What kind of suspension does the RX300 have, shocks or struts? (I'm an idiot on suspensions). It looks like in the rear, where the springs are, that there is a rubber piece in the bottom of the 'cup' where the springs are. There are cracks in this rubber around the edges, like it is just old or something..is this normal? Anything to worry about?

 

It is just semantics. All suspension (other than basic gocarts) have shocks and springs. When the shock is like a tube, concentric with the springs, they are called struts. The spring and the shock then become a unit and tas the wheel is positioned (or even when it moves) the assembly moved together as it some one is on "struts" and hence the term.

By the above explanation, RX has struts.

I have not taken the strut assembly apart on RX, but by prior experience, the spring at the bottom sits on a rubber like piece which has a mold for the place wher the spring ends. The rubber piece can tear and brake and it needs to be replaced. Why did it tear is worh investigating. Age can be a factor, but if happens prematurely, then the there could be a play in the seat which bangs the spring on to the base. Bad assembly can be another reason where the mold was not aligned to the spring position. All this is under tension so I do not reccomend novice DIY messing with it. The whole thing is low tech enough to take it to a garage.
Salim
[7,6,5,4 ]

 

Tahnks for the info..the cracks are in a piece that extends past the lip of the cup...like the rubber piece longer than the bowl shaped bottom, so it sticks up out in the breeze outside of the little cup/bowl (equal length, all the way around...this is the part that is showing cracking/tearing....