Replace Struts while replacing upper control arms and tires at 270k?

accord96lx · Sep 27, 2012

I have a 1996 Accord LX 2dr and its got 270k on it. Daily driver that I want to take care and improve the drive without going overboard.

TIRE REPLACEMENT DUE
The tires have 60k on them and are beginning to dry rot, so I need to start shopping for tires. A local tire company is pushing Cooper CS4 Touring 195/60 R15 @ $400 so far.

UPPER CONTROL ARMS
There has been a creaking noise that happens off an on. Turning the steering left/right the other day sounded like a deep creaking sound that was really bad. It comes and goes though, yesterday it was fine.
After having 2 shops look it over, 1 says upper control arms and lower ball joints need replacing..while another shop said the boots were fine on the lower and the upper control seemed to be the only problem. I saw a video on youtube and I think I can handle the upper control arm replacement.

STRUTS
Does replacing the struts make sense just due to age, since I think they have never been replaced? Nothing seems broken that I can tell. If replacing makes sense then do I do all 4? Or just the 2 front? The same tire company quoted me $900 to replace all 4.

Darianjr1 · Sep 27, 2012

You can get all your parts for cheaper by shopping online hence you know what you need.

fastflyinaccord · Sep 27, 2012

TBH, I'd see if I could find some used struts and put them on for cheaper. With everything you want to do, you are basically spending more than the car is worth in repairs.

001Stunna · Sep 27, 2012

accord96lx said:
I have a 1996 Accord LX 2dr and its got 270k on it. Daily driver that I want to take care and improve the drive without going overboard.

TIRE REPLACEMENT DUE
The tires have 60k on them and are beginning to dry rot, so I need to start shopping for tires. A local tire company is pushing Cooper CS4 Touring 195/60 R15 @ $400 so far.

UPPER CONTROL ARMS
There has been a creaking noise that happens off an on. Turning the steering left/right the other day sounded like a deep creaking sound that was really bad. It comes and goes though, yesterday it was fine.
After having 2 shops look it over, 1 says upper control arms and lower ball joints need replacing..while another shop said the boots were fine on the lower and the upper control seemed to be the only problem. I saw a video on youtube and I think I can handle the upper control arm replacement.

STRUTS
Does replacing the struts make sense just due to age, since I think they have never been replaced? Nothing seems broken that I can tell. If replacing makes sense then do I do all 4? Or just the 2 front? The same tire company quoted me $900 to replace all 4.

How is the car aside from these problems?
Any rust? any other issues? does it need any engine work? In other words is the condition of the car good enough that doing these fixes will give you reliable service for at least 2-3 years to come or is there more that needs fixing?

I've had the cooper trendsetter se tires(an earlier version of s4s) and they were fine for daily driving, they're not the best in snow/ice though.

As for dampers, i would say check up on rockauto and buy the dampers alone and either yourself or a shop switch the springs/top hats over(assuming your springs are in good condition). If springs require changing as well then consider just getting the pre-assembled systems to make an easier install.

Have you checked the suspension yourself? Jacked up car and pushed and pulled on the front tire(s) at 6/12 oclock(upper/lower balljoint) and 9/3 oclock(tierods).

Any clicking while turning could be a cv joint/boot that needs replacing.

accord96lx · Sep 27, 2012

001Stunna said:
How is the car aside from these problems?
Any rust? any other issues? does it need any engine work? In other words is the condition of the car good enough that doing these fixes will give you reliable service for at least 2-3 years to come or is there more that needs fixing?

No rust, although its clear coat burned off many years ago. Im ok with it not looking all that great but was hoping to get another 100+k out of it and have it ride as nice as possible without going too far. I have been keeping up with reg maintenance like the air filter and oil change. Some I do and some I let pros do. I get by with what I learn on sites like these:

At 198k had timing belt replaced at a garage (not by me ..wondered if I could/should do it myself next at 280-90k)
Oil leak at distributor at 266k, so I replaced distributor housing, inner seal, distributor o-ring, rotor cap, NGK plugwire set and NGK G power plugs. Also found oil in plug wells so replaced crankcase seals, inner O ring seals, did a valve lash adjustment.

New radiator and hoses at 178k

Drained and replaced with Honda transmission fluid at 266k

Replaced 2 front axels in 2007 that wer badly worn (pro did this)

001Stunna said:
As for dampers, i would say check up on rockauto and buy the dampers alone and either yourself or a shop switch the springs/top hats over(assuming your springs are in good condition). If springs require changing as well then consider just getting the pre-assembled systems to make an easier install.

Have you checked the suspension yourself? Jacked up car and pushed and pulled on the front tire(s) at 6/12 oclock(upper/lower balljoint) and 9/3 oclock(tierods).

