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Change entire strut, or only shocks?

15K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  sasuff 
#1 ·
Hey folks, my left front shock is leaky and needs to be changed (I'll change the right too as they need to be changed in pairs). My question is, should I change the entire strut assembly, or change the shock inside the strut? I can save a few bucks by doing the shocks, but that means I'd have to compress the spring, etc, etc.

What have y'all done on your own vehicles? Entire strut, or shock only?

Thanks!
 
#3 ·
You can just replace the strut, and leave the springs. Yes, you have to compress the springs to do this. If you have never done it before it can be dangerous so you have to be careful. You could also pay a shop to do that part of it. Most people would also advise you to replace the mount at the same time. I did this on my son's vehicle, and it was good advice because the mounts were pretty shot when I took the assembly off.

You could also buy a "quick strut" which comes with the mount, strut, and spring all assembled. The ride is generally a little different, but I know people who like them and aren't bothered by the small difference in ride feel. The cost is about double of the strut alone, but it makes the replacement quicker with less hassle.

Pretty much it is up to you. I haven't done it on the traverse so I can't comment on this specific vehicle.
 
#4 ·
I'd buy a good set of struts, and replace them along with the OEM mounts, bearings, and bump stop. I purchased Bilstein B4 OEM struts for my 09 Enclave, as well as new OEM strut mounts, bearings, bump stops, etc. I bought Moog stabilizer bar bushings and AC Delco sway bar links that have grease fittings. I've read bad stories of aftermarket strut mounts so I went with OEM. However, I used Bilstein struts and shocks on my last 2 vehicles and found that they are very high quality. I will be putting on my new struts and shocks in the next month or so.

The quick struts can be fine if they're high-quality, but I read horror stories too about the ride quality, wrong height, etc. If you go this route be sure they're made for the vehicle. Watch this:

 
#5 ·
Thanks guys. I realized I was really using the terms shock and strut all wrong, but I'm glad y'all understood me.

I like some of Scotty Kilmer's content, I just get tired of being yelled at! Thanks for the link, something to think about for sure. Rock Auto sells a complete kit from Monroe (front struts assy and rear shocks) for just over $300. I'll have to do some shopping around.
 
#8 ·
Yes, I'll be doing it myself. I try to do all the maintenance on my vehicles that I can so I can afford repairs like the a/c condenser that somehow got a hole in it and cost $800!
 
#9 ·
Hey folks, my left front shock is leaky and needs to be changed (I'll change the right too as they need to be changed in pairs). My question is, should I change the entire strut assembly, or change the shock inside the strut? I can save a few bucks by doing the shocks, but that means I'd have to compress the spring, etc, etc.

What have y'all done on your own vehicles? Entire strut, or shock only?

Thanks!
change whole units myspring broke recently
 
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