Prius Front and Rear suspension replacement clarification

Hi Bob,

Answers to your questions follow:
Would it be recommended I replace coil springs if the Prius has 153K miles and this is a first time replacement? Only if you notice sag in the springs.
Are there rear springs as well? Yes
Is the list correct, identifying all places where two units are needed, and where there is are right and left components to distinguish? I will leave it to you to confirm the correctness of the list, that is part of the fun of DIY. My posts show the part numbers that I had successfully ordered and installed, but part numbers change over time.
I saw some posts about replacing corroded bolts -- are the bolts included in the parts listed here? No

 

a lot of folks use kyb. they're about $65 a piece for the front. I put em on mine and they work good. I didn't replace the mounts, springs or insulators, just the front struts.

 

only "with a little help from my friends". the kyb struts might be a little stiffer than the oem, but not so stiff it will give you that conestoga wagon ride quality.

 

Hi Bob,

I don't know how good the Monroe parts are. The Toyota-branded parts are manufactured by KYB. So if you have a choice between KYB-branded aftermarket and the Toyota-branded parts made by KYB, I would go with whatever is less expensive.

 

KYB was stamped on the struts of my 2008 touring and 2007 base. I have liked mine and haven't had any issues.

 

if the ride doesn't bother you and the struts aren't actually leaking fluid, it wouldn't hurt to ignore them for now. put em at the bottom of your list.

 

If the main driver of that vehicle has no problem with the vehicle ride, then there is no pressing need for service.

A reasonable next step, however "looking" at the suspension is not a perfect way to inspect it. If you see substantial fluid leakage that is proof that the struts need to be replaced. However, absence of such leakage does not constitute proof that the struts are good.

 

I do not think the bounce test is effective on most modern vehicles. It was OK for use on large American sedans back in the 60's, but modern suspension systems typically require substantial effort to compress the springs.

If you don't have complaints about the car's ride in comparison with your new Prius, and you don't see any obvious visual clues then why worry.

 

190 lbs is plenty, but unlikely to show anything unless the struts are completely blown. and you might dent the fender if you're not careful. put it on the back burner.

 

I ran my '05 with oe front struts for 203k; I bet the folks I sold it to haven't changed them yet either. I'm more of a Gibson man, myself...

 

All strut manufactures stress 5 year/50,000 mile replacement interval to maintain OPTIMUM ride/handling quality. After swapping out my fronts and rears, I'm a believer in the strut manufactures claim. Before I had thought this was their attempt to get people to change the parts out unnecessarily and early; kinda like some shops still saying 3months/3,000 mile oil change intervals (absurd given vast improvement in oil quality and engines). To convince yourself:
Read post #48 for fronts. Hints Regarding Replacement of 2G Front Struts | Page 3 | PriusChat
Read post #3 for rears. Replaced Rear Shocks | PriusChat

Strut/shock deterioration is slow, and most won't be able to feel it, since it is gradual. If this vehicle is your daily drive, you would be hard pressed to know/feel any difference. If you had an identical car that was never used, you would have an excellent test vehicle for suspension comparison, and would most likely be able to feel the difference. I never saw any hopscotch marks on my tires, a tell-tale-sign of strut/shock failure. You have probably seen vehicles on the road where one wheel or both wheels on an axle are bouncing up and down superfast (pogoing), which would definitely produce hop scotch marks on the tires.

Remember, struts keep the tires on the road, which helps for traction, handling, and braking. The springs absorb most of the energy from an "impact." The struts smooth out the return keeping tire on the road, preventing the pogoing.

 

true but some folks don't really care about optimum. ultimately, a car is just a tool.

 

Hi Everyone,

I just bought a 2007 Prius Base model with 129k miles one it. It needs new tires and I am planning on replacing all 4 struts as well.

When driving around it sounds a little clunky, so I am thinking replacing the struts and sway bar links should solve the problem as well as getting new tires.

I have ordered the Monroe parts from amazon for half the price that American Tire was quoting me. They said they would allow me to bring in my own parts and just charge me labor. (Quoting total labor at $300 for all four struts) I also ordered the 4 mounts and the 2 sway bar links for the front from Amazon.

Do you all have any suggestions or comments that I need to consider?

Thanks for your help.