Write-Up: Installing KYB GR-2 Struts

AA wrote:

So it handles better now, right?

OH YAH........... it doesnt float and it takes corners like a miata




















eehhhhhhhhhhhh no...... but none the lesss its 10X better

I was on the fence about putting on new struts (100k miles) but I am glad I did. It was an easy install (45 minutes per side) and rides like a totally different car. If you are thinking about doing this, I have 2 words for you....DO IT!

It seems that you cant find the KYB-SM5276 anymore, is the updated part number SM5286 now?

what year of strut mount did you use? I'm thinking of the kyb's on my 97 and I know the top mount is different. Can I eliminate the custom work by switching to the 98 top mount setup?

When I put on my KYB struts I used a new pair of KYB shields (and kept the old shields).

The KYB shields are a different, 2-piece design, bumper and bellows. Bumpers are these white plugs, kind of foamy. Got to put a little dish soap/water on them to slide them onto the strut shaft, they are a REALLY tight fit. (tire bead lube or tune up grease - that clear polysiloxane stuff - should work too but the package insert basically says use clean dishwater... specifically they say "use household dish detergent in water to lubricate" or some darn thing, I pitched 'em...) Then bellows slide onto the bumper. Top of bellows snaps onto bumper, and bottom snaps onto the flat washer-looking plate welded to the top of the KYB strut casing. (Might wanna use dishwater to lube the bellows too, it's a tight fit on the bumper and strut casing). Makes a tight and unambiguous assembly. In comparison, the OEM shields just set over the shaft and strut casing. Which works.

I tell you what - Buick might have considered doing some 'badge engineering' - once the swells slowed down buying Rivieras, put out a "Wildcat" with the KYBs, smaller (e.g., factory Pontiac GTP) pulley, raised white letter tires, different style cast-metal wheels out of the Pontiac or Cadillac parts bin or maybe the Olds Aurora's with "Wildcat" center caps, a taillight panel with a different design (maybe vertical serrations, circles, or some such) and a stainless mesh grille (or even stainless-looking-plastic) with no R-in-oval in the middle... and maybe some carbon-fiber-looking interior trim (rented a Malibu that had this on it, looked surprisingly smart) and wha-la... a ground-level Flying Fortress...

Albertj

napalmpt wrote:

It seems that you cant find the KYB-SM5276 anymore, is the updated part number SM5286 now?

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?catalog=63&partnum=SM5276&a=FR63-SM5276

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=kyb-sm5276

Looks like RockAuto has the best deal, and their shipping will be less too, typically.

a ground-level Flying Fortress...

What a great description for a modified Riviera!

Another question for those that have done the KYB GR2's:

I know I have to buy the mounting kits (one for each side) because there's a danger with running the old mounts. My question is, do I need to buy the replacement "boots" for the KYB's. I'm guessing my car already has them on there and if they're in good shape, I can re-use them, yes?

God, I'm flooding these boards with questions about these damn springs and whatnot.

albertj wrote:

When I put on my KYB struts I used a new pair of KYB shields (and kept the old shields).

The KYB shields are a different, 2-piece design, bumper and bellows. Bumpers are these white plugs, kind of foamy. Got to put a little dish soap/water on them to slide them onto the strut shaft, they are a REALLY tight fit. (tire bead lube or tune up grease - that clear polysiloxane stuff - should work too but the package insert basically says use clean dishwater... specifically they say "use household dish detergent in water to lubricate" or some darn thing, I pitched 'em...) Then bellows slide onto the bumper. Top of bellows snaps onto bumper, and bottom snaps onto the flat washer-looking plate welded to the top of the KYB strut casing. (Might wanna use dishwater to lube the bellows too, it's a tight fit on the bumper and strut casing). Makes a tight and unambiguous assembly. In comparison, the OEM shields just set over the shaft and strut casing. Which works.

I tell you what - Buick might have considered doing some 'badge engineering' - once the swells slowed down buying Rivieras, put out a "Wildcat" with the KYBs, smaller (e.g., factory Pontiac GTP) pulley, raised white letter tires, different style cast-metal wheels out of the Pontiac or Cadillac parts bin or maybe the Olds Aurora's with "Wildcat" center caps, a taillight panel with a different design (maybe vertical serrations, circles, or some such) and a stainless mesh grille (or even stainless-looking-plastic) with no R-in-oval in the middle... and maybe some carbon-fiber-looking interior trim (rented a Malibu that had this on it, looked surprisingly smart) and wha-la... a ground-level Flying Fortress...

Albertj

they had a wildcat riv concept , i think it was intercooled with 282 horsepower. All black with black trim. Looked very good. Too bad it never made it to production.

