When replacing the struts, what else should I replace?

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Current shopping list

Struts: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Strut Boots: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) andhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Rear Sway Bar Links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Front Sway Bar Links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) (The ford escape links)

Strut mounts:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Original post:

When I bought my '02 P5 the suspension was pretty spongy and I knew that I'd need to get it all fixed eventually... but damn, took the car into Brake Check and they told me that I needed all 4 struts changed ($135/ea) and also the front stabilizers (for sure) and the rear ("suggested") ($35/ea). Total price + labor quote: $1050.

Well given how the struts are https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) and the front control rod/sway bar link is https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) with the rears being https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)(*) I figure I'll grab a 12-pack, a friend, and change those out without BC.

(*) I have no idea if Febest is any good. Any suggestion?
But hey, while I'm at it.. is there anything else I should change out? Strut mounts maybe? Any bushing, etc? When ordering these, what spares should I order alongside? Bolts, nuts, etc
 
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Definitely do strut mounts while you're in there (especially if you're over 100k miles). I like to change ball joints and outer tie rods while I'm there, but not everyone needs/wants to do that. Check your wheel bearings before you take everything apart and see if they need replacement. Check your sway bar bushings as well. For front endlinks, use the ford escape pieces (the part number is here on the site). They're heavier duty and grease-able.

Struts, KYB Excel-G's work great for a stock or near stock application. I usually recommend Moog for everything else. You'll also need an alignment after you put everything in.
 
Struts isn't a hard job to do at all. As said kyb gr2 or excel g. I would go ahead and replace sway bar bushings while you're there get blak polyurethane bushings and make sure you grease them well and you won't have to worry about squeaks or clunks for awhile. Also replace strut mounts, end links, and spring insulators, bolts should be fine

You can rent a spring compressor at autozone an electric impact will save a lot of time because you have to bring the spring down and up evenly or you can bend the spring ( at least civic springs anyway) you shouldn't need a whole lot of tools I would guesstimate 10mm for top nuts 12 or 14mm for bottom and probably a 14 or 16 for the very top nut that holds the strut mount down and my spring compressors were 17 or 18 mm. Total guesstimate though, it shouldn't be a hard job at all unless you come across rust issues
 
Hey thanks! So far I've bought the following:

Struts: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Strut Boots: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) andhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Rear Sway Bar Links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned)

Front Sway Bar Links: https://www.amazon.com/dp/ (commissions earned) (The ford escape links)

Currently looking for the sway bar bushing p/ns!

The car only has 85k on it so hopefully the mounts are good -- I'll swap them out next strut change (assuming this car lasts that long..). The Brake Check guys didn't try to upsell me on them so I'm assuming that means that they're good!

The spring insulators are the little rubber gasket that sits in the strut, right? Damn.. those things are gonna end up costing nearly as much as the struts!
 
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The upper strut mounts are a wear-out part so I would recommend you change them out while you have the struts out.
 
Oh Amazon...

Received 1 front and rear strut in one package... the other two are in another package. I guess that's easier than grabbing two of the same part from the same place in stock? :|
 
So... swapped out the front struts today and found out that the zerk grease fittings on the Ford Moog front end links don't fit. At the moment I just have a hole at the top of the link :'( Looking at putting in a set screw in there or something for now.
 
Weird. They should fit without a problem. Are the holes drilled all on one side? Would flipping them fix it?
 
Yes, the holes point up & down.

Also, do I really need this plastic washer?

StrutSwayIn16.jpg


I ask that since we forgot to put it back in.
 
Did the rear struts today as well.

Ran into a weird problem that unfortunately I didn't catch before the car was already jacked up -- the two rear end links that I bought (Moog K80869) were different! Same box, same part number, etc... but one is super thick & beefy with grease fitting holes and Moog branding, the other looks a lot like the stock part with no Moog markings!

UHwhFj6.jpg


Swore up and down about it, then went to Advance Autoparts to get a Moog branded part and... they bring me out a box with the same generic looking part! What the heck!

Also... dumb question, but we didn't put on 28-809 (stopper, metal) that's in this assembly because we thought that the SB102 part had the new bumper :/. Is it absolutely necessary to take everything apart to put it back in?
 
I had this exact same thing happen with me when I ordered the K80869 links from amazon. They sent me one to replace the skinny one, and it was the wrong one again!
 
looks like you're a victim of parts homogolation and the fact that all the old inventory is still circulating the warehouses, assuming Moog revised these endlinks just recently.

I had the same thing happen when I purchased the mevotech equivalents. some forum members took pics that showed thicker bar and greasable ball joints, but the ones I got from rockauto were plain jane, thin, OEM looking.
 
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