That smooth thing in the first pic is a cylindrical rubber "boot." I'll check later about whether the strut comes with it - don't remember and can't check until later.
That smooth thing in the first pic is a cylindrical rubber "boot." I'll check later about whether the strut comes with it - don't remember and can't check until later.
"If you find yourself holding a sledgehammer or a crowbar, it's time for a break."
That difference suggests that the left side has the original strut, while the right side is a replacement.Originally Posted by Previologist
The "48304-28010 Strut Bumper" on my list is the part that covers some of the strut; the other disk-like "insulators" cover the ends of the springs. So, the strut just comes as the metal assembly with nothing else included. And yes, I replaced everything - I generally approach Previa repairs with the same strategy I use when going to Walmart - what is it I can do to make the length of time before I have to revisit as long as possible?
Also, for further info, here are two Yahoo! Previa Group documents to peruse in addition to the link Tim provided earlier. Note that there is an opinion about how great the KYB boots were because they completely sealed the strut versus the open-bottom Toyota design, so opinions vary. I haven't checked to see whether that's the current KYB design. You will see the part called out in a diagram on one of the docs. Note the newer "104" document
104_Strut-Replacement-92-Previa.pdf
references the earlier "Yahoofiles" one.
strutreplacement_Yahoofiles.pdf
"If you find yourself holding a sledgehammer or a crowbar, it's time for a break."
That's what I was thinking too. So one of the numbskulls before me changed one strut only.
After watching Samay's video a couple times I don't know why this is such a dreaded job, or so expensive for a shop to do. Hopefully I don't find out.
what did they charge? I can't find anyone close who will do it. I may have to ride 20 miles round trip on my bike with the old strut and spring on my back to get to a shop. If I can even find one. I found one backyard mechanic who says he has compressors but he has never done it. He hasn't gotten back to me with his price.
Is the spring seat 48044-28010 reusable? I notice you didn't list that.
Last edited by Previologist; 01-14-2025 at 12:10 AM.
I had it done at a small local shop which was a short drive away (sorry). It was a handshake/cash deal, so no receipt. I want to say, $60 for the two struts? I'm assuming he had one of those nice wall-mounted compressors, not the separate bar-clamp kind that scare me, but I really don't know. There's the spring-compression of course, but also lining things up properly that I wasn't entirely confident about getting right the first time while also worrying about injury. I'm really leery of messing with those springs - still have a couple of used Camry struts (replaced with all-in-ones)sitting in my scrap-metal pile I'm hoping I can get rid of intact.
As for carrying one on a 20-mile bicycle trip - yow, that sounds pretty bad, and kind of unsafe - those things are heavy and awkward.
Yeah, those were reused. I don't see why you'd have to replace metal parts like them unless they were seriously damaged. The parts I listed - the rubber spring "insulators" and the combo "skirt"-&-bumper become brittle and lose integrity over time.
"If you find yourself holding a sledgehammer or a crowbar, it's time for a break."
It's not that big a job. The first time I changed Previa struts I got HF compressor pair for <$20 (twice that now), and later their bigger compressor, which makes the job a little easier and faster, because I expected to do that job routinely (not anticipating the trend toward integrated strut/spring sets). (The bigger compressor is also now more than twice what I paid for it.) The main advantage of the bigger compressor, besides the speed, is that it did not need a vise to hold the strut.
I did that job three or four times on our Previa, so figure I got my money out of the compressors -- especially since one shop charge would pay for them. How long do you anticipate being a Previa doctor?
I'm on the fence about that...sometimes I think its time to move on, but being poor limits my options. So I don't really know. I'll defin itely drive this one until it doesn't drive anymore, and that should be/damn well better be at least a few more years.
I can rent compressors at all the parts stores, and get refunded when I return them so cost isn't an issue. I'd rather pay someone 30-50 bucks though. I definitely did not bring a bench vice with me, or even a bench. I did bring my high anxiety about potentially dangerous jobs though lol
Found someone who will do it for 60 bucks, only a 14 mile round-bike trip but a bit spendy
Still hoping the guy less than a mile away calls back.
