strut and shock replacement

O

osky1976

Test Drive
Location
Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Hello everyone, I recently purchased a 2007 Nissan Xterra for my daughter, and it has a rough ride meaning the shocks feel like they are worn out. I will be replacing the OEM shocks and struts with KYB Excel G brand. Money is tight, can you see me getting away with reusing the hardware and springs and improve the ride quality?
 
TerryD

TerryD

Total Tease
Supporting Member
Location
Covington, Va
That depends a lot on the condition of the vehicle. If you are in the rust belt, then I wouldn't count on getting it disassembled without breaking some things.

You could buy the pre-assembled units, get new springs and it's a pretty simple bolt in replacement that could potentially save you on labor charges for the front, depending on the shop you plan on using.
 
outback97

outback97

Wheeling
Supporting Member
Location
SLC, Utah
KYB struts are well regarded in the Subaru world and I've used them as replacements on ours with great results. I've never used pre-assembled units but it looks like Rock Auto has them here:


Our '06 Xterra had KYB Gas A Just rear shocks when we bought it and they worked well. Later removed them because we upgraded the suspension to Old Man Emu, but with stock leaf springs they were a good option.

There's also a KYB rebate going on right now, good time to buy them.

 
westslope

westslope

Wheeling
Location
Wildfire country, BC
1. You probably need to replace your rear leaf springs, or to save money, add a 5th leaf. They were designed for the Frontier pickup truck which had less weight than the Xterra SUV so they tend to sag after a few years.

2. The most popular shock choice for stock Xterras are the Bilstein shocks. 5100s on mine. Nice firm ride.

You said that money was tight. This is an expensive vehicle for your daughter to drive to the shopping mall or school or work. For a number of reasons, gasoline prices appear destined to stay high for quite some time.
 
O

osky1976

Test Drive
Location
Colorado Springs, CO, USA
westslope said:
1. You probably need to replace your rear leaf springs, or to save money, add a 5th leaf. They were designed for the Frontier pickup truck which had less weight than the Xterra SUV so they tend to sag after a few years.

2. The most popular shock choice for stock Xterras are the Bilstein shocks. 5100s on mine. Nice firm ride.

You said that money was tight. This is an expensive vehicle for your daughter to drive to the shopping mall or school or work. For a number of reasons, gasoline prices appear destined to stay high for quite some time.
Click to expand...
She is going off to college in Colorado and will live on campus. This vehicle is ideal for a her based on many personal decisions. High gas prices is nothing new.
 
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