Rear Monroe Quick Struts Very Bouncy????

rrack · July 18, 2014

K. Over the last few weeks, I've replaced all four struts with brand new Reflex Monroe Quick Struts and the front upper and lower ball joints on the wife's 2005 AWD V6 Mountaineer. Had an alignment and still need to replace the front two tires.

Anyway, The front seems to be real tight and recovers like it should when driving over rough terrain or speed bumps. However, the rear is extremely bouncy! It will bounce twice sometimes three times depending on how hard I hit a bump. It is horrible when driving over a highway bridge. The truck sorta bucks front to back obviously showing the rears are weaker. I noticed it's even worse with the kids loaded up in the back. Could I have gotten some bad shocks? Or are these Monroes really that bad? I've emailed them and got nothing back. I've gotten back under there and made sure everything is tightened up and no lose sway bushings. I don't think this think will do well with a camper or boat! I shoulda just left the OEMs on there but I trashed em when I threw these darn thing on there. The thing used to drive like a tank! Now it's like a mushy import!

Has anyone had issues with Monroe Quick Struts? How the heck will they rectify the issue? Will they send me replacements? Should I try for a refund (if possible) and find another brand? Ugh! Just trying to make it safe and add life and now it's worse than before! Any info or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much!

Ronin8002 · July 18, 2014

I ran Monroe Reflexes on all 4 corners of my 3rd gen, wasn't bouncy like you're describing...and it shouldn't be. Wonder if you got some defective shocks....probably would be worth seeing if you can get a warranty replacement.

rrack said:
K. Over the last few weeks, I've replaced all four struts with brand new Reflex Monroe Quick Struts and the front upper and lower ball joints on the wife's 2005 AWD V6 Mountaineer. Had an alignment and still need to replace the front two tires.

Anyway, The front seems to be real tight and recovers like it should when driving over rough terrain or speed bumps. However, the rear is extremely bouncy! It will bounce twice sometimes three times depending on how hard I hit a bump. It is horrible when driving over a highway bridge. The truck sorta bucks front to back obviously showing the rears are weaker. I noticed it's even worse with the kids loaded up in the back. Could I have gotten some bad shocks? Or are these Monroes really that bad? I've emailed them and got nothing back. I've gotten back under there and made sure everything is tightened up and no lose sway bushings. I don't think this think will do well with a camper or boat! I shoulda just left the OEMs on there but I trashed em when I threw these darn thing on there. The thing used to drive like a tank! Now it's like a mushy import!

Has anyone had issues with Monroe Quick Struts? How the heck will they rectify the issue? Will they send me replacements? Should I try for a refund (if possible) and find another brand? Ugh! Just trying to make it safe and add life and now it's worse than before! Any info or tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much!

rrack · July 18, 2014

Thanks much for the reply. Could very well be the case. Just happened to buy the fronts from amazon and rears from eBay. I'm betting the eBay dude got em in a defective close out or something. Something told me to hang on to tr OEMs for a few weeks like I do with everything else. However, I'm on a decluttering kick and tossed em the very next day. Gonna try contacting Monroe again. On the bright side, at least it's not the fronts cuz those were a booger to install. Rears was an hour job.

extra-medium · July 18, 2014

I was debating ordering those struts for mine since my rear left is bad, but I went with the Rancho quick lift struts instead.

Number4 · July 18, 2014

I have the Monroe's on all four corners and no issues.

Monroe's Reflex technology is the same as Ranchos. The Monroe tech that engineered the reflex brand, left Monroe and went to Rancho and duplicated it there.

How'd they come packaged? I'd be concerned with eBay that you could get some value line repackaged. A regular parts store won't play those games.

rrack · July 18, 2014

I noticed yesterday that adding the two boys... 10 year old and 4 year old (big guys) to the 2nd row seat made it even worse with the little added weight. They feel like they've got a gazillion miles on em. But like I mentioned before, the fronts are nice and tight. Scared the heck out of us when we hit a dip going over an overpass at normal highway speeds. The rear dipped down which forced the front up then rear back down a couple times. Bucking two or three times. Very unsafe!

They were in the original sealed Monroe boxes. I even took some pics of the boxes (why I don't know) and tore off the box ends that have the model info before I recycled em.

I just emailed Monroe for a second time and plan on calling soon. Just shoulda left the OEMs on there for another 100k cuz they were only slightly showing signs of wearing out. Oh yeah, the truck has 130k miles.

rrack · July 18, 2014

I definitely remember reflex stamped on the fronts. Can't remember the tears but they looked identical black with the red warning stickers and yellow part ID stickers on the springs. Gotta double check.

rrack · August 13, 2014

Well, still in process... I've yet to contact Monroe directly. Just a bunch of unanswered emails so far. Hopefully will check some things of my to do list and call tomorrow...hopefully. I've since replaced the sway bushings with energy suspension to make sure everything it snug. Same sloppy mess with the rear end bouncing all over the place.

