Time for new struts
 

OK it's time to put new struts on the Maxima. It has 129K miles on it and it's the OEM suspension. I'm thinking of going with KYB G2 struts. Does anyone have any experience with these? Are they good? Also I am going to replace the strut mounts, do I need to replace the strut bearing? This is the SE trim line so it has the sport suspension on it but I don't know what exactly is different between the trim lines. Do I have to look for struts that are specific to the SE?

isn' the upper assembly bearings and mount in 1 ?and yes replace them if it's a 1 piece unit.

i had KYB adj. strusts before, worked good.

What year is it? Most cars won't need new strut mounts unless they're like 10+ years old or something. As for KYB GR2's, don't get them, they suck. I have some and they're way too soft, too much body float. The only good KYB's are the adjustable AGX models. Either that or look into some Tokicos. Honestly though if you liked the ride when it was new, go with the OEM units, assuming they still stock them. Otherwise you are taking a risk that you won't like the aftermarkets.

You can buy mounts with or without the bearing. Boots and bump stops come separate as well.

It's a 97. Yeah I was looking at the Tokico Blues, but I read somewhere that they gave a softer ride, softer than the KYB's. I like the stiff ride of the OEM setup. OEM struts are big money though. I think its like $1K just for parts all the way around and that doesn't include new springs.

Well I would check an owners forum for that particular car, and ask them which struts are best, because Tokicos might be softer than the GR2s on one type of car, but vice versa with another type of car. But I have tried both on my car, and the Tokicos were stiffer.

Bilsteins or Konis would probably be the best, if they make them for Maximas.

Yes they make both brands for the Maxima. I check out the Maxima forum.

How much are the strut bearings? If they're only $20 or so, just replace them while you're in there. I put struts and upper mounts on our Jetta last weekend, and figured I'd do the bearings too. Turns out it was a good idea, since the old ones were busted.

Yeah each bearing is only $15 or you can buy them in a kit with the mount.

It looks like I can hold off on having to change out the struts. I had a guy who used to be a service tech at Nissan and now owns his own shop looked at the car and said the sway bar ends link were bad, one of them was even broken and rubbing against the cv axel. He said my struts, lower control arms, and tie rods are all in good shape so no reason to change yet. So he put on the new sway bar end links and the clunking noise I was getting is now gone. $70 in parts and $75 in labor.. :rockwoot:

That's cool. Still, after 12 years and 129K miles it's probably due for new struts anyway. Just don't go for Monroe garbage, lol.

That's what I keep getting told by other Maxima owners but they seem good still. The fact that my wife drove it for the first 65K of it's life probably has a lot to do with it. She drives like an old lady except her vision is good and she doesn't bump into shit.