What is the best brand besides Monroe for rear strut assembly’s for our older w-body models?

[89-W-Body-Regal]

I am looking for a good strut assembly brand for my 89 Regal Custom that’s good and quiet from no noise. I ordered Monroe back in 2017 and it was so noisy and didn’t eliminate the road quality in the rear. I wanted to get KYB but they don’t have the complete assembly anymore. Where can I find a good brand for my rear struts? Does anyone have anymore recommendations? I was looking at Detroit Axle but heard bad things about the quality, I was also looking at Gabriel and heard good things but don’t know enough about that brand yet.

I am trying to eliminate that noise and have improved road quality in the back. Monroe used to be good quality struts but now they are so noisy and I don’t want them. From your experience what did you use on your regal, lumina, GP or cutlass?

Edited August 11, 2022 by 89-W-Body-Regal

[55trucker]

Define *noise*

crickets chirping, the lumberjack chopping wood in the trunk/ the dead body you just ran over?

There are 4 basic shock manufacturer to choose form

Gabriel

Monroe

KYB

Sachs

all are good brands 2 of the 4 offer a basic shock as well as their premium shock

KYB (for this platform) do not offer a variable dampening design shock.

KYB excel G

Monroe & Gabriel & Sachs do

Monore offers monro-matic (basic shock) Sens-a-trac & OE Spectrum, Reflex (premium)

Gabriel offers Guardian (basic) & Velocity sensitive technology VST Ultra G-Force (premium)

Sachs might be hard to find now

go to each ones website to get the info on what each has to offer

 

[GTP091]

I can’t imagine what kind of noise you’d get from a strut itself other than the gas going through the valves if you go over a speed bump.  I have my GTP on KYBs using coil overs and never hear a noise from the struts themselves.  Are you sure you don’t have some bad bushings somewhere back there? Clunks and rattles should not come from struts. Sway bar bushings, the upper strut mount, and leaf spring isolators. Yes

[89-W-Body-Regal]

5 hours ago, GTP091 said:

I can’t imagine what kind of noise you’d get from a strut itself other than the gas going through the valves if you go over a speed bump.  I have my GTP on KYBs using coil overs and never hear a noise from the struts themselves.  Are you sure you don’t have some bad bushings somewhere back there? Clunks and rattles should not come from struts. Sway bar bushings, the upper strut mount, and leaf spring isolators. Yes

I replaced the rear struts 5 years ago with Monroe. My boss helped me put them on because I never done one yet before. He didn’t know what he was doing. Had to support the rear with jack stands and had trouble installing them. He did it half fast too. I think he might have damaged the strut mounts. Monroe says to install the mount properly or you’ll hear road noise and they will be noisy. It still felt rocky in the rear and sound like bouncing metal if that makes any sense. Initially, it was the struts to begin with. But I still heard the noise after they were replaced so I thought it had to be bushings like you said because they were all dry rotted. A year or two after that I replaced the trailing arms, leaf spring bushings and all lateral arms. The lateral arms for the w-body’s are now hard to get but luckily I found them. So after all that I am still hearing the noise. It’s not quiet like it should be. 

Maybe my boss at the time didn’t install it right and the strut mount was the problem

Edited August 12, 2022 by 89-W-Body-Regal

[89-W-Body-Regal]

5 hours ago, 55trucker said:

Define *noise*

crickets chirping, the lumberjack chopping wood in the trunk/ the dead body you just ran over?

There are 4 basic shock manufacturer to choose form

Gabriel

Monroe

KYB

Sachs

all are good brands 2 of the 4 offer a basic shock as well as their premium shock

KYB (for this platform) do not offer a variable dampening design shock.

KYB excel G

Monroe & Gabriel & Sachs do

Monore offers monro-matic (basic shock) Sens-a-trac & OE Spectrum, Reflex (premium)

Gabriel offers Guardian (basic) & Velocity sensitive technology VST Ultra G-Force (premium)

Sachs might be hard to find now

go to each ones website to get the info on what each has to offer

 

KYB is hard to find now too. I was trying to get KYB but they don’t make the quick struts anymore. I was looking at Gabriel, but according to Rockauto it only comes with the Mount, not the dampener and bellow. Monroe is still the only one that comes with everything.

