Suspension/Brakes Mini-Overhaul

[1saxman]

I just ordered about $1000 worth of parts to do all struts, mounts, shocks, front brakes/rotors and stabilizer end links on our two 2003 VUEs. I'm having the work done at my local old-line spring/suspension shop. They've been around longer than I have and sponsor a lot of local racing. You know, a dirty old place downtown that does real work.

[twosaturns]

you'll be happy. I did the same a few months back- except I did new eibach springs also. I got the monroes, and I used raybestos rotors and pads.
funny, for the longest time us VUE owners had to wait for aftermarket struts to be available, monroes finally show up. now, I just saw on tirerack that KYB has jumped in as well.

[1saxman]

I'm getting the Monroes too. I'd rather have Bilstein but they don't exist. I got the 'second design' end links from Saturn. The rotors are 'Centric' with powder coating on the non-braking surfaces and the pads will be EDC mid-grade. I had good luck with the EDC 'green' pads on a Jeep Cherokee but got a different type this time. I also got new Monroe strut bearing plates. The shop will take care of anything else they find to be suspicious, like spring insulators or regular sway bar bushings, etc. I'm hoping to get some semblance of the new car feel out of it. I feel like the VUE has a very good basic suspension to work with as opposed to most vehicles I've had. It still handles great, just rides hard and noisy. I'm still on Duelers which accounts for some of it, but they were new take-offs from an '06, 17" wheels and all that I bought from a local forum member in Jan., '07. So, I have quite some time before I can justify new tires.:tear:

[twosaturns]

IIRC, I changed out the duelers around 35-40K w/ michelins. now up to about 57K and the miches don't look great. well, they are wearing evenly, just too much. I'm thinking of going to a higher mileage 215/70 next time. tires should be more economical and better in the snow. the 235/65 looks cool, but I don't need all that tire.

[1saxman]

The first VUE (wife's) is finished, with excellent results. Ride is quiet and smooth and the brakes are monster! Now mine gets the works tomorrow. The only hitch was, the strut mounts that I bought from the same place I got the struts (Monroe 'Strutmates') could not be installed. The shop called and said they were of the wrong design, and the VUE struts do not need a 'bearing' in the mount since the rod can rotate. These mounts did not match up with the rod anyway, so they just kept the old mounts in it which seem to be fine. I should drive it more before making a recommendation, but the 'Centric' rotors and 'EDC' pads are a great combination, giving excellent 'bite' on cold brakes and smooth, quiet stops.

[1saxman]

Here's the deal on strut mounts; Shockwarehouse has Monroe mount #905949 listed for the VUE. This mount has a bearing and does not work on the VUE. The correct Monroe part is #904919. Keep this in mind when ordering or buying strut mounts.

[twosaturns]

Here's the deal on strut mounts; Shockwarehouse has Monroe mount #905949 listed for the VUE. This mount has a bearing and does not work on the VUE. The correct Monroe part is #904919. Keep this in mind when ordering or buying strut mounts.

interesting. rockauto ALSO has the 904949 for the VUE. they list the 904919 for the cavalier/sunfire. so I checked monroe's site, and they list the 904919 for the VUE.
I forget now which ones I put in my VUE; I beleive I ordered monroes, but then also ordered moogs. I'll need to check.
thanks.

[twosaturns]

interesting. rockauto ALSO has the 904949 for the VUE. they list the 904919 for the cavalier/sunfire. so I checked monroe's site, and they list the 904919 for the VUE.
I forget now which ones I put in my VUE; I beleive I ordered monroes, but then also ordered moogs. I'll need to check.
thanks.


I didn't get moogs, they were spicer. the part # is 5201361, which is spec'd for the VUE AND the cavalier. that is what is in my VUE now. I have the monroes at home in the box.
I remember that I ordered the spicers because it was a full mount kit, not just the bearing (different companies call them different things, some are just the bearing, some have the mounting plate).

[1saxman]

Whatever. The 905949 cannot be installed in a VUE. It works with a different strut-mounting system. The VUE strut mount plate has no bearing and one is not needed because the operating rod in the strut can rotate as required.