Its almost silly to think how much more power this engine could've made from the factory with just better manifolds , a larger downpipe and smaller pulley. Then again i'm sure it was engineered to be quiet , not a race car... oh well.

Buapo wrote:

..... My question is, do I need to buy the replacement "boots" for the KYB's. I'm guessing my car already has them on there and if they're in good shape, I can re-use them, yes?.....

I'd replace them. They tend to weaken and crack with age.

what about those that have 97's like me? can we still do the gr-2 mod? i really want to do this but i have a 97.

There is currently not a direct fit replacement KYB GR-2 for the 1997 model - it's an oddball year, whereas the 98-99 Rivs could get them because they share the same front suspension as several other cars (Park Ave, Caddy STS, Bonneville).

Not sure what replacement you could buy that would be better than stock for your car. Maybe someone will chime in with a suggestion.

Suggest you ask at a CarQuest or NAPA for replacements for the '97. In my experience CarQuest has a very good interchange list. Before struts were listed for my '98 they had struts that fit and worked fine - could not see them in the Gabriel on-line catalog at that time, though. Turns out they were actually for the same year Bonneville (and rode like it, which was an improvement for me).

What you might want to do - if a NAPA near you is a stocking location (for me, that would be Watkins Glen, not Corning or Horseheads) ask them to pull the Monroe 71664 (fits your 97) and 71665 (fits the 98) and see if they physically differ.

I think they differ in terms of valving but I am not sure they physically differ. Point is if the 98 parts are a PHYSICAL fit, you could get the struts and springs for a '98 and be done with the drama. If you do this, write in the owner's manual that you changed the fronts to the '98 or some such.

That said - they may well differ. The mounts are different if only because the 98 mounts have nuts swaged on and the 97 mounts have bolts swaged on.

Let us know what you find.

Albertj

Can KYB AGX struts work on a 98 RIV?
Has anyone used them?
They seem like a much better choice for a performance feel than the GR2

When I put KYB struts on the front of my '98 RIv I also installed new OE strut monts (got them from GMPartsDirect.com).

Problem is both mounts failed. One last year (thought it was a fluke) and the other failed this week (well - yesterday as far as I can tell). I'll replace it with another OE mount on Monday.

So here is the question:

Should I just get someone's AFTERMARKET mount and install them instead of simply replacing the OE mount? That is, is it a better idea to get a KYB, Gabriel or Monroe mount and use the OE mounts as paperweights?

Further question - am I blowing out these new mounts becuase something ELSE is wrong with the suspension. Like maybe I need new springs, or there is some other bushing/sway bar/tie rod/whatever problem? What's your experience? Your speculation?

Please advise (soon) and thanks.

Albertj

what is leading you to believe the mount is broken? from what i remember it is just rubber with a metal backing. has the strut rod shot through the plate or something?

the strut rod tore through the bushing in the middle of the mount plate, and smacks the underside of the hood, denting the hood underside a bit (and when driving making the hood jiggle like it's not latched).

Albertj

wow, i havent heard of that happening before on a riv.
could the kyb's be slightly loose allowing movement between the nut/bushing/rod. this would "beat" at the rubber eventually causing failure. just a guess though, and i would think you would have heard the knocking going over bumps.

another idea is the oem mounts had been sitting in the dealership sine 98' and they are dryrotted.

No idea, and can't test it now. Good thought though I will see that it does not happen on the repair.

Other thoughts?

Albertj

What happens when they go bad Albert?

No one had answered on my screen when I asked the ? Thanks for the heads up Mr. Riviera.

Sounds to me like some part of the strut mount may have been missing upon installation. I've never heard of this happening either. I did my struts a few years ago and didn't take pictures, so I can't recall what the top is like in there, sorry I'm not more help here.

With the struts out and disassembled, you should compare what you have there to a parts list and make sure all the pieces are still there...

I'll do that. That is - when I take the car in for repair I'll get an explosion from the parts counterguy and talk to the tech.

Based on what you're telling me I think I know what happened. I did not assemble them - but I will have a low-drama word with the person who did... under the circumstances of that assembly, if there were parts missing it's an understandable problem albeit expensive for me depending on if indeed there were parts missing and I can get him to fess up.

Thanks everyone for the input and I'll let you all kinow if there were parts missing or whatever. I suspecct it's just "bad" rubber... see http://www.volvo-forums.com/t21286-upper-strut-mount-spring-seat-failure.htm. If GM has
a physically identical mount for a stiffer suspension, that's possibly what I need.

Albertj

Is anybody else seeing red X's where the pictures should be? I'm planning on replacing my front struts in a few months and this is a great write-up.

Thanks Aaron.