Did any of you guys that run these notice any lessened load capacity? We ran camping this past weekend and had the same junk we usually carry and the rear end was definitely squatted down more that it's ever been and road like a 78 Cadillac floating all over the place. I didn't like that one bit especially on rural winding uneven roads. Not even close to the way she drove with the 130K OEMs. She road like a truck with a very stiff ride and didn't squat an inch or two with the boat or camper back there. Now I'm not sure I even wanna try it. It seems that the springs are definitely cheap and along with a crappy set of struts (or defective) makes this truck unusable and unsafe for our ventures. I shoulda just bought Ranchos and tossed the original springs on there. Got my fingers crossed that I just got a bad pair and Monroe will swap em out.

lynchy wa · August 13, 2014

Any chance you can sort something out with the ebay seller?

rrack · August 27, 2014

Well, Monroe was very concerned about the issue so they shipped me a replacement pair for the rear. The want me to return these to test em. However, I just noticed that the OEM springs were variable rate while the replacement quick struts are standard constant rate springs. Only by chance because I had taken a photo of the OEMs after I pulled em (right before trashing em too!!!!) Wishe I woulda kept those darn things! That may be the problem or a big part of it. The quick struts claim to be complete OEM replacements. These surely aren't! Worst case is that I'll pull these off yet again and replace the springs. I'd really like Monroe to replace the springs with variable rate but I won't hold my breath.

Sock Puppet · August 27, 2014

Sounds like Monroe is doing the right thing. Since the others running them aren't having issues, hopefully you'll be sorted out in short order. Keep us posted, please!

Number4 · August 27, 2014

The only benefit to the variable rate tension would be going over bumps unloaded.
I would not reuse any of the springs that came off the Ex as they are prone to snapping.
If you want the variable rate, then get the springs separately from the strut.

rrack · September 17, 2014

Finally figured out the problem! Monroe shipped me a replacement set which also had constant rate springs. I was forced to order Moog variable springs and installed them. When pulling off the original sets they sent me, which I thought were both constant rate, I discovered that one was variable and one was constant!!!! I guess I only looked at one side. Therefore the ride was horrible! The replacements with the Moog variable springs have her riding like a tank again! Very smooth yet has the suspension that we need! BEWARE of QUICKSTRUTS! I'm still fighting with Monroe to cover the new springs! They said that they'd only give a refund if I send them all their stuff back! I want them to merely cover the replacement and CORRECT springs that I was forced to buy.

Number4 · September 17, 2014

Interesting. I'll have to go back and look at mine.

vdavis25 · September 17, 2014

Where does it say? I replaced mine with the monroe quick struts and I am very happy with the ride quality. It was definitely improved over my worn out ones. I hauled around 600 lbs of pork, 3 kids and 100 lbs of chicken feed with no issues at all. I got all 4 off amazon. Sucks you have had issues

Number4 · September 17, 2014

In the image of the two struts, notice the coil spacing to the right on the top strut. The coils are closer together at the top of the strut assembly. The bottom struts coils all have equal spacing.
The top strut is variable, the lower is constant.
The coil spacing gives the assembly different resistance based on weight applied.

Number4 · September 21, 2014

These are my original struts:

The two on the right were the rears and are variable. Fronts aren't. My replacements (Monroe's from NAPA) are set up the same as the originals.

POHRacing · April 14, 2015

Same problem here...

OP: Just wondering if Monroe ever resolved the spring rate issue with you. I have since gone through the EXACT scenario you went through... Right down to tossing my OEM rear struts before realizing the rear Quickstruts have linear rate springs. I have the same horrible and unpredictable bounce you were describing. I contacted Monroe, and they were happy to send me replacements along with a BS response to why they don't ever use variable rate springs. They actually told me that all variable rate springs have coil bind and are worse than the linear/constant rate springs they use... WTF.

I'm about to pull the trigger on some Moog OEM replacement rear springs. How's your ride now?

Thanks

Number4 · July 16, 2016

My right rear Monroe quick strut is really squeaky. Something I may have caused while going off road. Ordered a replacement and this is what was in the box.

Had the store reorder it and will see what I get today. If the non variable rate assembly is better (stiffer) then I'd gladly go with them, but I'm not going to run variable and non variable at the same time.

TechGuru · July 16, 2016

Adds to the reasons I hate Monroe...

Rear Monroe Quick Struts Very Bouncy????

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