New guy needs help with Y33 front strut, strut bearings, mount advice!!

[stoopid]

Hello all, I would like to thank everybody here at the forum as I have been lurking around and soaking up info/advice ever since we got our 97 Q45t (black/black) several years ago. The car has been very good to us. The occasional problem I have been able to fix using this forum as a guide. But we are having problems with the front struts and I need some advice.

We had the front struts, springs, upper mounts and strut bearings replace about a year and a half ago due to obviously worn struts and crunchiness while turning (strut bearing we thought). Anyhow, about 6 months after we got the car fixed the crunchiness returned. Again, we could see the upper part of the spring stick then jump while turning the wheel. Problem was the place where we got all the work done went out of business in the mean time.

Anyhow I ordered a replacement upper mount/bearing kit for the bar and the bearing just appears to be a flat washer with a nylon/teflon insert. Is this right? Does the strut bearing actually have no roller element? I did a search and looked at the DIY for strut replacement, but some pics are missing and I can't see what type of bearing it is from the pic that is there. I have looked at parts diagrams online and they suck too!!

Could someone please help me with 3 questions?

1) Does the jumpiness in the spring sound like a strut bearing or is it another issue?

2) Can someone confirm that this bearing is correct or give me a pic of the strut bearing?

3) Does someone have a good parts diagram or pics to show how the upper strut assembly goes together?

Thank you for your help!!

[oldmako]

http://www.partstrain.com/stor...truts\ The bearing is the little round donut next to the mount.

Can't help with the specifics, but here is a good place to start. Google Q45 struts and you'll see plenty of pics of strut mounts, associated rubber bits and bearings. You're description of the bearing sounds right. What you WON'T see, are many struts, springs or replacement strut cartridges.

There was a link for some KYB's floating around here but it's no longer valid...at least the one I saved to bookmarks a a year or so ago. If anyone has a good one, please post it.

The struts and assembly on these things appear to be crap. When new, they are sweet although a tad squishy. But they don't seem to last very long and are hideously expensive to replace. There are quite ea few threads here detailing strut woes. If I can find them, I am going with KYBs next time.

Do you see many other q's on PEI? The dudes special lady friend lives in Victoria BC and he has only seen one Q there in several years. Aye?
Modified by oldmako at 8:03 AM 12/16/2009

[stoopid]

Hey, Thanks for the info. Yeah, we had to order struts from Infiniti the last time as I could not find any after market.

As for any other Q's... that's kind of funny. The couple we bought our Q from were from the island and they had two exactly the same... his and hers!!! His Q was the main car and hers was the garage queen. We bought hers in 2005 with 100,000km and it was just like new!! Even had the new car smell in it. It is actually my wife's car. She currently has 263,000kms as she has a long drive to work and back. The other Q is still around and I do give it a big wave every once and awhile by mistake thinking it's the wifey. Other than that, I have only seen one other Q on PEI.

Cheers!

[paranoidjack]

Pics from my job:

I used to have a parts list saved too...(FOUND IT):



GOD what I would do to magically make those parts appear on that carpet once more. I am in need of precisely all of them again.









Modified by paranoidjack at 6:47 PM 12/16/2009
Modified by paranoidjack at 8:32 PM 12/16/2009

[BadQ45t]

I went for the KYB's, I will look on my other system to see if I can find a link to the site that I was uncovered here. I replaced springs, strut mounts, struts and all rubber parts...plus the tension bars too and it is rock solid and like new.

[stoopid]

Hey BadQ45t,

I looked every where for a set of after market shock for this car!! I couldn't find anything. Are you sure KYB makes them? I might have to replace the front struts as well, so I'd really like to find out.

Thanks.

Paranoidjack,

Wow!! That load of goodies must have lightened the wallet!!! I wish I had that in my living room too! OK maybe not the living room as I would get into crap for taking car parts in there!!

[paranoidjack]

Yeah, to the tune of $2,400.

I had other stuff as well, 6 pack of BG, bunch of cabin filters, air filters, fuel filters. The suspension was $1650 I think.