Hey All -
My dealer replaced the front absorber (shock,spring and support sub-assembly mount) due to excessive noise. I have a question:

Shouldn't you always replace struts in pairs?

When I orginally asked they said they would be replacing both, but when I picked up the truck they had only replaced the bad one. (In addition to grinding a hole thru my engine compartment,which I will be making them repair)

Whattaya think ?

Rook

 

I'm not completely sure, but I'd say they should be done in pairs. You now have one fresh shock vs. one that has seen the world. I'd want both replaced. Grinding a HOLE!!!! Man!!! I'd be screaming about that one!!!

 

I just dropped off the truck -

About the Absorber - he claims that they would only SELL and install the shocks by the pair, but since it's warranty, they can only replace the bad part. I asked him about the safety concern and he said that there was none and that the other shock was fine.

I did get him to admit that if a custoimer came in with one blown shock, he would MAKE them replace both - when I asked him WHY, when the other shock is fine - he said because of safety. I then asked him what's the difference now, and highly suggested that he was knowingly compromising my safety by his own statement.
He said he would review it.

As for hole, he apoligized and said they would hit it with undercoating - I said NO WAY, your primering it, using bondo and then undercoating it. I refuse to have damage done by the dealer in one of the most corrosion prone areas to not be repaired properly. He said he would have his body shop look at it.

We will see how this plays out this afternoon.

Rook

 

OK, fill us in more on this hole please.

I have swapped out my shocks and springs several times and never had to grind a hole in anything. That is just nuts.

If your other shock is good, then it is good, but if I were doing it on my own I would do both at the same time, but when Toyota is paying them for the work, they are only going to replace bad parts.

Gadget

www.GadgetOnline.com

 

Which dealer in Baltimore is doing this work for you?

 

Apparently - the high corrosion prone suspension bolts were too rusted (after 32,000 miles) to be unbolted normally and had to be ground off. As the tech ground down the bolts, he must have rubbed against the top of the wheel well until he sliced a nice 1/16" x 1/2" gash thru the metal, there is a HAZ (heat affected zone ) and hole that goes thru to the engine compartment and can be seen about 8" down from the ABS block inside the engine bay.

Seeing how this area of the vehicle is prone to being the wettest part of the truck due to spin off from the tires - I am very concerened about future rust, and the fact that it was damaged instead of normal age style perforation may effect my getting Rust Related Warranty Work in the future.

I get my work done at the Russell Toyota Service Center on Caton Avenue in Baltimore, they have been great in the past.

Rook

 

All is cool with the hole repair.

The brazed the hole shut, sanded, primered and undercoated. They also repainted the spot in the engine bay, so you can't tell it was ever damaged.

Of course - now I have to put more undercoating on the OTHER side because the damaged side looks so much better now.

Rook