quote was 12.5 hours labor plus parts, an hour and three quarters later they gave it back and charged for 12.5 hours, it was all work that should have been completed after it ran over a tractor trailer wheel (75 mph, traffic all around, wheel was midair 2 seconds earlier) and paid for with insurance, but somehow was neglected, and when later discovered, was my dime, what a scam, got rid of that pig, bmw....22 mpg, new tires every 10,000 miles and unscrupulous dealers.
Finished the upgrade today. It was dark by time I finished so I'll get after pics of the car tomorrow and post before and after shots. It went pretty straight forward. Changed the spark plugs while I had the access. Half the work was just removing all the parts to access the struts and shock towers! Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
I used to replace just the cartridge, but it's so much easier and faster to replace the whole assembly. That way you get a new spring, bearing, bumper and cover.
Agreed... The prices on fully assembled ones on Ebay is only $100 a pair... Of course the OP is upgrading to a more expensive and possibly higher quality brand name so that option is probably not available.
That's exactly what happened. I was going to get the kyb strut assemblies but then decided to get the Koni struts and decided to lower it with the Eibach springs. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.