"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/12/2015 at 11:22 • Filed to: None
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"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/12/2015 at 11:22 • Filed to: None | 0
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I took my '03 Odyssey in to the dealership for an airbag recall and to have them suss out the clunking noise in the front end. The report: needs two new struts, new bump stops, front stabilizer sway bar links, alignment. The van has about 125k miles on it. I don't doubt that these things need to be done, but can I get it done well for less than $1000? And before you get started, no, I can't do this work myself.
Cherry_man1
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 11:24 |
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Time for a new van.
Takuro Spirit
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 11:26 |
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How's the ride? Are the struts leaking visibly? The clunks are most likely just the links, and shouldn't cost more than $150-200 for parts and labor.
CalzoneGolem
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 11:30 |
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I doubt you can get it done for under 1k. Like Takuro said the clunk is likely not due to struts.
'Wägen, EPA LOL
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 11:32 |
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Nothing on there is terribly difficult. Biggest piece of equipment is the alignment rack. I'd call around - you can probably find a better price going to the aftermarket for the front struts.
Struts: $80-$150/ea. Link 1 . Link 2 .
End Links: $25/ea.
Alignment: $80-$120
Labor: Dealer is about $90/hr. Local place will probably be $50-$70/hr. Plan on an hour for the end links and maybe 4 (max 2 per side) for the struts.
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ttyymmnn
> CalzoneGolem
02/12/2015 at 11:33 |
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I just talked to my wife, and there is no way we can spend $1k right now. Is it possible to do just the sway bar links without doing the struts? Does that make any sense? Are there shops that specialize in this sort of work where it may be cheaper?
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ttyymmnn
> 'Wägen, EPA LOL
02/12/2015 at 11:34 |
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He said the sway bar and end links are a set.
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CalzoneGolem
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 11:39 |
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Yeah it is totally possible to do the links without the struts. I know you're not into wrenching yourself but they could be replaced for ~$50 in a parking lot with some basic hand tools. How is the ride? Does it bounce? Does it eat tires?
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ttyymmnn
> CalzoneGolem
02/12/2015 at 11:47 |
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I just watched a video where a guy replaced a link on an Odyssey in about 15 minutes. Ride is fine, no bounce, just the occasional clunk. So, here are my pressing questions:
What happens potentially if I do nothing?
What happens potentially if I change the links only, assuming the struts aren't that bad?
What happens potentially if I change the links only and the strut is bad?
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'Wägen, EPA LOL
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 11:48 |
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I've worked on similar vintage Hondas many times and never seen them as a set where you had to buy a new sway bar to replace a broken end link. I did have to use a torch to heat (and once cut) an endlink a few times, but I've always gotten them off.
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'Wägen, EPA LOL
> 'Wägen, EPA LOL
02/12/2015 at 11:52 |
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End Links on eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suspension…
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Takuro Spirit
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 11:52 |
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Don't get them from Honda. Try Rock Auto, see if they have a greasable set. They'll last longer if regularly lubed.
Like Wagen said though, be prepared to have to cut the links off if you do it yourself.
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CalzoneGolem
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 11:53 |
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It continues to clunk. Until the other endlink breaks and then the swaybar drags on the ground making a completely different noise.
Is stops clunking.
It continues clunking.
None of these particularly dangerous. If you were closer I'd tell you I'd swap the links and swaybar bushings for a 6 pack. Maybe you can find a TX Jalop that's thristy?
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ttyymmnn
> CalzoneGolem
02/12/2015 at 11:58 |
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That would be terrific. I'm leaning towards buying parts myself and finding somebody to do the work for me, perhaps my old garage. Shouldn't be more than a couple hours of labor.
Thanks for the help.
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ttyymmnn
> Takuro Spirit
02/12/2015 at 12:00 |
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Well, I'm definitely not doing it myself. At this point, I'm going to do nothing, buy some links and find somebody to put them on for me. Shouldn't be more than a couple hours of labor.
Thanks.
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CalzoneGolem
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 12:02 |
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It shouldn't be more than an hour unless you're doing struts at the same time. I did the front struts on my car 185k miles and I think they were original. It is like a whole different car now!
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ttyymmnn
> 'Wägen, EPA LOL
02/12/2015 at 12:02 |
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I think I mispoke, and have been working on educating myself about Honda front ends, sway bars and links in the interim. I think I asked the guy about bushings and links, and that's what comes in a set. Makes sense. There was no talk of replacing the sway bar. At this point, I'm leaning towards doing nothing and securing replacement sway bar links on my own then find somebody to install them for me. I'm going to inspect the strut and see if it's leaking. Honda may have just thrown that in since they're working down there anyway. They may be just fine.
Thanks for the replies.
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ttyymmnn
> CalzoneGolem
02/12/2015 at 12:10 |
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How difficult is it to replace struts? Honda wanted almost $900 in P/L, and that seemed exorbitant. Again, I can buy the parts and find somebody to install for me.
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ttyymmnn
> CalzoneGolem
02/12/2015 at 12:10 |
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Ride is fine. Doesn't bounce, doesn't eat tires.
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'Wägen, EPA LOL
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 12:12 |
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Gotcha - glad to help. The biggest pain in the butt with all of that is getting the stuff apart. If you were to get those coilovers on Amazon, it would be a pretty easy part swap to unbolt everything and then get it back together. Just remember to go and get an alignment as soon as physically possible afterwards because your geometry WILL be off. No use burning up a set of tires too.
This is probably a three wrench (out of five) on the difficult scale. You can do it yourself in a day. It's probably a really good project to actually start getting your hands dirty on feeling comfortable with larger repairs on a vehicle. Best advice if you were to make the plunge, only take apart one side a time so you can see how its supposed to look when it's all back together again.
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CalzoneGolem
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 12:14 |
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For a shop it shouldn't take more than an 2 hours to do all that. It took me around 6 to replace my struts in my mom's heated garage.
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CalzoneGolem
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 12:15 |
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I wouldn't worry about the struts. They should be replaced if they never have been but they don't sound like they are an issue.
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ttyymmnn
> 'Wägen, EPA LOL
02/12/2015 at 12:20 |
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Great advice, and I would love to tackle this, but I know my limitations, both in knowledge and tools. My course of action will be to get somebody else to do the work as cheaply as possible. And the upside is that I've educated myself about all of this, and don't have to take the Honda guy at his word, though I don't believe he's trying to bilk me. Thanks again.
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Takuro Spirit
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 12:31 |
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10-4, np
uofime
> ttyymmnn
02/12/2015 at 12:31 |
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this happened to my families mercury sable when I was younger, we spend thousands trying to fix it (iirc, struts, cvs, links, ball joints) and it never got better.
Drove it like that, with occasional clunks for 5 years, never got better, never got worse. Eventually sold it.
Unless they can put it on a lift and reproduce the clunking phenomonom, showing a broken part, don't throw money at it.
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ttyymmnn
> uofime
02/12/2015 at 12:38 |
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I'm not going to. Now that I have heard from them, and spent an hour educating myself about Odyssey front ends, I'm going bring it home and look at it myself. I'll probably buy the parts and then find a shop willing to install them for me.