FE3 Equivalent Front and rear Struts/Springs

[Galaxie500XL]

I'm getting my '95 LQ1 Cutlass convertible back from the transmission shop later today. Now that all the mechanical issues resolved, it's time to begin working on other issues.

 

The car has the FE3 suspension.

 

The car has 210,000 miles on it, and the struts are original. Two questions:

 

What currently available strut comes closest to what the car came with new?

 

I'm assuming after all this time, replacing the front springs is probably a good idea. What currently available spring comes closest to matching what the car came with originally?

 

Something SLIGHTLY firmer/agressive would be fine, but I don't want to stray too far from as new.

 

Suggestions?

[White93z34]

Monro or KYB are both good OEM replacements, both are marketed as such.

[Crazy K]

I am reading conflicting info in your post. You want softer struts with firmer springs?

 

Forget springs, you don't live in the rust belt. even if you live in the rust belt... In fact... I have not seen springs needing replaced, not on our cars. I had one single GM spring break, but that was on a 75 buick. Now... if it was a FORD.... I've seen plenty of springs break on Tauruses.

 

The best of what is available for our cars... Monroe Senseatracks are a lighter duty softer strut, and KYBs GR2s (or excell, now) are slightly firmer. People have liked the GR2s more. The back is the first place I would change struts, you get more bang for your buck doing so, as the rear stability (you can steer to control front instability easier) is greatly improved with new struts.

[Galaxie500XL]

K

 

I wasn't very clear...what I'm interested in is finding struts as close as possible to what the car was originally equipped with. If that's not possible, then I meant to say something slightly more agressive was OK, as long as I'm in the ballpark of what the OEM FE3 was when the car was new..

 

I know that some people are great proponents of much stiffer suspension, personally I prefer that, but considering the car is a unibody convertible, I'm not sure going that route is really that good of an idea. However, if the Sensatracks are softer than original, I'd prefer something more like the GR2 you mention, as long as it doesn't stray too far from original spec.

[Crazy K]

I would stick with KYB GR2/excell G, they probably are better for FE3 than the sensatracks.

[Galaxie500XL]

That sounds like what I'm looking for. Thanks!

[virtuetovice]

IIRC, rockauto.com has about the best price on them

[Galaxie500XL]

That's good information. I like Rockauto...not long ago found OEM AC/Delco plug wires for my LQ1 on there for less than $60.00. They usually have good prices.

[carkhz316]

I've found that I can get all 4 KYB's from amazon as part of a 4pack package deal for cheaper than adding them together on RA, even with the 5% coupon. I've done this with 3 different vehicles now. Just copy/ paste the part number from either a front or rear strut from RA into the search bar on Amazon, and look for it the 4 pack deals.

[AWeb80]

that many miles and stock struts...wow. mine were absolute toast at 100k.

[Galaxie500XL]

I'm not absolutely sure they're original to the car...I've had it nearly two years. There were way too many other mechanical issues to worry much about when I bought it, but with the transmission rebuild this week, the slate is clean...the only thing the car needs now is a brake job, and struts. Everything else is now 100%...finally.

[MiriV]

Milage on struts is irrelevant. Explorer has 255k on its first replacement set (replaced @ 122k miles.) My prix hit 155k on stock shocks and its still not bad. Throwing in AGX this weekend.

 

and yes, for a daily driver oem struts KYB is the way to go.

[Galaxie500XL]

Thanks to all for the input. I'm very sure the rears are toast, running over a certain bump each day on my way home from work, the rear bounces around way too much.

 

It appears the consensus is the KYB is the way to go, I'm taking Crazy K's advice, and doing the rear first, along with the spring pad replacement, while I've got things apart.

[Dirkdaddy]

I am pretty new here but have done strut jobs and the ones on my '00 Intrigue were a bit different, the "hat" or support for the spring was so large the screw type spring compressors were hard to position properly and get an impact wrench on, but once you grasped the issue and the solution (careful positioning of tool) it went Ok. Probably some forum info here on it. Good luck.

[GOT2B GM]

Struts on 1st gen cars do not require spring compression for the rear. The front does pose that issue though, and as you said, once you position the screw type compressor properly, it works just fine.