Anyone use KYB Strut Mounts?
 

I’m finally changing my front struts and have been weighing all different options on my 2000 ES300. Has anyone used the KYB Strut Mounts? Car is a daily driver with 275,000 miles. Front struts have been changed once (KYB GR2’s) @100k miles. Mounts, insulators, springs are original. The main issue is when going over potholes and uneven roads, you can hear everything clunking and excessive noise. Not sure if my mounts are shot, but I suspect they are. OEM is double the price per mount at about $105 each. I will mostly likely use KYB Excel G, if I don’t go the Monroe Quick Strut route which is the most price friendly.

Get them Amayama they are reasonably priced. I've seen as many bad reports as good for KYB strut mounts. Monroe struts are just okay they last maybe 30% of KYB.

I will check them out. Thanks. 👍

If the amayama offerings are much more expensive or slow arriving, KYB is ok.

While I also have seen complaints, I have never seen any when professionally installed/correctly installed. KYB is the oem for Toyota/Lexus on these, the part they sell aftermarket are not inferior parts. Installation is always the wildcard in internet commentary and it’s the #1 reason people who DIY suspension components make complaints - on questioning you will find they are not installed and torqued properly. Do that and you will not have a problem.

That makes a lot of sense. Do the strut bearings also need to be changed along with the strut mounts in general?

I have kyb, they're ok and come with nuts but still a bit noisy. Kyb struts aswell

Noise like something is loose? Was the noise there before? I purchased KYB Struts and KYB Mounts. I will update after i install.

The mounts should have a bearing ring, to answer the prior question. Torque them again once off the stands, securing the bolt in the process. You may know this, just clarifying.

Update: I have installed the KYB Struts. One of the KYB Strut Mounts (Right Pass) however was making a grinding noise when I would turn left and I ended up putting my original oem mounts and fixed the noise. Maybe it’s my fault and I did something wrong. Very happy with KYB Struts. Just replaced the stabilizer links with a set from O’Reilly. Sway bar bushings and lower control arms need attention as well. Thanks to all!👍

Good for you.

The LCA job on these is not that hard. IIRC, I did it around that mileage or a wee bit sooner, like ~265k. You will be glad you did it. Check and test tie rods, etc. so you don’t have to go back in later.

The rear sway bar bushings are easily reached but the front are a pain (limited access). I found the front ones surprisingly OK at that mileage. In retrospect, I wish I had used PU so I would never need to do them again (it was that annoying to get them in/out for me).

Thanks. What brand of LCA’s did you go with? I’m torn between Mevotech or Moog from Rockauto. Both the same price.

All aftermarket suspension parts are various levels of suck roll the dice.

Looking at the listings/offerings vs $$ on RA right now, I’d get the Delphi. They were a GM division until recently, bought then spun off by Borg Warner. It’s going to be OE level quality, or is at least a good bet on that vs. a lot more for AC Delco. I’ve also never had an issue with Moog parts so I wouldn’t worry about them, either. In fact I *think* the LCAs in the 02 ES are Moog and have been fine for quite a few years and ~75k miles since I did them.

Hello,

Moog was nice at some point, nowadays though the quality of their parts slipped quite drastically, at least that was the case last time I got any of the Moog parts a few years ago. Mevotech, for some reason I never fully trusted them to begin with, though I do not have any hard evidence to back this up, that's my opinion.

I've had Delphi Control Arms installed in my 2000 ES300 ever since I got it, and they still seem to be working fine as far as I can tell, that was the reason I rolled the dice on the Delphi Sway Bar Links for another car, here is a thread about it. The only actual problem I ran into with them is that the Round Bushing is a fair bit Shorter than OEM, you will have to come up with some kind of Spacers to install those, and it doesn't seem like much has changed ever since as I look through the pictures, so if you are not into modifying parts, that's not the option you should go with, what could be the reason for it, I have but a slightest clue.. I did end up keeping the OEM Ball Joints, and I would suggest doing the same regardless of what brand you go with, or whether it includes those or not, my trust in aftermarket Ball Joints is irreversibly destroyed.

That said, I am not sure if they are still as good as they used to be, it's been about 6 years since I've installed them, at that time Moog was still a trusted brand and Delphi as a company was going through some turmoil, but if you are the type to sort through the grades of probably identical fine mud that's currently out on the market, I at least have experience with them. ;)

Hope this helps and best of luck!

Thanks guys for all the recommendations. I will shop around and hopefully choose a decent part. I will also check AutoZone and O’Reilly and see what they have go offer.