Looking for Advice on Shocks Leaking Every Couple Years

"Captain of the Enterprise" (justanotherdayinparadise)
07/08/2019 at 19:25 • Filed to: Advice

I came to an interesting relationship between my commute and my shocks. I’ve had 3 cars in my 6 years commuting to Work/University (Both on university property). In all 3 cars the shocks started to leak.

The first was the 2005 Crown Victoria which with 40,000 miles on it. I did a couple years before leaking bad in the rear shocks. Then within a year were leaking on the replacement rears (they were Monroes though).

The second was my 2005 Corolla Le with 120,000 miles on it. They started leaking after about 1.5 years.

Finally my current vehicle is the 2011 Camry Le which I got last May with 121,000 miles on it. Now its at 142,000 and the front and rear are leaking.

So I’m wondering what it causing this. Obviously none of them were new when I started and two had high miles so it could just be age and mileage. I’m also thinking it could be my commute with is a mix of city and highway but I live in Southeast Michigan and the roads are really bad on all parts of my commute. Also the crown vic I drove the absolute shit out of because I hated it and was in a very bad way mentally and really did not care at all about that horrible car or myself, so I drove it hard . Therefore those ones could be entirely on me. The Corolla and Camry I really try to baby, I don’t accelerate hard most of the time , no hard corners, careful at railroad tracks and potholes but not super slow crawling on them either.

All three also had small wheels with wide sidewalls. Anyway, I’m wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this before I install new ones probably next year. I was looking at KYB struts all around as that seems to be what Toyota used from the factory. I want the strut assemblies as I don’t have the proper equipment to rebuild and am worried about safety. Is there anything else I could do to make them last longer?

DISCUSSION (15)

daender > Captain of the Enterprise
07/08/2019 at 19:33

Maybe the shocks were original on all three vehicles and pretty much done by the time you got them and then killed them ? I guess it depends on how rough the roads are in your area since you seem to driving non-aggressively with your last two vehicles. KYBs are good brand for stock/factory performance. Also, check wheel balancing and/or bearings because you might have wheel vibrations at speed that are wearing out the shocks faster than normal.

Levitas > Captain of the Enterprise
07/08/2019 at 19:40

I’m gonna go with it’s the southeast Michigan part. My Fiesta ST has blown at least 1 damper, potentially more (haven’t had time to get it up and check) in less than 40k miles from new. The fact is the roads around here are just that punishing; some of the freeways (94 and 75 towards Ohio) could honestly be used as durability courses for the OEMs.

dogisbadob > Captain of the Enterprise
07/08/2019 at 19:43

Here’s your answer:

I live in Southeast Michigan and the roads are really bad on all parts of my commute.

Get a new set of KYB quick struts and see how long they last.

Unfortunately, Bilstein doesn’t make shocks for your Camry, but they do make them for the Corolla and the cop car you used to have

wafflesnfalafel > Captain of the Enterprise
07/08/2019 at 19:50

I had a buddy in high school with a 67 tbird that ate shocks every 15k, but yours just sounds like bad luck/bad timing....

Captain of the Enterprise > daender
07/08/2019 at 20:12

Thanks, I do have some very subtle steering wheel vibration at about 75 mpg but if I go up to 80 or down to 70 its goes away and it does get better or worse sometimes depending on the condition of the freeway. But I took it in and they said they were still balanced and that they couldn’t replicate the problem.

Captain of the Enterprise > Levitas
07/08/2019 at 20:13

I actually think of them as rough road proving grounds by the condition and amount you get bounced around.

Captain of the Enterprise > dogisbadob
07/08/2019 at 20:15

Yeah I’ll try that I just can’t afford the parts right now. But that’s true.

Captain of the Enterprise > wafflesnfalafel
07/08/2019 at 20:17

Could be, that’s what I’m thinking now that you mention it.

daender > Captain of the Enterprise
07/08/2019 at 20:55

Depends on who balanced it and what equipment is used. I’m a huge fan of the Hunter Roadforce machines because they’re typically (with skilled employees) able to better balance wheels than standard spinning balance machines by replicating that feedback force exerted on a tire by the road (thus the name) . I’ve taken wheels and tires back to Discount Tire twice because they goofed it up but they usually put a better person on it and they do a better job than the first person.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > Captain of the Enterprise
07/08/2019 at 22:44

Since you can kind of write off the crown Vic shocks as abuse, the other ones sound more like bad timing mileage wise. Michigan roads will eat shocks though. So that definitely will shorten the lifespan of them.

merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc > dogisbadob
07/08/2019 at 22:46

Yeah bilstei n are the shit. Had a set of custom valved ones for my Dakota with the horchkis drop and they lasted over 120k. And even then they didn’t leak, just not as punchy as they were when new.

Captain of the Enterprise > daender
07/08/2019 at 23:52

These were road force balanced

Captain of the Enterprise > merged-5876237249235911857-hrw8uc
07/08/2019 at 23:53

Yeah that’s what I figured with the roads

pip bip - choose Corrour > Captain of the Enterprise
07/09/2019 at 04:19

200k km out of shocks is a good effort

more likely just bad luck they crap out on you

Long_Voyager, Now With More Caravanny Goodness > Captain of the Enterprise
07/09/2019 at 07:36

1. Michigan Roads, which I’m assuming are as bad as WI roads.

2. Mileage, shocks/struts realistically should be replaced around 100k anyway.

3. You bought Monroe.....