Struts installed backwards!!

[phattyduck]

I see , so it's the springs. How are these not struts? These are sold as "Monroe quick struts" ....what am I missing here?

Monroe Quick Struts is the general type of the product. They are mostly sold for normal import cars with McPherson strut type suspensions, thus the name.

The actual assembly on the front of a 4Runner is a coilover shock assembly.

Struts = integral part of the suspension geometry
Shock = not integral in the suspension geometry

If you unbolt a shock, the wheel doesn't fall over. If you have a strut and you remove it, the wheel will fall over.

What is the Difference Between Shocks and Struts- Shockwarehouse.com - Shockwarehouse.com

-Charlie

 

[popsmckracken]

Its bad when your on the trail. Quite a bit of steering is lost. Ive heard people saying a 3 point turn had turned into a 5 point turn. Not fun on the trail at all when in a bind.

Maybe this is the situation WITHOUT the tie rods but I have the TACO tie rods and haven't noticed ANY steering loss at all and I am "on the trail" all the time as this is a dedicated farm vehicle up here in the mountains with some pretty hairy terrain. It's pretty clear I need an alignment since everything is new and it's standard procedure. Steering hasn't been the issue. My issue seems to be more a balance issue which makes sense now considering the difference in the left and right coil lengths.

 

[JayRolla]

Maybe this is the situation WITHOUT the tie rods but I have the TACO tie rods and haven't noticed ANY steering loss at all and I am "on the trail" all the time as this is a dedicated farm vehicle up here in the mountains with some pretty hairy terrain. It's pretty clear I need an alignment since everything is new and it's standard procedure. Steering hasn't been the issue.

You have lost steering radius. You just have not noticed. Some say its very noticeable and others say its not. Its so hard to judge opinion between different peoples on the interweb.

 

[popsmckracken]

Maybe this is the situation WITHOUT the tie rods but I have the TACO tie rods and haven't noticed ANY steering loss at all and I am "on the trail" all the time as this is a dedicated farm vehicle up here in the mountains with some pretty hairy terrain. It's pretty clear I need an alignment since everything is new and it's standard procedure. Steering hasn't been the issue. My issue seems to be more a balance issue which makes sense now considering the difference in the left and right coil lengths.

Someone will have to show me how because the tie-rods are THE SAME just a bit more heavy duty. The articulation is exactly the same. If I have lost steering radius it is negligible. Tire size is a factor here as well. The idea that they take a 3 point turn to a 5 point turn is ridiculous. What you are likely hearing is people with mismatched sets.

 

[Tyler James Inc]

This thread is full of laughs.
So many opinions flying around [emoji23]

 

[JayRolla]

Someone will have to show me how because the tie-rods are THE SAME just a bit more heavy duty. The articulation is exactly the same. If I have lost steering radius it is negligible. Tire size is a factor here as well. The idea that they take a 3 point turn to a 5 point turn is ridiculous. What you are likely hearing is people with mismatched sets.

It was a long time ago when I researched this, maybe 5+ years. So you could be right.

 

[zoombyu86]

I brought my popcorn, in for "wheelbarrow" response.

 

[popsmckracken]

Ok, so I just changed these struts around right-wise in the freezing cold. Let me say that the ride is dramatically better. The geometry of these Monroe struts, and they ARE struts, is totally different from left to right. There are some retaining collars on the outside of the springs that are tapered away from the vehicle among other things. Took it in for an alignment and she rides like new. Note to self - don't be a pu$$y next time and do it yourself because NO ONE is going to pay attention to your truck like you do.

 

[popsmckracken]

Alignment all done ready for pick up. I also have someone other than me change out the fuel filter that was rusted fast like a mofo for like 5 years after multiple attempts. When I started looking at my torch a little angel tapped me on the shoulder and said "don't be a retard"...and so that is also done and off my list.

 

[Dezert4Runner]

Someone will have to show me how because the tie-rods are THE SAME just a bit more heavy duty. The articulation is exactly the same. If I have lost steering radius it is negligible. Tire size is a factor here as well. The idea that they take a 3 point turn to a 5 point turn is ridiculous. What you are likely hearing is people with mismatched sets.

If I remember correctly, the reason for the reduced turning radius has to do with the steering stop. It's been a couple years since I've read up on it on other threads.

Ok, so I just changed these struts around right-wise in the freezing cold. Let me say that the ride is dramatically better. The geometry of these Monroe struts, and they ARE struts, is totally different from left to right. There are some retaining collars on the outside of the springs that are tapered away from the vehicle among other things. Took it in for an alignment and she rides like new. Note to self - don't be a pu$$y next time and do it yourself because NO ONE is going to pay attention to your truck like you do.

They're coilovers :hiding:

 

[popsmckracken]

If I remember correctly, the reason for the reduced turning radius has to do with the steering stop. It's been a couple years since I've read up on it on other threads.




They're coilovers :hiding:

I really didnt want to do this ....but I got yer strut.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX-H6RjuPcA

 

[JayRolla]

Ok, so I just changed these struts around right-wise in the freezing cold. Let me say that the ride is dramatically better. The geometry of these Monroe struts, and they ARE struts, is totally different from left to right. There are some retaining collars on the outside of the springs that are tapered away from the vehicle among other things. Took it in for an alignment and she rides like new. Note to self - don't be a pu$$y next time and do it yourself because NO ONE is going to pay attention to your truck like you do.

Coil over shock. We already went over this. Lol.