Hello everyone. I received a quote of $1100 from Lexus for my 2001 IS 300 need new front struts/absorbers. I watched enough videos on how to replacement them and want to give it a try. Can anyone please recommend a brand to buy? Something good that will give me a comfortable ride.
thanks,
KamHo

 

Koni ride nice. Also Bilsteins.

 

Would you buy the entire assembly or would you use the mount and spring from old assembly? The car is about 20 years old and has a out 97000 miles.

 

If possible you could probably source someone's OEM suspension that has upgraded to aftermarket coilovers. However you should be able to reuse the OEM springs, tempered steel doesn't exactly degrade in the same lifespan as a valved strut assembly. Buy new Struts, compress the springs, and reuse your tophats. On the IS300 the tophats do not have pillow bearings like other Japanese cars do so you can reuse them for quite some time.

On my IS300 I opted to liven it up with Eibach springs, and Bilstein struts. It's very planted, responsive, and coincidentally what the L-tuned version of the vehicle came with.

You are also in New Jersey, so consider ordering a baljoint separator (it will make your life easy to separate the Upper Control arm from the hub). I'd imagine you have some rust there that has fused together those bits.

 

thank you so much for the wonderful information. All of this was very helpful. I am hoping to complete this work before February is done. Will post what my experience with install the strut assembly.

 

The only snag you would possibly run into is compressing the springs to get the new struts in. In which case you can still save a lot of money by removing your struts and taking them to a shop to install them and then putting the complete assemblies back in yourself.

 

So i spoke to salespeople at autozone both recommended i buy the loaded strut, but have seen youtube videos of people knowledge about cars resusing the oem spring and top hat. Autozone does carry the spring compressor. I would have to buy it then return it for a full refund the salesperson told me. I would also need to buy the ball joint separator which i looked into. Thanks for the advice.

 

In all honesty, unless you are going with a quality strut such as a bilstein, or koni insert. You are better off getting a fully assembly strut assembly from one of the big box stores.

It is risky business working with spring compressors, and those cheap ones you can rent at Autozone are quite the accident waiting to happen. Be warned people have been severely hurt using spring compressors. My.is has a good write up https://www.my.is/threads/is300-coil...nstall.341238/ - when I did my swap I purchased a very quality tool that had locking U-links to hold down the spring to prevent accidental slippage. Lisle 62300 MacPherson Strut Tool was the safest bet for the cost.

Best of luck, but do understand that it's playing with fire and you need to be very careful and take all precautions.

 

thanks. I believe i will buy a loaded strut. Bilstein are very expensive i did not look into koni but have looking at kyb. Is kyb struts no good? When you say big box stores does autozone fall in this category? If not where should i buy from? Can i buy a koni loaded strut? guess i will do my reseach. Thanks for the advice.

 

Kyb is a great brand! Very good for OEM replacement. Go with a loaded kyb assembly - it should get your needs squared away. Installation is quite easy. Since it's a wishbone suspension, you shouldn't really need an alignment since there are no camber bolts connected the strut assembly.

The guide recommends that you remove the Sway bar endlink, to free up the lower control arm from the spindle. But chance are from the years of salt and winter, you will strip the hex head. It's easier to simply remove the upper control arm, and wiggle it out that way.

• If you look up in your wheel well you will see a crown bolt on the upper control arm (looks like a wishbone), connected to the cast iron spindle. Carefully user a breaker bar on this nut, and then loosen it up by a few threads but do not remove the castle nut from the bolt.
• Use a balljoint tool to separate upper control arm from the cast iron spindle arm, you want to break the fusion of the spindle arm to the upper control arm.
• Use a breaker bar break the nut/bolt holding the bottom of the strut to the lower control arm - it's a triangle bracket looking thing. The guide says to remove 2 bolts, you only need to remove 1 bolt, since we are going the upper control arm route.
• Then fully unscrew the castle nut once you can freely move the control arm.
• Remove lower strut bolts holding it to the lower control arm.
• Remove the 12mm nuts from the top hat
• You should be able to use your foot to force the spindle/lower control arms down and shimmy the assembly out
• Be sure to get a torque wrench to secure the strut assembly to the control arm, and the spindle to the control arm.

Enjoy saving money!

 

thanks onsite. I will purchase the loaded struts this week. Autozone has a sale that is going on until i think feb 24. If you have parts shipped to your house you get $20 off every $100 you spend and free next day delivery. Thanks you so much for all the details. Will post my experience when i am done the job!

 

KYB is really good. I agree with using their loaded struts. Should make the job way faster. It's always a good idea to align though because over the years as suspension sags, it goes negative on the camber. Increases and decreases in camber effect toe. The vehicle may have had an alignment at some point with the toe set to the current height. So once the suspension is restored it is a good idea to have it checked. Toe is the major wear angle for the tires and you will want to have it in spec.

 

Hello everyone. I was already to purchase the fully loaded strut from autozone. The strut initally said it would fit my lexus is300 year 2000. When i clicked on details said it does not fit. I have search everywhere that i know of for a fully loaded strut i even called the dealership of course they sell it in peices. Does any know where i can buy a fully loaded front struts for my vehicle. I am motivated to do the job myself with all the information i have learn from all the aswesome knowledge people have posted. Thanks again.

 

That's too bad, not all vehicles have loaded available. Usually the brands that do offer them are kinda junk. I don't think I've ever seen KYB or Bilstein come loaded. I was surprised when you said you could get them. Would have been nice. I'd still go with them as the replacement struts. Just going to have to do the work of compressing springs.

 

Also take a look at Sportcross struts. Ive been told they are the same, and a fraction of the cost.