Last edited by Previologist; 01-14-2025 at 09:51 AM.
Parts are trickling in after massive headaches and delays dealing with Japan. I have almost everything except the OEM stabilizer link, and that hasn't even shipped from UAE yet.But I will still save at least 5 bucks over an aftermarket one. and if not for shipping it would have been more like $25 saved.
But I have the strut, mount, bumper sub-assy, insulators, and bearing dust cover and seal. I'm not even sure if I need those last 2 with the KYB strut, and KYB was perfectly useless in answering that question. Well heck I have the strut and mount so I guess I can see if they fit together somewhere...
Still need to pick up a cutting tool at Harbor Freight.
EDIT: yes, the OEM dust seal and cover fit just fine on the KYB. Kind of weird they don't come with it and KYB knows nothing about them.
Last edited by Previologist; 02-12-2025 at 10:03 PM.
What incredible trouble I caused myself by not just ordering from NAPA. My opinion of megazip has plummeted over my last two transactions. On my 2nd to last order the item was backordered, and they didn't tell me even after I paid for it. I waited and waited and waited. So they then advised me I should always check with them to make sure items are in stock before ordering, so this last time I did that. But they told me I had to place the order and just not pay for it before they could check the suppliers. So I did, but all of this takes time, going back and forth 1 email per day for me, one email reply in the middle of the night from them. Then they tell me that replies from suppliers can take up to 5 business days, and of course its now a Thursday. 5 business days means a full 7 day week, the following Wednesday. So I waited until Monday growing ever more disgusted, because I still have to wait for the order to be "handled" (4-7 days) then shipped (7-11 days)! On Monday or Tuesday my patience wore out-I still had not heard if any of the items are in stock, so I just paid for my order so at least the handling time clock would start ticking. Good news, they reply the next day and say everything is in stock! But 11 business days later, my stabilizer link still hasn't shipped, so I emailed them. Oh, that is backordered they now tell me, 11 days after telling me everything is in stock.
Napa also has an ATM (Altrom) sway bar link 1032445 that fits. Its only $14, and the internet seems to think ATM parts are good so I ordered one. Napa wanted 20 bucks special order shipping, but napaonline only charged me $10. So after a month of hassle I will have one for less then the $18 OEM part +$15 shipping that probably wouldn't have arrived until August anyway. Maybe I can finally get this job started the last weekend in Feb.
Oh, and Napa is charging $90 for the 265-1477 link.
NAPA online was good to me. Got my ATM/Ultra 8 link on Monday and it looks to be good quality.
The chore has begun. Problems cropped up right away. I decided to start loosening stuff in the wheel well because I expected more problems there, and couldn't get the stabilizer link loose. I was thinking I might have to cut it off like I had to do with my 4runner last summer, until I realized the cutoff tool I bought just for this job (to cut the brake brackets) could not get at the lower nut at the correct angle. Finally I coaxed the nuts loose (thank you, hammer). Then I realized I would have the same problem, only worse, on the rear brake line bracket. But I'm committed now. I'm hoping once the strut is free I can maneuver it to where I can get at that bracket with the cutter. My plan is to take the strut to a shop on my bike Monday, if I can, and have a coworker from another town drive me and my bike back home when she comes through. I noticed I need new brake lines but that's going to have to wait until summer when I get home, if I live that long.
The inside was a piece of cake with a through-ratchet. In fact the whole removal was much easier than expected.
Turns out I had to cut the upper link stud off after all, it jammed up partway off and would not budge. Fortunately the lower one that I couldn't get the cutter to came off pretty easily. And I was able to reach the back brake bracket with the cutter too, I just had to cut in a different place than I had planned. The strut is out, and the job is halfway done. I hope that was the hard half.
