FAQ: Shocks & Struts Options

LARRY70GS wrote:

I used the Gabriel ready strut.  Others had problems with the car sitting up too much in the front.  I did not, at least not with the Gabriels.

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t9615p75-monroe-quick-strut-complete-strut-assembly

i have a 97 and those wont work...

brettfavreisamonster wrote:

LARRY70GS wrote:

I used the Gabriel ready strut.  Others had problems with the car sitting up too much in the front.  I did not, at least not with the Gabriels.

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t9615p75-monroe-quick-strut-complete-strut-assembly

i have a 97 and those wont work...

Dang it!

Good afternoon.  I am new to the site and am trying to get the hang of it. I  am the proud owner of a 1997 Riviera with 62,000 original miles. I have a question about the Front struts.  I  have been up and down the Internet trying to find  ready struts for my 97 . No dice.  Dose anyone know where I can get a set of ready struts for my 97? 2nd question will the struts from a 98 Riviera work on a 97? What is the difference between 97  and 98-99 struts?  Thanks for your time!

The strut mount on the 97 has different attachment spacing than the 98-99. In addition, the 98-99 uses bolts where the 97 uses nuts. The mount actually has studs. It's a shame because the loaded struts make the job so quick and easy.

Thanks for the information Larry70GS . I guess I have the odd year Riviera. Would you happen to know any other problems or difference with the 97 that would be helpful? Have a great day

LARRY70GS wrote:

The strut mount on the 97 has different attachment spacing than the 98-99.  In addition, the 98-99 uses bolts where the 97 uses nuts.  The mount actually has studs.  It's a shame because the loaded struts make the job so quick and easy.

Not beyond what I wrote, but there may be other differences.  I'm sure others will comment if I missed anything.  Poke around the site using the search function, you may find other things.  There is a lot of information here, great site for our cars.

Read the entire thread here, https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t109-write-up-installing-a-front-strut-tower-brace-stb

Might be other things there.

Oldschool79 wrote:

Good afternoon.  I am new to the site and am trying to get the hang of it. I  am the proud owner of a 1997 Riviera with 62,000 original miles. I have a question about the Front struts.  I  have been up and down the Internet trying to find  ready struts for my 97 . No dice.  Dose anyone know where I can get a set of ready struts for my 97? 2nd question will the struts from a 98 Riviera work on a 97? What is the difference between 97  and 98-99 struts?  Thanks for your time!

no ready struts for the 97'. rockauto.com has good prices on struts, plus there are rebates right now for kyb and monroe and other struts and rear shocks.

Okay. I have read through a lot of this thread. I will have a 1996 Riviera soon (probably). I want to make it STIFFER. I already have my choice for the rear shocks. It seems that Gabriel Readymounts would be my choice for the front. I understand Pontiac Bonneville struts will fit well. Now my question:

What is the Gabriel part number for the Gabriel readymounts that will fit my 96 Riv? Thank you.

There are no ready struts for the 96. You can buy all the parts you need to transfer your coil spring to new struts. The Addco sway bars will do wonders for the handling without destroying the ride.

So I guess the Bonneville ready struts are for 98 and 99 only? Then KYB would be the way to go to get fully loaded strut assemblies for my 96? I replaced struts on a 1996 DeVille using individual parts ONCE. I would like to avoid ever doing that again. I am hoping there is a complete strut assembly for my 96. And if it sits a bit higher that is okay. If it is a LOT stiffer, that would be great!

I am going with the Monroe 90007's in the back. I have them on both of my 94 Roadmasters where I disabled the working air adjust system, and I MUCH prefer the spring overload shocks. I also put Monroe Severe Duty shocks in the front and my Roadies are a lot more "sporty" than I thought possible. Definitely not a floaty boat ride anymore!

skatterbrane wrote:

So I guess the Bonneville ready struts are for 98 and 99 only? Then KYB would be the way to go to get fully loaded strut assemblies for my 96? I replaced struts on a 1996 DeVille using individual parts ONCE. I would like to avoid ever doing that again. I am hoping there is a complete strut assembly for my 96. And if it sits a bit higher that is okay. If it is a LOT stiffer, that would be great!

When I look up a 1996 Buick Riviera on www.rockauto.com, I only see individual components,

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/buick,1996,riviera,3.8l+v6+supercharged,1022038,suspension,strut,7584

I only see the ready struts for the 98-99,

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/buick,1998,riviera,3.8l+v6+supercharged,1303322,suspension,strut+/+coil+spring+/+mount+assembly,15174

Maybe this is the way to go?:

http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/suspension.jsp?&make=KYB&model=Strut-Plus+Assembly&group=Strut-Plus+Assembly&autoMake=Buick&autoModel=Riviera&autoYear=1996&autoModClar=&partNum=SR4022&perfCode=P

skatterbrane wrote:

Maybe this is the way to go?

