Suspension replacement on 97 q45t

[trajanH]

Ok my 97 Q45t is starting to bounce on me when i go over bumps. i look at the shocks and i see what looks like some fluid is leaking from them. So i would like to know from the experts how much it is going to cost me to replace all my 4 shocks? I have never done this before since i have owned my Q. Is it a job that i can do myself? Where do i get the parts? Of course i know the usual places to get parts but i want to know from someone who has experiece replacing their y33 Q45 suspension parts.
It would be nice if i can just go into my local Pep Boys(SoCal) and they can do it for a good price. But i dont know what i should be expecting to pay.
Oh! I have a second identical(Same color) 97 Q45 sitting right next to the car that needs shocks. It is not a Q45t though. It drives nice. I dont drive it around town cause it needs a paint job. I thought about switching the shocks off that car but i want to know from the experts here what they think.
Thanks.

[BadQ45t]

Okay, first thing. DO NOT GO TO PEP BOYS EVER EVER EVER EVER except to buy wiper fluid and wax. Okay, was that clear. Again, Pep Boys should never be allowed to touch your car with any tools of any kind, period. Still do not believe me. DO NOT GO TO PEP BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, now that this you have digested this, don't tell me about how Pep Boys fixed your Ford or any other car. They suck, period.

Next, suspension on a 97's is shot. You should use the search as I have personallly posted this information a number of times, but I will give you the skinny. There are no aftermarket shocks/struts in the USA available except the OEM ones. Those are very expensive and are not a DIY situation as the front struts require special equipment. The only aftermarket (much better) aftermarket shocks/struts are only made for the Japanese market, but can be sourced from a place called memoryfab. Call them and inquire about KYB SR Specials. KYB makes the OEM replacements for the car anyways, the SR Specials are imported from Japan so you need a special place that imports them Japan. This means you cannot go to any place to get these unless they know how to do special imports to Japan. Thankfully for you Pep idiots cannot find these so they just saved you from a fu$%up they were sure to pull off.

My advise, call memory fab, buy SR Specials and call Z Expert in Venice, CA, ask for Richard and get him to install them. There are some other good places in So Cal depending where in So Cal your at, but please, save yourself and everyone the pain of Pep Boys.

The other altearnative is OEM for more $$ and less quality, but again, not installed by your pep boys.

Any further info PM at [email protected]. I have 97 with those shocks and lower springs......

[trajanH]

Ok thanks for the info. I am in North Hollywood and not stuck on Pep Boys but i dont like to go on wild goose chases just to get some shocks installed either. Also the big question.... cost? How much is it going to cost me if i go to memory fab and order shocks all the way from Japan? What will Z expert charge me? I think that is info that everyone would like to have is what is it going to cost? I love this car and i do a lot of work on it myself but damn when it comes to replacing worn shocks we have to jump thru hoops.
Oh! just to rile the feathers a bit. Whats up with Pep Boys? I thought that going to Goodyear or Sears was bad but Pep Boys? They did fix the master cylinder on my 91 Q ok! Ha ha!

[BadQ45t]

Sorry to say but Pep Boys is by far the worst place you can take your car, period. Sears and Firestone is a huge leap up. How long you been around cars? I have been a long time, and I can tell you anything that Pep Boys touches has high potential to turn to sh#$. I have many examples both my own cars which I bought from people with PB repairs that failed 3 months after warranty and many others who had similiar bad incidents. They suck, period, trust someone who has been doing this for a long time.

but here is the bottom line. Pep boys cannot even help you. There are only 3 options for you and Pep Boys has none as there are no available non-OEM options unless you get a special setup that the Boys cannot source. Here are you options 1. Buy OEM shocks and struts from the dealership, these cost $600-700 for the set, uninstalled. Then get Z-Expert or someone else to install the OEM, which BTW are made by KYB. 2) Get the KYB SR Specials from memoryfab CHEAPER than the OEM and have installed by Z-Expert or others. Since KYB doesn't import these to the US you have to get a dealer that can source from Japan. The funny thing is they are cheaper and better than OEM. and finally 3) install coil-overs that are available but have lots more risk and are hard to find. A few members put in Megan coilovers but you need to "weld" with those, or find some others that are also hard to source. Some other ones out there but I don't know how to get them and they are going to be well over a grand for a set.

Unfortuantely, there are no Monroe or KYB aftermarkets for your car available like you'd have for a Maxima, Z car, Altima etc. Don't believe me, take you car down to Pep Boys and ask them what they have. They will probabaly say "no problem" and then open up their computer and say "wow, there isn't anything." Cause there just isn't. I did this whole dance 5 years ago so trust me on it...or better yet go to the boys tomorrow and report back.

[djsinikal]

Trajan, did you replace those shocks yet? I got a 99t and need to replace all four shocks, did you find out the price of the shocks from memory fab?

[duck_3986]

You may need special tools for a touring suspension, but in my '98 with standard front struts, they can be done with only two special tools.....a spring compressor and a ball joint/tie rod puller. An impact wrench will help.

My front left spring broke recently and the shock/strut cylinder seems fine, so I'm only doing the spring.

I did the right side about two years ago when that spring broke. That time I did the strut cylinder.

If you decide to do it yourself, let me know and I'll share a few tips

all the best,
Don

[BadQ45t]

The 97' is a standard McPherson strut, you'll need that same tool to do the struts on the front for sure.

[TypeIIGhost]

the price on the kyb's from japan would be nice?????

[BadQ45t]

They are $595 delivered from memoryfab as of the last person that ordered them from them.