KKM

I went to Lexus dealership for the side air bag recall and they did a courtesy check on all other components and said that my rear shock was leaking fluid and needed replacement to the tune of $600. Seems premature for a car with 65K miles. No thanks I'll do it myself. But did many search and nothing on the CT for DIY although it can't be too different from other cars? There are differing part numbers but I think that the correct one is 48530-79067? I was hoping to get a softer ride and maybe better quality shock besides the Lexus brand, like KYB or Gabriel, but a search doesn't show anyone else offering proper fit. Hoping someone has done a DIY replacement and offer some suggestions. TIA.

E46CT

Just out of curiosity I've searched the planet for different brands of dampers for our cars. For direct replacement, seems Lexus is the ONLY option. Absolutely NO aftermarket solutions for direct replacement that I've seen. Only Lexus non F Sport and F Sport.

Just get a stock replacement from dealer. They're not that much. DIY should be pretty easy. Rip out interior panels in back to undo top mount nuts then bottom fastener is self explanatory. You MAY need to relieve pressure off the spring in order to get the shock out. Search around for "tuners" who have done coilovers to see what they've done.

eddie25

I'd be interested to know how this went if you ended up doing it.

I got a service manual and it seems pretty straight forward. You are supposed to remove the vehicle height sensor first (apparently it's important not to drop it), and (obviously) keep tension on the spring with a jack while doing the removal/install.

E46CT

Yeah you'd definitely want to relieve tension on the inner big bolt/nut on the lower control arm so you don't stretch the bushing. And torque it down when the car is at static ride height (has to be on ramps or an alignment rack). You'll want to make sure the inner bolt/nut has zero preload on it when at rest.

KKM

Thanks all for the tips and suggestions. I just replaced all the tires and was also going to replace the rear shocks then get an alignment. But with all the pot holes in the Bay area, I'm thinking of replacing the shocks after the rainy season, those holes are a challenge to avoid. I did find a youtube time lapse video for the CT on replacing the springs and assume that its' just a matter of supporting as shown and just unscrewing the shocks from their bolts on the bottom and top. Here is the video for anyone interested, skip to the 2 minute mark for the rear info:

E46CT

^yep the way you do shocks on just about every car. maserati, porsche, bmw, toyota, honda etc . two/three bolts on top and one on bottom. it's easier when the damper and spring are separate.

undo inner bolt of lower control arm to help shock come out (gives you more room)

use jack to help position arm to bolt on shock

codenko

iTrader: (8)

E46CT

I would not recommend BC. Aside from the stigma of being a low quality ricer brand, they're not objectively associated with quality. Just budget. They're what kids go for when they get their first job and car and want the slammed look.

Have experience with this over a decade from other car communities. The welds have been known to break during regular driving. In one instance many years ago on the forums, a BMW ended up flipping over due to a wheel coming off due to a broken weld on that coilover.

Things sold on a budget are made on a budget--you don't want that on your daily driver. I'd recommend stock in this case.