Need some suspension advice........

[kg03]

Hello I have search for advice on strut replacement however I only find detailed info discussion for the g50's. I have a y33 and I have seen where onetongarage sells kyb sr's and that they come recommended for oem replacement. According to Van many people use the SR's with lowering springs mostly and I was wondering if these would work very well with stock springs. I have around 120,000 miles on my baby and she is starting to shimmy a little. Any advice on the parts I should definitely replace and any other insight would be appreciated.

[elwesso]

if you are gonna go to the trouble of replacing the shocks with SR's i probably wouldnt run them with the stock springs IMO... Pretty expensive for that... OEMs are cheaper I think...

shocks are probably not related to a "shimmy". Please describe your problem.

[Falkdesigns]

Yeah, don't waste a hard to get set of SR's with OE springs. They're only slightly more expensive than OE springs though. If you want to drop it, I've got TEIN's coming over, 2 or 3 sets still up for grabs.

[kg03]

Well not really a shimmy.................being comical. A more accurate description would be of a boat on choppy water. When taking a curve if a bump is encountered then the car flops around b/w the four wheels unevenly like there is no sway bar at all. I am sure I need to replace those bushings as well. do you know of any polyurethane replacements? Also, I haven't seen any aftermarket oe replacement struts and on Infinitipartsusa they go for above 200 per strut. I didn't want to lower the car but want a nice ride similar to stock. I drive briskly but not trying to catch some serious g-forces in turns if you know what I mena. Once I clean the car up I will post pics. you guys have asked me on other posts an I know i haven't followed through.

thanks for the help

[bullittandy]

I just relaced my front suspension (97 Q45) and these are the new parts used-strut inserts-strut mounts, bearings etc-spring seats top and bottom-sway bar bushings and endlinks-tension rods

Easy job if you're slightly mechanical. The strut inserts were about $125 per if i remember.

Good luck!

[kg03]

I had planned on replacing all those parts however I haven't found any aftermarket inserts. Also, where did you purchase your inserts and are they comparable to the oem struts (new ones of course). Oem units are upwards of 200 per strut

[bullittandy]

These were "OEM" strut inserts. Got 'em from infiniti-parts.com.

They appear to sell two styles, one is the insert which is where you remove the old strut assembly from the housing and insert the insert into the original housing. The other is an entirely new strut assembly with wheel hub attached, likely for wrecked cars this one is about $350 if I remember correctly.

[elwesso]

I would call Joe and have him price check just the cartriges. Like Andy said the "strut" assy includes the hub which you do not need to replace...

When you call Joe or whoever you talk to at scottsdale, tell them the part code is:

56105K for the front56210K for the rear

He will then give you the correct part NUMBER based on your VIN number or options and such.... They dont list the CARTRIGES on the internet... Plus, if you call them you can tell them Wes sent you and theyll take really good care of you!!!

[kg03]

When I replaced the struts on my QX4 there wasn't a insert the strut was all one unit. Is it very difficult to remove the insert from the shaft? Will I be able to exchange the inserts at home or will I have to take them to a shop?

Thanks again for all the help niconians......

[bullittandy]

Its real easy to remove the strut internals. They are held in with a giant nut that isn't torqued that heavily. The new inserts just slide in and are also held in with a nut.

This is compared to my wife's Volvo V70 where the strut internals are held in by the strut housing being "crimped" over the strut internals. I had to grind off the top of the housing and then drill a hole in the bottom of the housing for the retaining bolt. This project sucked compared to the Q. The trade off is I used Koni FSD struts which give an amazing ride and handle extremely well. Wish they made them for the Q!

[kg03]

Called Joe and he is on vacation so I talked to Dan. Dan told me that the inserts with the parts numbers you gave don't fit my vin. He informed me that those inserts would only fit on the '97 and '98. My production date was 11/98 and aftrer cross referencing my vin he told me that they would not fit. Does anyone else have any other recommendations or do you guys know something that he computer doesnt. The other options besides the inserts or to buy the entire assembly or to order the KYB SR's from Van. If so will the perform just as well as others had boasted even if I don't lower the car.

[elwesso]

If you post up yor VIN ill pull the right part number...

[bullittandy]

Called Joe and he is on vacation so I talked to Dan. Dan told me that the inserts with the parts numbers you gave don't fit my vin. He informed me that those inserts would only fit on the '97 and '98. My production date was 11/98 and aftrer cross referencing my vin he told me that they would not fit. Does anyone else have any other recommendations or do you guys know something that he computer doesnt. The other options besides the inserts or to buy the entire assembly or to order the KYB SR's from Van. If so will the perform just as well as others had boasted even if I don't lower the car.

I'd be curious as to how they're different. Maybe someone can take some measurements to determine the differences. The reason I say this is that I bought two sets of tension rods (one from dealer, one online) and according to the dealer the ones i bought online were different and were not listed as a correct part-but they do fit. So...

[Q45tech]

ones i bought online were different and were not listed as a correct part-but they do fit. So...