I don't think I will be riding my bike with 2 of these on my back (I should have dropped off the new parts at the shop on Friday...dohh!...but even one would have been a real bear), so I hope my coworker is up for a 2 way trip. I could really use her to start the inside nuts too, because that would be tricky by myself. She's pretty feisty so I think she'll be up for it.
Problem!
When I went to prop the knuckle back up a bit so it would be in a better position when I reinstall, the wheel assembly would not go back into a vertical position no matter what I do. It will move, just not that far. It feels like the CV joint is interfering. I was very gentle in lowering it, so there's no way I could have damaged it, and AFAIK I have never had CV joint issues.
What else could it be? I've heard of people having trouble lining up struts with only one wheel off the ground, but that's usually when the sway bar links are connected, I think. I do only have one wheel off the ground. It doesn't matter whether he knuckle is up or down, the rotor won't tilt back up to vertical.
I'm hoping that maybe I just don't realize how far everything fell when I removed the top nuts in the cab. There was a significant clunk when I removed th last nut, but the strut was still bolted on. Maybe I will need to lower the van so I have enough lift on my 2nd jack to get it back up where it needs to be. That would be nice.
Last edited by Previologist; 03-02-2025 at 04:49 PM.
I think this happened somehow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKQ2OWh9kcE
Edit: Yep. Got it. Phew! That was scary.
It wasn't. I called my reliable coworker last night to arrange a pickup time and she announced that she had forgotten about another work obligation today. I also realized she was sauced. I decided to make alternate plans.I hope that was the hard half.
.
But there are no buses or taxis within strut-carrying distance, and I don't know anyone here, and high winds and dust made riding my bike unthinkable. I finally found a shuttle service that would take me to the shop and back for $25. I said to the tech, you probably know this but just to be safe I need to tell you that this mark (points-->) on the upper spring support needs to point out toward the knuckle brackets when its all assembled.
About 10 minutes after they took my strut in back I heard a loud baaammmmm, which I assume was some piece of coil-driven hardware flying against the ceiling or wall, but in hindsight might have been the tech throwing something in anger. After 30 minutes the guy emerged with my strut and a scowl. I foolishly asked him if he had fun. Wrong thing to say. He retorted that he HATES doing that job, and for the SAME PRICE he could have got me a brand new strut AND spring, fully assembled! He had to do it twice, because the first time the mark didn't line up.
I looked nervously at it, because it still wasn't lining up as perfectly as I wished, but he was so anxious to get that strut out of his life that he didn't charge me. Then the shuttle took me back and he didn't charge me either. How did they know its my birthday this week?
I had more troubles with the CV joint popping out so it was a chore to get the strut in, and it had now ramped up to a wild, frigid, full-fledged haboob with 60 mph winds. I had to hold the rotor up with one hand to keep the CV in place, and bring the strut into place with my other hand, then press my torso against the rotor while using both hands to wrestle the strut onto the knuckle, then one hand to fumble around getting the bolt in. But it seems to have ended well. The driver side sits noticeably higher now and driving around the block it no longer sounded like its going to fall apart. And it was all free! Now I can hear the sounds coming from the passenger side better too lol.
Meh, the results weren't as good as I hoped. I still have some clanking and I'm afraid its my driver side tie rod(s). Which sucks, because I have brand new tie rods waiting for me at home but home is 1500 miles away and I was planning to take a much lengthier and more circuitous route back. But it was obvious when I lifted the wheel and pulled it side to side. Very obvious. I may have to do yet another emergency driveway repair without my garage and all that it holds. I haven't checked the passenger side, but I already knew the right inner had slight play. Not sure how the drivers side got so bad so quick. Maybe the accident jarred it loose?
Just for yucks I took it to a chain tire shop today and had them look at it. One guy was clearly new, one guy was mesmerized by the van because he had never seen one before (he thought it was a Chrysler), and the 3rd guy was just too young to trust. They got some things right including the tie rods but recommended new struts (one is a week old
) and of course other stuff I don't need.
