Sugestions for new struts/shocks

Major strut manufactures suggest 5year/50,000 mile replacement i terval, to maintain optimumhandling & braking characteristics.

You might be able to utilize the lifetime warranty of the KYBs. Read the details, exclusions, and how to make a claim from KYB.

AVOID the cheap Sensen and Unity struts. Price is attractive, and its a complete assembly. The age old addage of "you get what you pay for," still holds true more often than not.

 

Looks like the highest quality drop in replacements for you car would be the SACHS (also branded BOGE) shocks and struts made by ZF.


Front Left: 312 870
Front Right: 312 869
Rear: 912 929

 

Make sure you buy new steering bearing with your struts. The top mounts. I only had 60,000 miles on my car when it started to make this low rumbling noise
like a low frequency booming noise that turned out to be the front struts. The car felt very ponderous into turns also. Like it had alot of weight in the car.

I never realized how much the steering had deteriorated until I put new struts and bearings on. The steering felt 100% easier when turning
into corners after new mounts and the car felt light on its feet again. Huge difference. The stock struts are crap and don't last long at all.
It its your only car and its all you drive you will never notice how bad its gotten.Its hard on the steering rack also. So new bearings will extend the life of the rack to so good investment.

So...make sure you buy new bearings and all new spacers and boots too. I used various online Toyota oem dealers and bought every part needed then had a tire store install them for me and a front end alignment. I bought KYB's also.
Car feels new again.

 

Ed, I'm in the market was well for a new set of struts. Would you mind giving me a laundry list of OEM parts I need? And a couple of other questions:
1) My Prius is one step below Touring. Should I get the Touring struts?
2) Are there better aftermarket struts you would recommend? I'm not terribly concerned about cost as I'm going to drive the Prius until the doors fall off. Most of all, I'm interested in improving the handling of the Prius.
Thanks!
Cheers!
Jack

 

Just go to any online Toyota parts and put your car in and a diagram of the shock and all its parts comes up. There's 2 trims Touring and base. I used kyboutlet.com for the front struts and bearings themselves. I think it was $900 including front end alignment complete front and rear installed. $500 for front & $400 for rear.

If your keeping the car change the trans fluid and engine and inverter coolant too.

 

Many here seem to go w/ KYB; they are the OEM manufacture for our Prius. Some don't like Monroe. I haven't read of anyone using Gabriel. I know KYB and Monroe all offer "Limited Lifetime Warranty." Ultimately your car & $.

My post #1 has the parts diagram of front and rear suspension. Post #13 has the description of the parts I ultimately got, and the prices I paid in 8-2014; I would encourage you to get these same parts to ensure no issues. Additional Front/Rear Strut Replacement Parts Needed Too? | PriusChat

To UPGRADE to Touring, you will need Touring anti-sway bars (front & rear) and the rear assembly (shocks and springs).Here's one posting of a upgrade change out from Base to TOURING.
Upgraded to "Touring" Suspension | PriusChat

 

Great! Thanks guys!

 

I have KYB excel G's in one car and I'm putting sachs in the other one. It'll be interesting to compare the two cars

 

Do you have any updates? I'd be curious how you like the KYB excel G.