replacement struts- what choices do we have?

[BajaXplorer]

So im looking into new struts for the X with 73,x.. miles on it..

So far Im seeing only 3 choices-

1)Rancho QL (Monroe makes them) couldnt give these 2 me..
2)KYB Gr2s
3)OEM dealer struts- valved seriously too soft

I cant believe that Bilstein, etc doesnt make a replacement shock.

Is this all there is? Are we that limited on '02+ replacemnt struts?

 

[stephan]

So im looking into new struts for the X with 73,x.. miles on it..

So far Im seeing only 3 choices-

1)Rancho QL (Monroe makes them) couldnt give these 2 me..
2)KYB Gr2s
3)OEM dealer struts- valved seriously too soft

I cant believe that Bilstein, etc doesnt make a replacement shock.

Is this all there is? Are we that limited on '02+ replacemnt struts?

BajaX
the 3th gen does not have "struts"; they are a A-arm/coil over shock design
did you check with King (will be $$$ ).... i know King makes a lot of OEM replacements like for toy tacomas and other popular desert "prerunners"

i actually have a pic here of my 03 X....it looks like the front C/O has to be a special design to clear the driveshaft on a 4wd....

 

[BajaXplorer]

it is basically a strut with a coil on it(yes a coil over but no King doesn make a C/O for the X.

That piece your calling a driveshaft is in fact the tie rod coming from the steering rack.

PS> drive shaft is no where near the c/os as that goes from transfer case under X to the rear diff (on a 4WD or from the rear of trans on a 2WD X)

 

[stephan]

it is basically a strut with a coil on it(yes a coil over but no King doesn make a C/O for the X.

That piece your calling a driveshaft is in fact the tie rod coming from the steering rack.

PS> drive shaft is no where near the c/os as that goes from transfer case under X to the rear diff (on a 4WD or from the rear of trans on a 2WD X)

lol splitting hairs
i know my my 03 is a 2wd and i know how a tierod looks like :

but your right, i used the wrong word; the shock has a reduced diameter bottom to clear the front axle shaft :
anyway, a strut and a coil over shock absorber are 2 different things

btw i just noticed that you have a 2wd as well so you dont need that reduced bottom. i bet with a little engineering it would be easy to adapt a aftermarket coilover to it.
i like to use King shocks on my large desert cars but i think for a Ex i would look into something like the dual adjustable QA1 coilovers (a lot less $$$)

 

[stephan]

just looked at my other pics:
replacing the factory rear coilover with something more adjustable looks to be easy...

but the opening in the lower front A-arm for the C/O is very narrow :

i personally would replace the (stamped steel) lower A-arm with a fabricated arm. i think this way you could actually gain some more ground clearance...(same goes for the lower rear arms....IMHO they hang way too low)

 

[RoadBully]

BajaX
the 3th gen does not have "struts"; they are a A-arm/coil over shock design
did you check with King (will be $$$ ).... i know King makes a lot of OEM replacements like for toy tacomas and other popular desert "prerunners"

i actually have a pic here of my 03 X....it looks like the front C/O has to be a special design to clear the driveshaft on a 4wd....

Unfortunately King doesn't make them, neither does fabtech, fox, or any other decent company.
I'm working on using a universal King remote reservoir coilover, but it's going to take some fabrication.

 

[BajaXplorer]

the lager diameter King probably wouldnt even need a reservoir(less $) as the larger body and shaft would disapate the heat. I doubt any offroading in the X would ever get the shock hot enough to need a reservoir (which is used to hold extra shock oil for cooling)

Ive been around off- road racing all my life and this is by far the hardest vehicle Ive owned so far to mod.

I should have stuck with a '99-'01 X with the standard solid rear 8.8 axle and spindle front(2WD)

Owell live and learn.