2002 Camry LE, 150,000 miles. The rear passenger side leaks, but the rear driver side seems okay. They have been like these for 3 or more years. The riding experence has been okay, not bumpy. If I want to keep the car for 5 more years, shall I replace both of them?
Rear passenger side
Rear driver side
Most on here as well as myself will recommend replacement of both rear struts, I will go even further and recommend quick struts…
(EDIT) Now is it a requirement, not really, but it does effect the vehicles handling and braking in a panic stop and or going into a corner a little to fast as well as having to suddenly having to swerve to miss something…
Struts/shocks are like brakes, and basically what ever you do to one side should be done to the other for best stability…
If I want to keep the car for 5 more years, shall I replace both of them?
Yes replace both…
NO
YOU REPLACE ALL 4 CORNERS
Front ones replaced years ago.
Okay
Then you do both rear struts
Complete with coil springs and strut mounts . . . don’t reuse either, because you’ll more than likely regret it
Regardless of the pic’s, at a 20year old car and 150,000 miles you’re looking at a replacement,
Assuming you want to keep the car, replacement is reasonalbly inexpensive and if you want to DIY is downright cheap for a parts only 100,000 mile repair.
If you decide that a DIY replacement is within your capababilility a spring compressor will run about $30 and the struts will run abount $10 per wheel.
.
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If you buy quick strut assemblies… and you should, a spring compressor is not needed. The quick struts replace everthing, those torn dust boots, mounts springs and all.
Get an alignment after replacing them.
I don’t think that’s a good idea . . .
I’ve seen plenty of people replace just the strut and reuse the coil spring and mount and regret it days or weeks later
Easier and faster to just install pre-assembled “quick struts”
Yeah, plural. I did the quick struts last time and will never go back. You might find the stabilizer bars also will need to be cut off. You can buy the whole kit with four struts or shocks together a little cheaper.
On the question of should you replace? Answered - it’s an “are you kidding?” kind of thing, especially since you want to keep it on the road.
On the subject of “quickstruts” - I discovered them a long time ago and the concept is awesome. I’ve never rebuilt a strut. But I’ve dropped in plenty of the ready-made units.
But just a note of caution - I’m pretty sure that “Quick-Strut” is a Monroe brand name, and Monroe is not on the top of my list (if I want more than a year or two - been there and done that with them). You can buy other ready-to-install “strut assemblies” that are better. I’m not naming brands but search around a bit, just not on the name “quickstrut” or you’ll likely end up with Monroes. Options shouldn’t be hard to find for older Camrys.
This is a pretty old car and I’m not sure it’s worth spending the money for top-shelf “quick struts”
Monroe would be fine, if this were my car, as it probably doesn’t have to last another ten years
Which brand you would recommend? How much are them roughly? I need only 5 more years I suppose.
I actually agree with the QuickStrut approach, faster, easier, safer and avoids the potential sagging spring problem, especially for a DIY who hasn’t already done a strut replacement.
The cost is a little more but then your time and the additional safety is certainly worth it.
And yeah, if one strut is worn the rest probably aren’t far behind so if you’re replacing one you might as well do them all plus the links / swaybars while you’re in there.
This is for the 2.4L (I don’t remember seeing what engine you had) from Rock Auto, local parts houses will be higher…
I have sold and installed hundreds of Monroe “OE Spectrum” line struts and shocks with very good luck and good feed back from customers as well, but be careful with the cheaper Monroe line as they seem to be junk… A lot of people on here don’t like Monroe and I respect that…
I’ve heard a lot of good things about KYB, but also that they ride a little harsher…
Now I have never liked GABRIEL, I have pulled to many out of the box that was dead…
And Auto Zone is the last place I will ever use… lol
KYB’s are junk since the covid pandemic.
https://www.google.com/search?channel=frs&client=firefox-b-1-d&q=kyb's+are+junk#ip=1
Tester
I expect when you replace them with quick struts, you’ll be completely satisfied and wondering why you waited so long. One idea for the inexpensive “quick-strut” option, retain the original parts removed, esp the spring. If the less expensive quick strut product doesn’t do the job for some reason, you always have the option of just buying new struts. Then your shop can attach them to the old spring. Some auto parts stores have a shop-type spring compressor, and will do that task for a small fee, provided the struts are purchased there.
My comment about QuickStrut/Monroe skepticism was from personal experience - but “one” person with “one” bad experience is shaky, to be sure.
Anyway - I put QuickStruts in a Ford Escort wagon (all four corners). About 18 mos later, it failed inspection for the rear springs sagging too much. (And I didn’t doubt it as the car did end up sitting too low in the rear).
I replaced all again with KYB - but note that this was far-pre-covid. Those are still on the car with no problems. This was 6 years ago maybe?
Anyway, OP said they wanted like 5 years. I guess I could have just told the longer story to start.
