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Strut Mount/Bearing Warning


vengeful
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Unfortunately, I have no pictures of this, and pictures wouldn't really demonstrate the issue.

 

I've been hearing a high-pitched clunk from my right front strut for a couple weeks now. I recently replaced the struts, springs and strut mounts up front (about 12,000 miles ago) after I discovered a broken coil.

 

Today, while replacing brake pads and bleeding the brakes, I decided to inspect the clunking sound. I was able to move the strut/coil assembly, by hand, a good 3/4" laterally. That's not supposed to happen.

 

Driving home, I got a terrible vibration in the front end. Luckily it didn't surface until I was a couple blocks from home. I took a look, and the entire strut bearing has come apart inside of the mount.

 

If this is the kind of workmanship that KYB allows out of their factory, I highly recommend that those of you out there with the KYB strut mounts promptly run to your Nissan Parts department and get the OEM ones!!

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Dan, This should get pinned so that everyone members and none members can see this easily. You are correct that these parts are not made factory tough...toughness is required here.

 

 

~~~~Cool Pin! Thanks~~~~

Edited by 02silverpathy
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Well. No, I will not replace them myself. I will do anything on a vehicle, except struts.

I've never dealt with struts personally yet... why don't you work with them?

 

Do you have to replace the mounts when you replace the strut?

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I've never dealt with struts personally yet... why don't you work with them?

 

Do you have to replace the mounts when you replace the strut?

Sarcasm, of course he will replace them himself...honestly after you have worked with them once and know what to do its really easy to do...

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I also installed KYB strut mounts and bearings a couple of years ago, when the original ones died after enduring almost 8 years of abuse, including a couple of years of offroading with a mild lift and bigger tires. The original mounts would have lasted even longer, but I installed strut spacers the wrong way and killed them prematurely (a whole other story...) The only reason I went with KYB was that the dealer was out of stock, and it would take too long to get the OEM parts.

 

Once I disasembled the strut and removed the old mounts I could tell there was a huge difference in quality. The KYB mounts simply looked flimsy in comparison. I installed them anyways since I had no alternative, and I made sure the spacers were installed correctly this time. The first couple of months they worked OK, but shortly after they started clunking, and after six months the passenger side was completely destroyed. When removed the mount came out in two halfs, and the bearing could barely be turned by hand. The driver side was not as bad but I could tell it would not last much longer. Replaced both sides with OEM mounts and bearings (and the spacers) and haven't had any problems since.

 

KYB struts and shocks, on the other side, are excellent. The GR-2 gas struts are probably the best struts for the R50. I currently have Rancho struts, but will probably switch back to KYB when the time comes.

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Im buying a lift soon, and I was wondering if the strut tower mount that they sell on 4x4parts.com the ones that are having the problems, if so where do i find the OE mounts? The pathy has about 90k on it without them being replaced, also what shocks and stuts are better, bilstein or rancho?

-Andrew

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...
You can get the OEM ones from a dealership, or through one of the numerous online Nissan Parts sites...

For anyone who has bought the non-KYB strut mounts from a dealership, do you have the parts numbers/SKU? I'm having difficulty figuring out which parts I need, since they seem to be sold in separate components, rather than as a package. Any help appreciated.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I just noticed today that AC sent me struts for a 96-98 Path when I ordered the kit for the 99.5-04. I recently blew up a KYB strut mount and when I ordered the new OEM mount it was different then the one I had blown. Nissan told me I needed the mount for a 96-98 Path which was confusing but I used it. I found my old mounts today and they were for the 99.5-04 Pathys. I checked the KYB part number and sure enough my struts are for the earlier R50s. Hopefully this wont cause any damage.

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  • 1 month later...
I can already tell you:

 

 

 

1 new strut

1 new upper plate with strut bearing, from Nissan

bend some stuff back into place

alignment

 

and i'm also getting new KYB shocks in the rear while it's in the shop.

 

:)

 

 

P8080178.jpg

P8080175.jpg

 

Oh yeah? I call your bluff.

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P8080178.jpg

P8080175.jpg

 

Oh yeah? I call your bluff.

 

 

 

that was another story, unrelated to strut bearings (which were the QX4 originals) it was actually the shaft of the strut itself that failed, i was doing a rough baja trail and a good jump stripped the threads right off, now i have the right struts and i have the nuts doubled up on top so theres no way my new setup will fail in the same manner

 

 

but i put in KYB bearings after this happened and they have been fine from 2007 til now, 2009

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