[GTP091]

Very well could be the strut mounts, should have replaced them at the same time.  If they’re dry rotted they could be rusted just the same and ready to fail. They’re cheap and easy to replace.  I’d suggest you jack up the rear of the car using the centre jack pad and take the wheels off. Take a good look at everything you haven’t replaced.  There’s two bolts That secure the mount to the car inside the trunk. You may need to undo those to see if there’s play in the mounts.  I’d just replace them and be done with it though. 

[89-W-Body-Regal]

6 hours ago, GTP091 said:

Very well could be the strut mounts, should have replaced them at the same time.  If they’re dry rotted they could be rusted just the same and ready to fail. They’re cheap and easy to replace.  I’d suggest you jack up the rear of the car using the centre jack pad and take the wheels off. Take a good look at everything you haven’t replaced.  There’s two bolts That secure the mount to the car inside the trunk. You may need to undo those to see if there’s play in the mounts.  I’d just replace them and be done with it though. 

Yeah I am going to replace the entire strut assembly. Just ordered Monroe again. Hopefully it will be fine this time. Will keep you posted. And thank you so much for that help. 

[55trucker]

There's nothing difficult where assembling the rear strut is concerned, one doesn't have to go out & specifically get the quick strut.If you want KYB then purchase the shock, pick up the mount kit separately & assemble. everything.

[GTP091]

If you got the Monroe quick strut it includes the mount, bump stop,  and dust boot.  Make sure you order new mounts and new boots if you didn’t get the quick strut.  This is an easy job.  Should take about 3 beers per side. 
 

Make sure you you use a torque wrench to button it back up. Failing that use Dutch specs.  Good-in-tite !….

You should pick up a set of GM manuals off eBay or the Haynes is  also alright.  Goes along way to bend the learning curve of wrenching on your own. Beware of you tube videos.  They often show ways to do things quickly but are also often unsafe.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/234408462032?fits=Year%3A1989|Model%3ARegal|Make%3ABuick&hash=item3693d546d0:g:fA4AAOSwq05h~v75&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA8KLjskI1KefgzmHoJ%2BfbE%2FE2HAfyHVEn8XUV%2FpeVwfce4j4f7mVebCvTGF3J8XzepiXl0Tj4GdCveWv8NaWc4nXeHVdwfyaHA%2F6YvfWczU21LWGwke%2B4r%2FvJC2XLPgrh7kxo8%2F5N%2B8kL5y3ifzigbwJx9xQEW%2BKFEGUNvO%2FJmznb%2Br%2FHqVsGH5dgI1lhbM567O92JB4if0SRuj8XTF2om6NjApclOjR96w7hjYoe9y%2BT8nIzN8tlSEGqhocGOfT1mpYBdsuZdt%2BnXqzF8i%2FCAjy3leaOlj72t9YGLw2yzGtIGPH2Xusmdzd0iTcaf0DENA%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMouy9jtNg

 

Edited August 13, 2022 by GTP091

[rich_e777]

Yuenglings or Blue Moon? It matters when being scientifically precise.

As for brand preference I`d stick to KYB for anything W-body(Or F-body), they`re strut mounts look better than the store brand stuff and they have replacement bellows, bumpers, front strut bearings and mounts. 

[Bjankins1]

It's your rear sway bar links, I had mine replaced on the passenger side before I sold my 92 cutlass

 

 

Edited August 23, 2022 by Bjankins1

[Go4DaMo]

On 8/11/2022 at 6:55 PM, GTP091 said:

I can’t imagine what kind of noise you’d get from a strut itself other than the gas going through the valves if you go over a speed bump.  I have my GTP on KYBs using coil overs and never hear a noise from the struts themselves.  Are you sure you don’t have some bad bushings somewhere back there? Clunks and rattles should not come from struts. Sway bar bushings, the upper strut mount, and leaf spring isolators. Yes

You have coil springs on the back of your 1st gen?

[GTP091]

Yup.  Very easy to do the rears. I prefer it to the mono leaf.

[jiggity76]

I was lucky enough to find some NOS struts for 2 of my cars.  For the daily driver, I have no complaints so far.