Today I started working on changing out the struts on my Avalon. I got a set of KYBs for front and back. However! The first strut I took apart (taking the spring off) I didn't see a little spacer fall off of it. So I put it back together without the spacer. Well, trying to torque it down to spec it ruined the hole in the upper plate/support not allowing me to torque it to spec, even with the spacer I found, since the hole is now perfectly round. While this sounds like a bad thing, the thing is that this part seems to also be the dust cover for the shock, and it is terribly disintegrated on both sides. I had actually looked for the dust covers online before, but I couldn't find them. I thought they were a separate part, like on so many other cars. So now I'd like to get dust covers for both sides. But I can't seem to find this part anywhere, or I do and I get confusing information from the website. Toyota Parts is now a horrible mess. I did find a pic at autoparts.Toyota.com with it showing parts 48750H(RH) and 48760B(LH) to be the parts I'm looking for. But I can't get anything on the site that specifies just these two parts. I miss the old Toyota parts website! Looking at http://www.ToyotaPartsDeal.com I can search 48760B and get 48750-06130 as a LH part that fits on my Avalon. But when I search for 48750H I get part 48750-48070 that looks like the right part, but the site says does not fit my Avalon but only fits the Highlander. I can also see these parts on eBay for much cheaper, but am not sure whether to go that route. I guess I could call a Toyota dealer, but I'd have to have it shipped here as they are too far away, even if I had a car that didn't have its struts lying all over the lawn. Suggestions?
I hate it when they money saving adventure goes south - where one turn of events leads to the next bad turn of events. Welcome to our world. Better ½ had a favorite watch worked on in a "bargain" shop for a measly battery swap & they managed to bust off both hands. Was not allowed to say "I told you - you should NEVER go back to that shop. $60 to repair watch at another shop & the watch breakers would deduct $60 from a battery swap on her phone. So now her Galaxy s20 doesn't work. LOL. (sigh) Here's to hoping you get out of this with a cost no greater (at least) than what the stealership would have charged, minus your time & effort .
I've always worked on my cars. I've always changed out the struts when they needed changing. And while I did make a mistake, it was on a part that needed replacing anyway. But it's the not being able to get a straight answer as to where in the world can I find this part that is a huge pain. I kind of need the strut attached to the vehicle in order to drive it.
