Monroe - Quick-Strut Complete Strut Assembly

30mph is OK. But I would also like to see ~50mph. What do you say, guys?

charlieRobinson wrote:

30mph is OK. But I would also like to see ~50mph. What do you say, guys?

30 MPH in a parking lot is pushing it - a large mall on a Sunday evening might work if mall security does not object. 50MPH is just out of the question I think. You have to have what, nearly a quarter mile open space to accel, slalom and decel?

So my brother needs to put struts in my old '98 Riv and he wants to get the quick strut... I looked it up and they STILL list the same part number for Riv and PA. Do they still believe these cars weight the same in the nose?

I'm going to call Monroe and see if I can drill any sense into them. I would really like to get the quick strut as it could use new bearings and strut mounts, and it makes the job so much easier, but no way I'm going for the 3" lifted look!!!

Unless the quickstrut is lower in price than struts & bearing/mounts purchased separately, the only reason to buy the quickstruts are the springs. Unless the car is low at the nose, you probably don't need new springs. Two options:

1) buy the struts and bearing/mounts, not the quickstrut.

2) buy the quickstruts and swap over the components to your existing springs.

Most of the work is getting the strut assembly off and on the car. Compressing springs and loading the struts is the easy part, imo.

I've done them before, and I'd rather stick with the stock springs. I'm not a big fan of the cheesy spring compressors they rent at the auto parts stores though. Swapping out the entire strut is a lot cleaner.

I have no problem doing the job as you say. I was just trying to avoid the dangerous spring compressors again.

deekster_caddy wrote:

I've done them before, and I'd rather stick with the stock springs. I'm not a big fan of the cheesy spring compressors they rent at the auto parts stores though. Swapping out the entire strut is a lot cleaner.

I have no problem doing the job as you say. I was just trying to avoid the dangerous spring compressors again.

You used to be able to get the single-action type spring compressors from Amazon.com. For not that much more than the cheesy screw and shackled ones. See this

http://www.amazon.com/XtremepowerUS-Single-Action-Compressor-Macpherson/dp/B00DCZP22G/ref=pd_sim_sbs_auto_3

And look at that tool's more expensive cousins from ATD and OTC.

Thanks Albert. I'm thinking about it, heavily...

deekster_caddy wrote:

Thanks Albert. I'm thinking about it, heavily...

they are The Stuff, I had my car in at a Sears one Sunday for service, the dealer had accidentally misinstalled strut bearings and I had to buy and get replacements installed (and do a bunch of other family things, some distance from home.

Well, with that "jaws" spring compressor they had me from write up to out in about 45 minutes.

Ever since then I keep telling myself I am getting one of those.

Albertj

PS - turns out that Sears (now closed) used moonlighting factory-trained mechanics on weekends. They knew what they were doing, they knew who had parts counters open on Sunday, et cetera.

Anyone have any new information about the Quick Struts listed for the Rivs? Have they changed them at all to provide the proper ride height?

BMD wrote:

Anyone have any new information about the Quick Struts listed for the Rivs? Have they changed them at all to provide the proper ride height?

Not to anyone's knowledge. Your best bet is to just get the struts and springs separate. It gives you a good chance to upgrade to either the F41, FE3, or STS lowering springs.

Not to bring a thread back from the dead here, but we just put 4 quick struts in my brother's replacement for the Riv - a 2004 Grand Prix. Same damn problem - the nose sits about 2 inches higher than the rear. Should have saved the original springs. Quick Strut? Never again!

And we HAVE the spring compression tool now (and have used it on other struts)

Stock or die

So, I take it the Monroe Quik-Strut is still junk with our cars? Rockauto still lists the same part numbers for our cars as they do with the Park Avenue. One thing my uncle suggested was to use Quik-Struts made for the Grand Prix. That brings up a couple questions. One, will they even be compatible? Two, is the Riv that much heavier in the front than the Grand Prix that I'll be riding noticeably lower than stock?

The Grand Prix has lighter springs than we do. That being said, if you do buy GP stuff and it fits that means we can use GP lowering springs or even the coilovers made for the GP. Do it for science!

The Riv is considerably heavier than the GP. I would go ahead and not use the grand prix struts. I mean, there's a reason they have different part numbers. Just use your springs on new Monroe struts. If you don't want to go through the trouble of getting the springs swapped over, take everything to a local shop and have them swap the springs over, then you go put them back in the car.

Do NOT use the quick struts. Get normal replacement struts and swap your springs over to the new struts. It's the only way to have it come out right.

Rockauto lists the Monroes, Moog, Gabriel, and even AC Delco Quick struts, and the all list the PA and Riv in the buyers guide.

Now you guys have me sweating over replacing my struts. All new Delco everything, a home built quick strut of all Delco and OEM parts.

Keep you posted

The Roadmaster wrote:

Now you guys have me sweating over replacing my struts. All new Delco everything, a home built quick strut of all Delco and OEM parts.

Keep you posted

You're going to be fine. As long as the upper seat/bearing is clocked the proper way (as said before), everything is going to be OK

Cool and the Gang

Thanks

I just ordered the Gabriel Quick Struts for my 98. Was driving home yesterday, hit a bump, and all of a sudden, I am getting a rubbing noise from the front right. When I stopped to investigate, I saw the spring perch of the Delco strut had rotted, the spring pushed it down, and it was hitting the very inside edge of the tire. I nursed it home. It was raining pretty heavily, and I went through all the puddles I could find. The water kept the rubber cool and there was no real damage to the tire. I don't have the time or facilities to start messing with spring compressors so the Ready strut is the best option to get me back in operation. I'll keep the old springs just in case. I can always take it up to my buddy John's shop (45 minute ride) and swap out the springs if the ride height is really objectionable. I'll need to have it aligned anyway.

I have mine assembled, and had prepared for a quick install. Then the Regal was stolen. Been jumping through hoops since.

Next 70 degree day they go on, everything else gets put on hold.

I'm like you Larry, keeping the originals. They will be broken down though for space consideration.

Larry, I'm very curious if you have some 'before' side pictures (without the broken mount) to compare with the 'after' pics. I wonder if Gabriel uses a different spring than Monroe. I see that they use the same part number for the Park Ave.

I had to order the struts from Autozone. They should be here tomorrow morning. I will try to remember to take pictures before and after.