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New shocks don't have dust covers

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by PioneerJEB, May 19, 2024.

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  1. PioneerJEB

    PioneerJEB New Member

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    I'm trying to replace the rear shocks on my 2010 Prius. After extensive research, I bought KYB shocks from RockAuto. I've watched 5 different videos on replacing these shocks and, in every one, you take the dust cover off the old shock and slide it over the new one. However, when I removed one of the old shocks, I found that the dust cover is steel and appears to be attached to the shock. (See attached photo, with old shock on left.) So now I'm without a dust cover.

    When I went on RockAuto to find a replacement, the closest I could find is an accordian-style shock bellow, which doesn't look like the part that was used in all the videos I watched. (Pic attached.)

    I realize now that my old shocks are Monroe OESpectrum shocks that are available on RockAuto for much less than the KYBs. But I'm assuming they're not as good.

    What would you recommend I do? Buy the Monroe shocks instead? Buy the bellows available on RockAuto? Try to find the original dust cover somewhere (maybe from Toyota)? Thanks.
     

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  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    The bellows type would be the easiest that's how they all used to be I think maybe the part that you're supposed to move over from the original Toyota piece is a piece of plastic or something like that I wouldn't let that worry me at all I've had shocks on other cars with no bellows no boots sometimes no bump stops which now are incorporated into the the other pieces as well so you can let it worry you or not Is it going to reduce the life of the shock probably not in the world that we live in but in some extremely dire conditions possibly a little I know the cheapies that I just bought for my generation too all have bellows boots bump stops and everything and they're just running the mill cheaper type junk but apparently they're done a pretty good job they seemingly work well if they were missing a boot or two I wouldn't let it worry me for what I paid for them.
     
  3. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    When I bought their "kit", it had those cheaper shocks. That's probably what the other
    person did. You'll have to get the bellows and bumper. Or just get the same type
    of shocks...

     
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    You should be able to find the bellows that'll work right at your O'Reilly's Menards or advance Auto parts store they should have a bunch of them in stock there's really only you know five six seven eight part numbers it'll probably cover thousands of cars you know shock pissed in rod diameters and all that are very similar for most vehicles in certain size ranges and weight ranges so one or two parts would cover many more than we'd want to think about I bought a bellows kit for a rack not too long ago I think the bellows was $18 maybe a tad less and was in stock.
     
  5. PioneerJEB

    PioneerJEB New Member

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    Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll go ahead and order the bellows from RockAuto. I've read multiple people say they liked the KYB shocks but haven't read the same about those Monroes, and since I already have the KYBs, it would be a bit of a hassle to send them back. I considered just skipping the dust cover since my car is already old and I don't know how much longer it will last, but I figure it's easy enough to just wait a few days for the bellows to arrive.
     
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  6. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Probably easiest out of a junkyard.
     
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