Be careful lots of Nissan models use the tension rod design to set caster and stablize suspension in fore aft postion [braking/acceleration].

Minute differences in length cause large caster changes.

[kg03]

JNKBY31AXXM602710 is my vin number WES. Thanks again for all your help!

[elwesso]

technically he's right, there isnt any strut inserts for the 99-01s, but Im reasonably sure the KYB SR's fit across the board, thus any of the struts should be compatible across the board.

Can anyone confirm about the SR's though?

[Q_SHIP]

technically he's right, there isnt any strut inserts for the 99-01s, but Im reasonably sure the KYB SR's fit across the board, thus any of the struts should be compatible across the board.

Can anyone confirm about the SR's though?

So is there a difference in 97-98 Standars vs. 99-01 standards?

Joe just told me the 99's do have cartidges.

[elwesso]

The parts book lists thta theres no cartriges for the later ones, but i bet the earlier cartriges (from the early ones) fit the later ones...

[kg03]

Well I guess if I ordered the inserts do you think that the '99 will have the same access to the internals as the '97-'98. Do you think that the strut housing is design to be gutted as the older y33?

[elwesso]

in the parts diagram it doesnt list any difference in the assembly... Whenever theres a difference mid model year theres a seperate diagram for it....

[kg03]

So Wes, I need your explicit advice............Do I go ahead and order the inserts? Is it a stupid risk. Should I purchase from local dealer so taht I have the option to return. Or do I just purchase the KYB Sr's from Van and call it a day? But just to be clear I don't plan on lowering the car at all and I just want to be sure that I KYB application would be ideal under that premise.

Thanks again

[maxnix]

My main problem with the FYG33 is the stock springs, which are too soft.

The discontinued Eibachs I installed with the KYB SR are a nice combination without too much drop.

I swear Joe quoted me inserts for the front of my 2000. They are kind of funky and run in an oil bath in the cartridge body. Not sure if they are even gas pressurized.

[kg03]

Well, it seems I have gotten mixed feelings on going with the KYB SR's on the factory springs. I don't know exactly what to do about my fix. I know that for durability gas struts would be better than going with the "oil bathed" inserts. I am a spirited driver but I not to much country winding road driving.

[bullittandy]

I think that your gamble of ordering the inserts is a good one. If this is your only car then it will be a bigger headache however. To be extra safe also order the entire assembly or the KYB's then if the inserts don't fit you won't be stranded. You'll have to pay extra shipping but that makes it a $35 gamble (returning parts you don't need). Maybe one of us Y33 guys can measure the length and diameter of the strut housing??

[bullittandy]

My main problem with the FYG33 is the stock springs, which are too soft.

The discontinued Eibachs I installed with the KYB SR are a nice combination without too much drop.

I swear Joe quoted me inserts for the front of my 2000. They are kind of funky and run in an oil bath in the cartridge body. Not sure if they are even gas pressurized.

Haven't I heard you disparage others about lowering springs and how "Static design over dynamic functioning" is dumb? Am I missing something??

[elwesso]

So Wes, I need your explicit advice............Do I go ahead and order the inserts? Is it a stupid risk. Should I purchase from local dealer so taht I have the option to return. Or do I just purchase the KYB Sr's from Van and call it a day? But just to be clear I don't plan on lowering the car at all and I just want to be sure that I KYB application would be ideal under that premise.

Thanks again

I think its a safe bet, but id find out if the KYB SRs are the entire assy (with the hub) or if they are the inserts....

IM sure youll be fine, but you might just take the wheel off your car before ordering them and make sure you can disassemble them.. If you odnt have the FSM i can post the diagrams..

If it were my car, id go ahead and order them and if it didnt work out, send them back and come up with an alternate course of action. Worst case scenario, you only replace the REARS at this time (which are probably the worst out of the 4)

[Falkdesigns]

KYB SR's are inserts for the front, and regular struts exactly like the OEM rear. KYB manufacture the OEM stuts/shocks on the Y33 as well.

[elwesso]

KYB SR's are inserts for the front, and regular struts exactly like the OEM rear. KYB manufacture the OEM stuts/shocks on the Y33 as well.

and I assume they are drop in for all Y33?

If thats the case, then BY ALL MEANS your Y33 strut inserts for the front with the part number I listed will work!!!!!

[Chrisfrend]

I just ordered rear shocks for my 97 Touring model and was told by Scottsdale Infiniti that all the available front and rear OEM inserts for 97s are the same regardless of whether it is a standard or touring model. The first 5 digits of the parts numbers they gave me two days ago are identical to Wes's post:

Front: #56105-6P925Rear: #56210-6P027

The manufacturer seems to be a company called Unisia, and the rear shocks were $105.74 with a NICO discount, which seemed quite reasonable.

The rear has gotten a little jiggly and I am looking forward to seeing how the new shocks and rubber components improve the situation.

[elwesso]

so you did end up getting all 4 or just fronts?