Right rear shock blown at 65K miles

Front pair would take a lot more work than rear and a little more dangerous compressing the spring. And alignment is another extra cost in addition to more expensive parts. My 178,890-mile 1998 Honda CR-V still on original shocks and the front pair do need to get replaced. I have the OEM shocks ready but just too lazy to work on them.

Are you going to replace the front pair with KYB too?

Can never understand the need of coilovers. What's the benefit of them unless you have weak OE springs?
Clearly the "benefit" (for those who advocate this kind of mod) is to get greater adjustability of suspension settings and geometry when lowering the vehicle. Has nothing to do with weak OE springs.
 
Front pair would take a lot more work than rear and a little more dangerous compressing the spring. And alignment is another extra cost in addition to more expensive parts. My 178,890-mile 1998 Honda CR-V still on original shocks and the front pair do need to get replaced. I have the OEM shocks ready but just too lazy to work on them.

Are you going to replace the front pair with KYB too?

Can never understand the need of coilovers. What's the benefit of them unless you have weak OE springs?

Yeah most likely go with KYB since they'll match the rear and only about ~140/pair from RockAuto. Would replace top mounts, also.

And I have no problems at all replacing the front struts. I've removed, disassembled and replaced countless coilover spring/shock/strut assemblies on many different Hondas and Toyotas, including my old 89 Camry back in the day, and my mom's 2007 Camry, both of which had McPherson struts at all 4 corners. I've gotten plenty of use out of my spring compressors that I've had for almost 20 years now. lol struts and springs and spring compressors don't phase me one bit. ;)
 
At 65k, I would say that all 4 corners are due for replacement, especially if you plan on keeping for a while longer...]

absolutely not true. unless you corner the living hell out of vehicle and subject the struts to extreme torture over horrific roads, worn struts at 65k is not normal.
 
Clearly the "benefit" (for those who advocate this kind of mod) is to get greater adjustability of suspension settings and geometry when lowering the vehicle. Has nothing to do with weak OE springs.
I was thinking those coilovers on good old shocks used to help old springs to lift the vehicle up which is sagging ⋯
 
Yeah most likely go with KYB since they'll match the rear and only about ~140/pair from RockAuto. Would replace top mounts, also.

And I have no problems at all replacing the front struts. I've removed, disassembled and replaced countless coilover spring/shock/strut assemblies on many different Hondas and Toyotas, including my old 89 Camry back in the day, and my mom's 2007 Camry, both of which had McPherson struts at all 4 corners. I've gotten plenty of use out of my spring compressors that I've had for almost 20 years now. lol struts and springs and spring compressors don't phase me one bit. ;)
Ha it seems I should watch you doing your front and learning some tricks from you as my experience of compressing the spring is limited with a basic tool like this:
auto_body_repair_tool_automotive_coil_spring_compressor_8139_1.jpg


Since I was't too happy on that basic spring compressor I bought this for future strut job:
font-b-Automotive-b-font-Tool-Strut-font-b-Coil-b-font-font-b-Spring.jpg


But one day during the state inspection I saw the mechanic was using a much better tool to work on a whole strut standing up and it looked so easy for the job:
735l.jpg


So what kind of spring compressor do you have?
 
Just basic ones, these here:

25550nopkg.jpg


Have used it many times and they can be finicky but they get the job done, especially with an air impact wrench. Never seen one like that second one you posted. And I did some suspension work on my Integra years ago when my friend was a tech at a Chevy dealer, and I got to work in his bay in the service department. They had a stand spring compressor like that and it made quick work of it!
 
absolutely not true. unless you corner the living hell out of vehicle and subject the struts to extreme torture over horrific roads, worn struts at 65k is not normal.

We recently carried at least 700+ pounds of concrete and other building materials to fix my fence after storm damage, and then shortly thereafter another 500 pounds of sand to put down under an above-ground pool. I'm pretty sure that's what killed the right rear shock. When I pulled it out, it had leaked oil everywhere and was just flopping around.

*edit* yeah the car's total cargo weight limit is 850 pounds, and I know we far exceeded that with the stuff we carried, plus me and my dad in the car. Well over 1,000 pounds for sure.
 
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