[1saxman]

Update: The problem with the wrong part number on the mounts originates at Monroe - they had it wrong on the catalog that vendors adopt to their sites. I just heard from Shockwarehouse and they are sending FedEx to pick up the mounts and refunding me 100%. Great customer service, and I can recommend Shockwarehouse very strongly.
BTW, the struts, shocks and sway bar end links have made a huge difference in our VUEs. The struts are Monroe Sensatrac and the shocks are Monroe Reflex. Ride is 'tighter' than original but not harsh in any way. The brake pads are EBC Ultimax. They did not re-shoe the rear drums because the shoes were still in good shape. It's only been one day, but I can tell the new rotors and pads are going to be fine - smooth, quiet and grabby from the first touch.

[YourMainParadox]

IIRC, I changed out the duelers around 35-40K w/ michelins. now up to about 57K and the miches don't look great. well, they are wearing evenly, just too much. I'm thinking of going to a higher mileage 215/70 next time. tires should be more economical and better in the snow. the 235/65 looks cool, but I don't need all that tire.

will going to a smaller rim or tire throw off your speedo?

[twosaturns]

will going to a smaller rim or tire throw off your speedo?

it's the same rim size (16"). the overall diameter of both sizes is almost exactly the same; in fact, both sizes I quoted are listed on the door sticker of 4cyl VUEs.

[twosaturns]

Update: The problem with the wrong part number on the mounts originates at Monroe - they had it wrong on the catalog that vendors adopt to their sites. I just heard from Shockwarehouse and they are sending FedEx to pick up the mounts and refunding me 100%. Great customer service, and I can recommend Shockwarehouse very strongly.


just wanted to let you know I appreciate the research you did on this. I contacted rockauto on this, and even though I bought the mounts a while ago, they would allow me to return them.
I wish I can recall how the spicers are built (the ones I did install), they looked completely different from the (wrong part #) monroes. all seems to be good a few months since install. the only thing I'm not completely satisfied with is how high the front sits. I wish I had measured before and after, but it doesn't seem like the eibach springs dropped the front very much, it could really stand to go down another inch or so.
again, thanks!

[1saxman]

You're welcome. Basically there will not be a problem with the VUE strut mounts. It's just a steel plate with a hole in it for mounting the strut. No bearing, just a rubber 'doughnut' to isolate the strut from the body. This mount was originally used in the old Chevy Cavalier. If one starts squeaking, you could put some DuPont Performance dry Teflon lube in it right where the stud comes through. This lube is a liquid with high penetration that quickly dries, leaving behind a colloidal Teflon film. Great for most anything that you do not want to be oily. The Teflon is nearly invisible, not a white powdery coating like some older products.
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/details/QQChevroletQQCavalierQQMonroeQQStrut_Mounting_KitQ Q1999QQTS904919.html

[Milldawg]

IS this the same for '06. Just bought the monroe 905949 from rockauto. They were the only ones listed for 2006. previous years had several options?

[GearGuy]

IS this the same for '06. Just bought the monroe 905949 from rockauto. They were the only ones listed for 2006. previous years had several options?

I tried model year 2005 and it comes up with more options:

MONROE Part # 905949 {STRUT-MATE BEARING PLATE}, $27.89
Front, no spring seat
This is the WRONG part number then? :dizzy:

SPICER Part # 5201361 {Professional Grade}, $36.89
Front; Contains Bearing; Contains Spring Seat And Spacer

KYB Part # SM5283 {Suspension Strut Mount}, $57.79
2 required per vehicle; Front, I]no spring seat[/I]

MOOG Part # K6681 , $93.79
Front Suspension; Upper; Incl. bearing and spring seat

I then looked up a 2005 Pontiac Sunfire and got the following additional parts:

ACDELCO Part # 501352 {#88963954}, $42.89
MOUNT,Front Suspension STRUT SUSPENSION MOUNT; 4 DOORS
MOUNT,Front Suspension STRUT SUSPENSION MOUNT; 2 DOORS

MONROE Part # 904919 {STRUT-MATE BEARING PLATE}, $38.79
FRONT; On second design bearing plate; the O.E. rod nut and spacer are integrated as one component.

