Front strut mounts replacement: OEM or Aftermarket?

[Ecefour]

My Yairs is nearing 140k miles and it's time to replace the struts and rear shocks. I bought TRD shocks, TRD springs, bushings, strut mounting plates, bearings and most of the other required hardware from Toyota. The last thing I need to buy before I complete the job is front strut mounts. KYB strut mounts are $39 at my local auto parts store or $98 from my local Toyota dealer.

I think deciding to go down the aftermarket or OEM parts route typically just comes down to personal preference, but figured I'd ask anyways. Personally, I'm leaning towards OEM since I drive over 35k miles a year and I want maximum reliability and cornering performance. I can’t have my car out of commission long and I don’t want to touch the suspension again anytime soon, but of course paying over double is insulting.

Anyways I know I’m over thinking this, but what are your thoughts?

[remcafee]

you have done a great job with keeping the suspension nice and factory woth trd parts, might as well do it 100% not 90%, get the oem mounts

[Compeer]

Originally Posted by remcafee

you have done a great job with keeping the suspension nice and factory woth trd parts, might as well do it 100% not 90%, get the oem mounts

The OEM shocks are KYB's. theres no difference beteween toyota oem and the kyb.

[sh0rtlife]

Originally Posted by Compeer

The OEM shocks are KYB's. theres no difference beteween toyota oem and the kyb.

that explains alot as to why they work as well as they do

[Compeer]

Originally Posted by sh0rtlife

that explains alot as to why they work as well as they do

Yeah KYB makes just about all the japanese car companies OEM shocks and a bunch for other car companies from else where.

I will not buy Munroe we had so many come back failed leaking in warranty period that I do not trust anything they make, we always recomended KYB over munroe even tho they cost more.

[sh0rtlife]

TBH kyb is the bottom of the barrel for me..its what ill grab is i cant afford better, with "trucks" being the exception..some of them gabrials work well

i tend to lean heavy on koni and bilstien

[remcafee]

false, the kybs are far different than the oems, kyb makes them for toyota with their standards and specs

[Compeer]

Originally Posted by remcafee

false, the kybs are far different than the oems, kyb makes them for toyota with their standards and specs

As a former KYB agent, I can't disagree with that more. They are ether the exact same spec as OEM's or slightly uprated as the technology has improved since the original shock was made.

Back in the 90's for a lot of the random JDM models imported to NZ the only way to get replacements was with the KYB serial number stamped on the OEM kyb which I would then get in the exact same serial number stamped shock Direct from KYB to replace them.

[remcafee]

must be a european market thing then, US spec toyota shocks compared to kybs brand are completely different, especially when it comes to trucks like the tacoma and tundra

[sh0rtlife]

with trucks i expect that..as they can get away with a broader interchange as well as longer(lifted) shorter(lowered) and then the fact that 1 shock may fit multiple brands and models across a decades worth of them..where cars are mostly made to a specific model...

[Billiam]

Originally Posted by remcafee

false, the kybs are far different than the oems, kyb makes them for toyota with their standards and specs

3 years ago I replaced the struts and shocks with the black KYBs and also bought KYB strut bearings. The bearing were absolute junk.....so much so that I just reused the OEMs. Despite having 150k miles on them they were much more solid feeling than the KYB turds

[Compeer]

Originally Posted by Billiam

3 years ago I replaced the struts and shocks with the black KYBs and also bought KYB strut bearings. The bearing were absolute junk.....so much so that I just reused the OEMs. Despite having 150k miles on them they were much more solid feeling than the KYB turds

Can't say Ive ever used KYB bushings just the shocks. I always put Nolathane bushings in cars I owned in the past.