Struts for GM, KYB vs AC Delco vs Monroe

[Vlad2]

I am looking at putting on some new struts on my car. I replaced the stock struts with Unity models, which worked ok for awhile, but after 40k of PA roads, need replaced.

I know here is usually OEM or nothing here. But I am looking to see which is best, as they are all about the same price. KYB is supposed to be the most baller struts out there… AC Delco is OEM and Monroe has been making quick-struts forever. I have had good luck with Monroes as well.

Any suggestions as to which ones I should buy?

thanks!

Topic

[James]

I went from Monroe to KYB’s in the space of 2 years thanks to PA roads. KYB Gas-a-just shocks seem to be holding up well but it’s a fact of life that the bad roads up here will wear out even the best before a typical service interval. 40K is actually close the average life for most shocks, they are wear items after all.

[Jason White]

KYB are great bang for the buck performance shocks/struts. Cant’ really go wrong with them except they do tend to make the car ride a bit rough, and it gets much worse as time goes on. While most struts/shocks tend to get looser, they just get harder. (not firmer exactly, just harder). However PA roads might beat them back a bit. GA roads are really nice. Monroe are probably the best aftermarket OE equivelent. Great ride quality, better than stock, good durrability, and seem to do very well. However, my suggestion would be Billstien. They are usually the choice of shock by GM for any of their upgraded suspensions, plus they are just superior. German made…. can’t go wrong there. Performance, ride quality, and durrability…. can’t go wrong but they can be a bit pricey.

[Ryan Marvin]

I’m with everyone else. Go with KYB. Monroe’s I’ve had hit or miss. Installed on a trailblazer and they worked great, but on my car, rather squeaky.

[Mike]

Well, bad roads will destroy any shock/strut, regardless of price.

If your roads are notoriously bad, my advice would be to go with the lowest-price shocks you can find and replace them as necessary. You’d also be replacing the expensive shocks sooner rather than later anyway, so why throw the extra money away?

[James]

Another consideration is too look at shocks with rubber boots that keep out crud. Road salts will attack the piston rod even around standard shields most shocks have.

[zero]

What kind of application?

Go with Munroe, get quick struts. Or there are some other brands, probably re-brands. You get everything, the mount, the spring, the bump stop, dust boot assembled all together. Just put it in and go. After an alignment of course.

[none]

I’ve had nothing but trouble with Monroes for the last five years now. What I’m seeing most consistently out of the box in the last year is that the shocks or struts won’t compress at all. While I was a taxi mechanic, we wound up with a couple dozen front struts that had no dampening action whatsoever. Once again, it was a consistent straight out of the box failure. Monroe refused to refund any money for those struts either. They tried telling us the struts were discontinued and somehow that made everything alright. I’d never buy them on purpose again.

[Vlad2]

Thanks everyone

If KYB gets harder over time, then I will not get those. This is a sedan, not a sports car. 🙂

I am thinking of going with AC Delco or Monroe, I have a feeling A C Delco’s are rebranded Monroes.

[Brian]

In the 20 years I’ve done autobody, every time we put in Monroe brand struts, they customer returned in a few days with lots of complaints about ride quality. I’ve used kyb with great success many times. A recent customer wanted prime choice struts off eBay, as well as their brand of window motor. The struts are as poor performing as Monroe with even more noise, and their window motor was wired backwards internally.

[Author]

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