Has anyone put these on their cars? The RF mount in my sunfire has taken a dump and the car is pushing 130K so I figured it's pretty far overdue for new struts as well. I like these because I can just bolt them in. Don't have to screw with a spring compressor. I can get 2 front and 2 rear from rock auto for $530 bucks with an $80 rebate. I don't think that's a bad deal at all.

Also I know it's recommended but can I do this job in the garage without an air compressor and air tools? Trying to do this on the cheap and don't feel like as much on a compressor and tools as the parts themselves.

I bagged my cav without the use of air tools. I'd say you'll be fine with hand tools.



Tinkles

2003 Cavalier 1SV
Bagged and Blown

quick struts are great 5 bolts, done.

Replacing fully assembled struts is pretty easy. The only problem you'll run into is getting the nuts loose where the fronts attach to the spindle. If you don't have a good breaker bar, a pipe on the end of a ratched will work fine. Beyond that, it's a very simple job.

Don't forget to get it aligned when you're done!

Good deal. Would you guys recommend getting these bolts or just reuse the old stuff.

Monroe bolt kit

oh that's nice it didn't make it a hyper link for me. Stupid thing.

http://tinyurl.com/yzpknej

I've never replaced mine, but getting new bolts never hurt anything.

Get some good quality struts.I had Monroe struts and the rears blew within a few weeks.Yes,I used stock springs.

01SilverFire wrote:Get some good quality struts.I had Monroe struts and the rears blew within a few weeks.Yes,I used stock springs.

What did you end up going with?

01SilverFire wrote:Get some good quality struts.I had Monroe struts and the rears blew within a few weeks.Yes,I used stock springs.

My old monroes on stockers held up fine.

I would say you just got a bad set. It's hit or miss kinda..

My old roommate dropped his car with Progress springs on Gabriel's from Autozone. He's been on them for a good 9 months and 6000 miles and they are working just fine.

J body struts arent slotted, alignments isnt needed after the strut swap. Unless you lowering it then you ll need a toe adjustment. But last i check quick struts dont have drop coils on them

01SilverFire wrote:Get some good quality struts.I had Monroe struts and the rears blew within a few weeks.Yes,I used stock springs.

Do not listen to this. Monroe makes excellent qualtiy products, and the quick struts are awesome. They come with a lifetime warranty if they ever give you a problem.



87 Firebird
All stock...........lol.

Listen to what you want.Its you choice.There rears didnt last long at all.Im not going to auto parts store more than once to fix it.Take it apart again and again.The stock springs that I used only had about 35,000 miles on them.The front struts were holding out fine.The suspension I have on it now is in my profile.Glad other people didnt have problems.

I sell monroe products daily. I have NEVER, not once, seen a single one of their parts come back. Not struts, strut mounts, shocks, coils, nothing.



87 Firebird
All stock...........lol.

Spencer wrote:J body struts arent slotted, alignments isnt needed after the strut swap.

Two things about this:

1) you should always have your car aligned after replacing parts like struts, springs, or mounts. Everything is not built to absolute perfection so that things bolt in and align exactly. If things were built like this, there would be no need for alignment shops.

2) I can tell you first hand that the Monroe struts have plenty of play where they bolt to the spindle, meaning you have to have it aligned. If you put the bolts up snug, but not tight, you can move the spindle in and out and see the bolts move relative to the bracket on the strut.

Yup will get an alignment. I may just end up replacing the mount on that side. Money is a bit tight. I wish I could just do all the quick struts but don't think I can swing it right now. Does anyone think there would be a problem if I did just the front's with quick struts and did the back at a later date? I'd probably need an alignment twice if I did that right? Or isn't the back that big of a deal?

I guess if you want it "dead nuts" on go get it aligned. Most shops have an acceptable threshold, which mean if you want dead nuts perfect you pay extra. At least thats my experience. Tie rods still need alignments to if there were perfect struts they would still have their place.

You can absolutely do fronts only, then backs later. The rear don't require an alignment, because they are actually shocks, and have no adjustment. The axle is fully mounted and aligned without the shocks (the car is just not held up without them).

If you have a 4-wheel alignment when you get the fronts in, the back will be fine afterward, as well.

I just checked out the struts at work today, your right Quik the bottom hole is slotted, my bad. I dont remember the Gabriels that i had installed a few years back being adjustable. maybe its a monroe thing.

Awesome. Thanks for all the help guys. Much appreciated :-) Now to decide on doing all 4 at once or just the fronts.

Yeah, I might do the fron/back thing with the wife's car as well.


Monroe for hers, KYB for mine....

you can do stock struts without a compressor, if you have a little help. The stock springs will compress enough by hand (pressing top down) to get them back together, then impact.

If you don't have some sort of impact, electric or otherwise I wouldn't do this job because the shaft will spin.


-Chris

we have used the quick struts at my work they are Great. Monroe makes a good product the only problem Ive had is the part that bolts to the spindle wasnt welded to the strut body on one strut. Didnt notice it when installed drove down the road on a test drive and it spun and the wheel turned hard left..

I've always used Monroe shocks and struts but in the past couple years I've had bad luck with the Monro-Matic struts on the Cavalier. Right rear went bad and caused a terrible cyclicle knocking and vibration between 50-60mph. Front left is going bad now and making a cyclicle tapping and slight vibration. I've had Reflex's on my truck for 4+ years and have loved them. I think I'm going to step up to the Sensatrac when I do these front struts in the next month.

I've got to give the Monroe-Matics 2 thumbs down. They seem to last just beyond their 1 year warrenty then crap out.


2.2 97 Cavalier......the "Crapalier"