It says this product is NOT AVAILABLE for your 1996 Buick Riviera.

Ah yeah. I see it now. Thanks. I will have to do it the hard way I guess.

skatterbrane wrote:

Ah yeah.  I see it now. Thanks.  I will have to do it the hard way I guess.

I wonder if you phone in the order instead of ordering on-line, if Rock Auto would make up a parts kit for you (in lieu of ready struts) and lop a few bucks off.

I had the KYBs installed with my stock springs on my 96.
I was happy with my ride height & didn't want to change it.
When I had quickstruts put on my Regal the front end sat up too high.
I have seen others on here with the same issue.
You might be better off that the kits are not available.
Jbird

It looks like the actual strut is the same between a 1996 Riviera and the mid to late 90s Bonnevilles. It is the mounting kit that differs. Tell me if I am wrong. I could get any brand that offers an assembled strut for the Bonneville and simply buy a separate mounting kit for a 96 Riviera. This way I could switch out the top part of the assembly and be ready to R&R the complete assemblies. If this is true, it would be worth a few extra bucks for the separate mounting kit to made an easier task out of this.

skatterbrane wrote:

It looks like the actual strut is the same between a 1996 Riviera and the mid to late 90s Bonnevilles.  It is the mounting kit that differs.   Tell me if I am wrong. I could get any brand that offers an assembled strut for the Bonneville and simply buy a separate mounting kit for a 96 Riviera.    This way I could switch out the top part of the assembly and be ready to R&R the complete assemblies.  If this is true, it would be worth a few extra bucks for the separate mounting kit to made an easier task out of this.

That's probably correct. Change the upper mount/bearing assembly and it'll probably work. Without doing so personally, I can't guarantee it though.

Just make sure you install the mount facing the proper direction. If you don't, you'll blow out the bearings in a week. So I'd take out the original struts and make note of the bearing seat orientation. It's on an angle, and needs to be installed the same way.

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t11630-proper-front-strut-bearing-installation?highlight=strut

Thank you for the tip. If this works, it would seem to be an easy solution for those who do not want to either reuse their old springs and/or for those who do not want to buy all the parts needed separately. The cost would probably be pretty close between buying ALL the parts separately versus buying "Readymount", "Quick-Strut", or "KYB Complete Corner Unit" and the year specific Riviera mounting kit.

Heck, why didn't I think of that?

So, going through this tread it seems the Gabriels are the most stiff, agreed?

skatterbrane wrote:

So, going through this tread it seems the Gabriels are the most stiff, agreed?

In my experience they were BUT I am hearing good things about Monroe OE SPECTRUM struts.

I installed new Monroe MA822 Max-Air shocks (the originals were blown). And everything works just as it should.  My 4 Auroras had the same setup, and one of my 94 Roadmasters has air level ride, and it worked perfectly too. However I installed coil-over load assist shocks on that Roadmaster, (my non-air level shock equipped Roadmaster has them too) and I like the ride MUCH better.  I also had a 94 Fleetwood with the air pump shocks and replaced them with the load assists.   I guess I just prefer a slightly stiffer ride and a slight rake (I always try to adjust the air assist system at max lift, but it isn't quite enough for my tastes).

Based on that I am going to install Monroe 90007 load assist shocks on my Riviera when the order arrives. I think it will give the car a less "dumpy" look and give me a tad more firmness that I have experienced on my other cars.   Too bad Monroe does not make a Severe Duty strut like they do the front shocks I put on my Roadmasters and had on my Fleetwood.  

I do not like when I hit a bump and the shock or strut goes past center more than once. I want it to either go up and return to rest or down and return to rest but never up and down or down and up and then return to rest.  Just like tennis, one bounce is all you get with me!

Back when I had various 1964-1972 GM B-bodied cars,  I would find a truck shock that would fit (sometimes I had to make the lower control arm shock access hole larger to accommodate).  It took all I had to jump on the front of the car to get the shocks to compress at all. That's the way, uh-huh, uh-huh I like it.   Oh I miss those Skylarks, LeMans, Cutlasses and Malibus!  They were so easy to improve the handling on.

Oh yeah! The Monroe 90007 load assist shocks are the ticket!