The Monroes and ACDelcos are the only ones that don't cross reference back and forth between the Vue, Cavalier and Sunfire.

Quite the price range...

If you order from RockAuto.com, search the internet for a 10% off discount code. :)

[Dante]

I just went to Monroe's website, put in '04 Vue, and got the following:

Strut-mate bearing plate (both sides) 904919.

Rear both sides - reflex shocks - 911258

For the front, you have a choice between "Improved Stability with reduced harshness" and you get this:

Reflex Struts:
Left side 932218
Right side 932217

For "A Smooth Ride with good control" you get this:
SENSA-TRAC® STRUTS:
Left side 72218
Right side 72217

~~~~~~~~~~

I just went out to the garage and checked the part numbers that I have for the parts I got several months ago. Sure enough, the strut-mate boxes as 905949 - crap, I got the wrong damn ones!

Also, strangely enough, I have the Sensatrac struts, 72217 and 72218. Why I'd get those over the Reflex, I'm not sure. I want to say the Reflex struts weren't available at the time.

I'm glad I came back and read this thread before setting off on my suspension overhaul that I had planned for this weekend. I'd have been pretty miffed if the strut-mount plates didn't fit. After all, that's the main reason I'm doing this job -- they're shot and it's banging around every time I hit a bump.


One question I have for those who have already done this -- I have found that on many struts, there is a rubber isolator at the top and bottom of the coil spring. Apparently in this setup, there is only an isolator at the top (the strut mount plate), and the coil spring mounts directly to the plate on the strut. Is this right? Seems like you'd wind up with squeaking metal-on-metal contact there after a while. The GM service manual drawings make no mention of an isolator rubber ring on the front struts but does mention it on the rear coil springs.

Also - the service manual says to use NEW bolts to attach the new struts to the steering knuckle. Has anyone done this? I haven't seen parts listed for this anywhere. Is this another one of those things in the factory service manual that just ups the parts price, or is it really necessary? Crush washers are one thing, but these just look like standard bolts to me.

[1saxman]

It's my understanding that the Reflex strut for the VUE has been discontinued and only the Sensatrac is available. The Sensatrac is the better strut anyway, so you're good there. On the mounts - 904919 is correct for '02-'03, but I cannot say after that. One guy posted that the mounts on his '06 had the bearing, so that must be the source of the confusion that existed in the Momroe listings. You could check ascending years to see where they call for a different strut which would indicate a different mount.

[Dante]

It's my understanding that the Reflex strut for the VUE has been discontinued and only the Sensatrac is available. The Sensatrac is the better strut anyway, so you're good there. On the mounts - 904919 is correct for '02-'03, but I cannot say after that. One guy posted that the mounts on his '06 had the bearing, so that must be the source of the confusion that existed in the Momroe listings. You could check ascending years to see where they call for a different strut which would indicate a different mount.

Thanks for the info. As I mentioned, the Monroe website now lists 904919 for 02-05. I already gave my dad the old mounts back so he could get the 904919 parts. I'll be pretty pissed if those were the right ones after all.

[1saxman]

I hope Monroe has it right! I don't think I've ever run into an incorrect listing like that before. Everybody always takes for granted the listings of major aftermarket (and OEM) manufacturers like Monroe.

[Dante]

I hope Monroe has it right! I don't think I've ever run into an incorrect listing like that before. Everybody always takes for granted the listings of major aftermarket (and OEM) manufacturers like Monroe.

Well, it's pretty confusing. Apparently the original listing they had was for all 1st-gen Vues, and it turns out, that was really only for the 06-07 models. The 02-05 takes the 904919. My Dad was pretty perplexed because some of his warehouse catalogs were saying the 904919 was being "superseded" by the 905949 part. He ordered the 904919 and got it today. He said it looks nothing like the part I had (still have, actually). When we go to do this job, at least we'll know ONE of them will fit! What a whip. I had to call Monroe and talk to a tech before they could explain to me what was going on. :no: