tried to do a search on this topic but did not find something addressing my question. Have 135k on 2010 Prius III been running great but can ride a bit rough around potholes (has gotten worse - I’ve owned it for approximately 90k), was thinking of replacing suspension components around 150k. Is there a consensus on what one should replace for a suspension “refresh” (I imagine things can get crazy with bushings, etc.). I don’t want to do the bare MINIMUM but I also don’t want to go overboard - basically, best bang for my buck. Shocks/Struts, springs, etc... insight appreciated, thank you! -Dom
The original struts and shocks are made by KYB. You can get them directly cheaper than buying through a stealership. If you do not have a favorite place to order them, try rockauto.com. You can usually tell they are bad, if the car bounces or if you see leaks from the strut or shock. There are other places to look at: the rear bushing on the front control arms, or the ball joint, but that usually requires some type of knowledgeable inspection. Be aware that some shops will sell you an entire control arm when all you need is the bushing or the ball joint. Also bearings can go on these cars but you usually get a lot of noise driving the car with that.
One post discussing replacement options: Replacing Shocks and Struts | PriusChat KYB parts I used on a '12: Part Number, Part Type, Quantity KYB 349035, Shock Absorber, 2 KYB SM5840, Shock Mount , 2 KYB SR4246, Strut / Coil Spring / Mount Assembly, 1 KYB SR4245, Strut / Coil Spring / Mount Assembly, 1 MOOG K750043, Stabilizer Bar Link, 2 Made a huge difference in ride quality and safe handling of the car.
I did the shocks on our 2010 around 180-185k miles as they were wore out. Just swapping those out for the KYB’s made a great difference. So I’d vote for shocks only and you’ll see the difference .
