I just ran across the mushrooming issue so I went out to check on my "new to me" used 2006 R53. Sure enough they are mushroomed and the struts are broke on top.


I am not looking to race or lower. I just want a good quality ride and decent parts.

What should I look at? Bilsteins?
Top plates instead of under plates?

Is there anyone selling this kit as a set?

Any brands to stay away from? Is there a go to set up most people use?

 

Going to move you to the Stock Problems/Issues area.

Sounds like you need both new struts and new strut mounts. Something like Ireland Engineering fixed camber plates might kill two birds with one stone. They are thicker from what I can tell that will help the mushrooms, and they also add some extra negative camber that is good.

On the struts, what is your budget?

 

I have the M7 top brace, though I think the way motor works brace is better.

For my car, I went with lemfoerder strut mounts, and KONI FSD struts. bilsteins deliver OEM ride quality, the FSD's provide even better than OEM ride quality and an improvement in handling.

The only parts I'd stay away from is moog and KYB strut mounts. They tend to fail really quickly (like within days to weeks of being installed)

 

Saw someone selling an M7 brace in the classifieds on here so I bought it

For the struts I am buying the entire assembly with a spring.
Budget for front strut assemblies is whatever a decent set costs.
I don't want fully adjustable racing coil overs but i do want a good set of dependable quality struts.
If they are $200 or $500 doesn't really matter. The price is what it is. I just don't know what a decent set of struts would be.
I put Bilsteins on my truck but I swapped my springs over on those. I don't want to do that this time.

 

 

Something that caught my eye was the "buying entire assembly with a spring." Are you looking at something that already has the springs installed that would include a strut mount plate?

 

Yes. The complete assembly.
My mounting plates are broken.
If the mounting plates are broken I am sure everything else is worn.

So I want to buy everything new already assembled.

 

Would the strut bearings come in a complete assembly?
I can't remember ever seeing bearings in a strut assembly.

 

I am thinking that the units that come all assembled are not the best quality, poor spring rates etc. Others will most likely chime in. Now yes, my brother bought a pair of e-bay specials for his Dodge Intrepid but then he drives like 2000 miles a year.

I am not aware of any NAM Vendors selling those types of units and normally if they do not it is for a reason.

 

The only way i know of to do this is with coilovers, they sometimes have adjustable top plates attached. You may still have to swap over the top hats in the rear. Its not hard, just one bolt.

Id also recommend the IE camber plates. Great mod!

 

I've never seen a pre-assembled unit for these cars. ECS tuning and pelican parts (as well as others I'm sure) sell all the parts that you'd need to assemble your own new strut assembly. From what I've read, the springs on these cars don't usually wear/fail. When I replaced my struts, I found the spring pads to be perfectly fine. I think I replaced the shock dust cover, and I wish I had replaced the bump stops. Other than those parts, and the top mounts, the rest should be fine.

You might check with waymotorworks, he might have a wrecked lower mileage car that he would sell you the suspension from.

 

I am looking for complete units because everything else is trashed. The spring is probably the only good thing.

Figured it would be easier to buy a while assembly then to buy every part and assemble it myself.

This is just a cheap gas saver so i am not looking to blow blow a grand on coil overs

 

Double post

 

Hear ya, and yes there are allot out there that are on budgets or cannot see putting allot of money in a old car. Yes ebay has complete packages. There is another thread now about Sensen, see below. If you get one of the prepared set, let us know of your thoughts.


https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...000-miles.html

 

I didn't read every post so hope I dont' repeat anything. Koni FSD have a great ride quality but you cant use them if you are going to lower the car. I have Eibach pro kit springs and Koni Yellows. You can set how stiff you want them but even on full soft they are stiffer than stock.
I also have IE adjustable camber plates. They have really helped with the mushrooming.

 

 

Ended up buying complete sets of FCS from Rock Auto.

If they suck, I might rebuild the OEMS with Bilsteins and new bearings. I put Bilsteins on all my newer cars. I buy and trade cars quite frequently. I am a wheeler dealer.