Any clicking while turning could be a cv joint/boot that needs replacing.

I'll check the suspension best I can this weekend as you mentioned. Is the cv joint/boot on the lower control arm?
Would it make a difference to replace just the front struts? Assuming that the springs would need replacing and I just buy the pre assembled system at $120 each.

001Stunna · Sep 28, 2012

accord96lx said:
No rust, although its clear coat burned off many years ago. Im ok with it not looking all that great but was hoping to get another 100+k out of it and have it ride as nice as possible without going too far. I have been keeping up with reg maintenance like the air filter and oil change. Some I do and some I let pros do. I get by with what I learn on sites like these:

At 198k had timing belt replaced at a garage (not by me ..wondered if I could/should do it myself next at 280-90k)
Oil leak at distributor at 266k, so I replaced distributor housing, inner seal, distributor o-ring, rotor cap, NGK plugwire set and NGK G power plugs. Also found oil in plug wells so replaced crankcase seals, inner O ring seals, did a valve lash adjustment.

New radiator and hoses at 178k

Drained and replaced with Honda transmission fluid at 266k

Replaced 2 front axels in 2007 that wer badly worn (pro did this)

I'll check the suspension best I can this weekend as you mentioned. Is the cv joint/boot on the lower control arm?
Would it make a difference to replace just the front struts? Assuming that the springs would need replacing and I just buy the pre assembled system at $120 each.

Personally, i would replace all four dampers if i'm going to do it. Thats just my opinion though. If you buy the full sets it makes install/removal quite easy then having to transfer springs and top hats over.

If you replaced the axles i doubt your cv joints are the issue as that means they got replaced then too (cv joints are the joints at the end of the axle shaft that allows it to transfer power at a variable angle)...but then it has been 5 years since so nothing is impossible.

Do as i suggested before and check your suspension components...
-Jack one front corner up so tire is off the ground.
-Grab tire at 9/3 position and pull/push on it. There should be no thud/clunk of any sort and very small smooth movement(which you'll see your steering wheel move as well). If you lock or someone holds the steering wheel from moving there should be no movement at all.
...movement in here means a possible bad inner or outer tie rod end
-Grab the tire at 6/12 and do the same. If movement is seen identify if it is the lower or upper balljoint that has the play
-Get under slighly and grab the axle shaft with your hand. Try to move it in/out...up/down. There should not be any movement more then maybe a couple of millimetres.
-Since you're under there, give a tug at your sway bar endlinks as well and check bushings for lower control arm, sway bar etc
-Check if the cv joint boots are torn or leaking grease.

Sounds like you're doing maintenance on the car when it needs it so if all else is ok and you want to use the car for years to come then do the maintenance.

accord96lx · Sep 28, 2012

If you lock or someone holds the steering wheel from moving there should be no movement at all....movement in here means a possible bad inner or outer tie rod end

I had jacked up the front end and had both tires off the ground. I straightened the wheels and locked the steering wheel. The 6/12 didnt budge but the 9/3 did a few millimters til it maxed out in distance.

-Grab the tire at 6/12 and do the same. If movement is seen identify if it is the lower or upper balljoint that has the play

-Get under slighly and grab the axle shaft with your hand. Try to move it in/out...up/down. There should not be any movement more then maybe a couple of millimetres.

Wasnt sure where the axel shaft was and with the car on jack stands wasnt feeling too safe in crawling under and tugging at stuff.

I didnt see anything that looked wrong to my noob eye except the upper ball joint on each side looked dry rotted.

Driver side pics

Passenger side

I will check out RockAuto and price out the struts and debate the replacement of them all at the same time I replace the upper control arms and get new tires.

001Stunna · Sep 29, 2012

accord96lx said:
I had jacked up the front end and had both tires off the ground. I straightened the wheels and locked the steering wheel. The 6/12 didnt budge but the 9/3 did a few millimters til it maxed out in distance.

As long as there was no distinct knock/thump/click play then they should be ok. The play you noticed would have been due to the fact i would suspect your steering wheel was not locked and if you looked at it as moving the tire it was moving as well as if being used to turn the wheel.

accord96lx said:
Wasnt sure where the axel shaft was and with the car on jack stands wasnt feeling too safe in crawling under and tugging at stuff.

I didnt see anything that looked wrong to my noob eye except the upper ball joint on each side looked dry rotted.

I usually use some silicone spray and spray down all suspension parts once a month. The dryrotted rubber is not a big issue as long as it doesnt get to the point where grease starts leaking out of i.

accord96lx said:
Driver side pics

Passenger side

I will check out RockAuto and price out the struts and debate the replacement of them all at the same time I replace the upper control arms and get new tires.