So I will be trying a mom and pop shop next week to get a more experienced assessment. If its the tie rod making the noise I don't think I can postpone it until I get home. Funny thing though, I have zero steering issues and you'd think a tie rod loose enough to clank and clunk would produce some steering issues.
FRONT END SCAMS EXPOSED!
Should be the title of this post. The problem is, who is the good guy and who is the scammer? And are they scammers or just ignoramouses like me, who don't know their front end from rear?
Over the past 2 years I've been told:
chain store: loose outer tie rod
alignment shop: loose inner right tie rod and ball joint
last week, different chain shop (Big O): all tie rods need to go, need new struts (despite one being days old), new bushings, mounts, brakes etc
me: I'm unqualified to judge, but to me it seemed like both sides were noticeably loose when I jacked each side up and woggled it from 9 to 3 o'clock.
So I asked for opinions on Farcebook for the best alignment shop in this town I'm stuck in for another month or more, and it was almost unanimous. Go to the small one man shop that's named after the man, he has been around forever and does great work. 5 star reviews on Google. I arrived and the grumpy old man met me at the door, and took my van right onto his alignment rack.
He jacked it up a bit and pried around here and there. and Said my struts were bad but my tie rods and ball joints are tight. I said which strut? He said both. I said the left one is brand new, he said he thought he heard it hissing. He said my clunking noise is coming from my brand new cheap Napa sway bar link. Said its totally safe to drive, which has been my main concern.
Obviously there are so many contradictions in this brief history of my front end, that its hard to know what to believe. I don't trust myself much more than the kids at Big O. Until proven otherwise I'm going to give this old guy the benefit of the doubt in making an honest mistake about the strut, and will replace the brand new link. I still feel nothing abnormal at all in my steering so I'm choosing to believe I don't have any pressing tie rod or ball joint issues and can get home safely via a long detour route.
(PS-is it possible the shop that put my coil spring on the new strut damaged the strut? I refuse to even think that horrible thought)
That's good - I'd be real concerned with ball joints going. You can wiggle at 12-and-6 or - as he probably did - jam a crowbar between the upper part of the ball joint and the knuckle to see if the knuckle moves away from the ball joint, in which case it's fixin' to separate sooner than later.
That's a puzzler. The Google has many instances of folks saying they do sometimes hear a "bicycle pump" - type hissing noise from struts. I would say if you feel the van handles well, that's the most important.
Well, of course, maybe snakes too I suppose. Or a small opossum in the air intake. Or the hearing aid he got offa Temu has a low signal-to-noise ratio. Maybe an actual gremlin somewhere, given your history with this thing?
Why not - weren't there some unexplained crashing and banging noises when it got installed? Or maybe there's a manufacturing defect or shipping damage.
As far as inexperience, incompetence and dollar-chasing in the car-servicing industry, I refer you to Obi-Wan's assessment of Mos Eisley. I mean, he coulda just as well been in front of a Midas shop.
...or a "Big O"? I assume that's a tire place? Not gonna do any searches using that unless I turn on SafeSearch.
"If you find yourself holding a sledgehammer or a crowbar, it's time for a break."
But 2 places have said the same ball joint was loose, which worried me. I just don't know what to believe. I don't get any 12-6 wobble when I tested it, but I'm a nobody in these things. I think I can get it home safely and since I'll probably be changing my 4runner's lower ball joints this summer I might do the Previa's as well. I hate fixing things that aren't broken but what I hate even more is having them break when I'm 1000 miles from my garage. I might get one more opinion from another alignment shop before deciding how to proceed. But I will change that new link out for another new link, because I suspected it from the start. Hopefully that eliminated the klunk and my worry-o-meter can settle down.
I think the new strut is fine, I have no handling issues. But I do plan to change the other one when I get home
The sway bar links I have used are TRW brand and have held up for a number of years.
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