Help!!! Need Struts!!!

[Wishkah]

Ok, so I just registered to this forum so I could ask for some help. Been browsing these threads since I got my J30 and love this place! I'm not a car guy but I know one who works cheap, only problem is the parts for this car cost more than the labor! So anyway, here's my issue. I have 1994 Infiniti J30 base. I absolutely love this car even though my wife hates it and says it's a money pit. I've replaced alot of things but now I've hit a big road bump. I need front and rear struts, the rear drifts terribly on every bump and the front has the worst clanking/clunking I've ever heard. I had an oil change and the guy said my struts are so bad it messed up my tie rod and that's about to fall off. I've done extensive searching on the internet and so far the cheapest struts I've found are about $400 for the front and the same for the rear. That's $800 just in struts. Add in $70 for each tie rod and I'm looking at $1000!!!!! I only paid $1200 for this car and it has 170k. I feel like if I can keep it well maintained it will last forever. The motor is VERY strong except now that I put an aftermarket stereo in it I lost all my power, I used to be able to light up the tires without effort. I have a 1300watt amp with a 4 farad capacitor and it's still drawing too much, prolly need another battery. Anyway, back to the topic... Is there any interchangable parts for other vehicles?!?! I read somewhere that 240zx struts will work in the rear and that Maxima struts will work in the front. Is this true? I'd much rather spend $350 to get front and rear done and save myself $500... Please advise!!!!! I love this car and my wife says if I have to spend 1000 for stupid struts I need to sell it.

[yodawill2000]

240 struts will work on the rear.
There's a thread here on using non OEM struts up front.
Takes a little modding but nothing too serious.
Make sure the clunking up front isn't the tension rod bushing being blown out.
They will cause a clunk over bumps and when you apply the brakes.
to NICO !!!

[Wishkah]

240 struts of the same year for the rear? Can you please point me to the thread for the front, I'll ask my favorite back yard mechanic if he can mod them if it's not too difficult. I'll also have him check the tension rod bushing. Thanks!!!

[yodawill2000]

The search button is most effective.
new-struts-for-40-t500487.html

[Wishkah]

So I see you were personally able to get the rears on. Looks like everyone used struts from the 89 280. I used the search and I was overwhelmed with the strut threads. I don't really see any easy successful fronts tho? I'm not a car guy so most of this is a foreign language to me.


Edit: Nevermind, upon reading all 3 pages and letting it sit and sink in I see the fronts and rears can both be done pretty easily by someone with more knowledge than me. I efffing love this site!!!


So I think I'm going to go with the monroe part # 71209 for the rear and for the front I'm going to grab the 73948. I'll make sure to get new rubbers and bellows too since that seems to be recommended, looks like for about $250 in parts I'll have brand new monroe struts all the way around. Might as well have him do brakes and tierods while he's got the wheels off since I'm saving about $600.

Wait, these have the rubbers and bellows!!! http://www.race-mart.com/Monroe_Shocks-MON-71209.html