Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Diesel Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-14-2013, 09:14 AM
JamesDean's Avatar
Electrical Engineer
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 5,038
KYB Strut Life Expectancy?

Hey everyone,

On my 91 300D, the previous owner installed KYB front struts around 210-212,000 miles. My records are not clear on miles but that fits around the listed date.

Right now I have 268,000 miles on the car, putting some 56,000 miles on the struts.

Whats the expected life span on these guys?

__________________
Cruise Control not working? Send me PM or email (jamesdean59@gmail.com). I might be able to help out.
Check here for compatibility, diagnostics, and availability!

(4/11/2020: Hi Everyone! I am still taking orders and replying to emails/PMs/etc, I appreciate your patience in these crazy times. Stay safe and healthy!)


82 300SD 145k
89 420SEL 210k
89 560SEL 118k
90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010
90 560SEL 154k
91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k
93 190E 3.0 235k
93 300E 195k
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-14-2013, 10:28 AM
oldsinner111's Avatar
lied to for years
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Elizabethton, TN
Posts: 6,246
hard to say,probably not as long as the older blisteins like on my w126.My w140 shocks were leaking a 130,000 miles.So blisteins probably makes replaceable shocks now,gone are the great miles they stood.
__________________
1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-14-2013, 10:55 AM
t walgamuth's Avatar
dieselarchitect
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Lafayette Indiana
Posts: 38,610
I have had kybs once in my Saab....total catastrophic failure at 30K. I had Ranchos on my Big Dodge made by kyb and they also lasted about 30K. Of course my Koni's on the dodge have only lasted about 50K so in that case the Kyb may be competitive when cost is considered and when they carry a lifetime warranty. You just have to deal with the repetitive installation cost.
__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-14-2013, 12:50 PM
JamesDean's Avatar
Electrical Engineer
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 5,038
Hmmm I wonder if mine are bad?

I've got new shock mounts to install..
Kind of need an alignment (not because it went out, but because of how they set it last alignment)

New front struts would be a good idea at if I've got all that to do..but if they're not bad...

If I'm gonna replace them I'll go with Bilstein comforts.
__________________
Cruise Control not working? Send me PM or email (jamesdean59@gmail.com). I might be able to help out.
Check here for compatibility, diagnostics, and availability!

(4/11/2020: Hi Everyone! I am still taking orders and replying to emails/PMs/etc, I appreciate your patience in these crazy times. Stay safe and healthy!)


82 300SD 145k
89 420SEL 210k
89 560SEL 118k
90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010
90 560SEL 154k
91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k
93 190E 3.0 235k
93 300E 195k
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-14-2013, 01:39 PM
t walgamuth's Avatar
dieselarchitect
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Lafayette Indiana
Posts: 38,610
Two ways they fail, visibly with leaking around the shaft or by noting a deterioration of ride quality. If the car feels really bouncy they are shot.
__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-14-2013, 05:28 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Carson City, NV
Posts: 3,850
I had KYB's on my Lincoln Town Car a few years ago. The fronts went out pretty quickly from doing 20 miles a day of washboarded dirt road. The rears were still okay when I sold the car with about 30 or 40 thousand miles on those shocks.
__________________
Whoever said there's nothing more expensive than a cheap Mercedes never had a cheap Jaguar.

83 300D Turbo with manual conversion, early W126 vented front rotors and H4 headlights 400,xxx miles
08 Suzuki GSX-R600 M4 Slip-on 22,xxx miles
88 Jaguar XJS V12 94,xxx miles. Work in progress.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-14-2013, 10:31 PM
Hit Man X's Avatar
I LOVE BRUNETTES
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: FUNKYTOWN
Posts: 9,087
Thumbs up

KYB = Keep Your Bilsteins



I had a set on a W126 and an E23, they just do not hold up for any long term use. 'You get what you pay for' applies here. 50k+ I would say they have had it.

Bilstein and Boge/Sachs seem to slowly degrade in quality.
__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.
[/IMG]
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-14-2013, 11:46 PM
Zacharias's Avatar
Not so amused
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: West Quebec
Posts: 4,025
I have a friend who hangs out in the VW community and I get the feeling they are well thought of there.

On the boards for larger/heavier European cars, the consensus seems to be that their initial cost savings is eventually erased by premature failures. And some people find the valving on the rear shocks too soft, apparently (I read a lot of reviews recently when shock-shopping for my w123).
__________________


Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10-15-2013, 12:16 AM
compress ignite's Avatar
Drone aspiring to Serfdom
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: 32(degrees) North by 81(degrees) West
Posts: 5,554
Get the Bil's

Koni's are Too stiff
KYBs aren't able to last 70K
__________________
'84 300SD sold
124.128
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 10-15-2013, 01:00 AM
JamesDean's Avatar
Electrical Engineer
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 5,038
Hmmm I was thinking 50K is decent life for these. My front end ride is kind of harder/rough maybe? Well, especially when compared to the 126 with new everything...but yeah.

Maybe I'll buy new ones just so I can get it done and out of the way. Since I do 99.9% highway driving I'll probably aim for the comfort/touring ones instead of heavy duty units.
__________________
Cruise Control not working? Send me PM or email (jamesdean59@gmail.com). I might be able to help out.
Check here for compatibility, diagnostics, and availability!

(4/11/2020: Hi Everyone! I am still taking orders and replying to emails/PMs/etc, I appreciate your patience in these crazy times. Stay safe and healthy!)


82 300SD 145k
89 420SEL 210k
89 560SEL 118k
90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010
90 560SEL 154k
91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k
93 190E 3.0 235k
93 300E 195k
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11-19-2013, 12:46 PM
JamesDean's Avatar
Electrical Engineer
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 5,038
FYI, they were bad.

The driver side had next to no recoil left in it. The passenger side was not as bad but still pretty bad. From full compression to normal height it took them >10 seconds. LOL.

Here are some pics:
W124 Front Strut + Mount Replacement 11-16-2013 - Imgur

My front end picked up an inch or two as well. So I learned that the classic "bounce test" does not really work well on these cars. My 190E was the same way, drivers side horrible passenger side better but still overall bad.

__________________
Cruise Control not working? Send me PM or email (jamesdean59@gmail.com). I might be able to help out.
Check here for compatibility, diagnostics, and availability!

(4/11/2020: Hi Everyone! I am still taking orders and replying to emails/PMs/etc, I appreciate your patience in these crazy times. Stay safe and healthy!)


82 300SD 145k
89 420SEL 210k
89 560SEL 118k
90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010
90 560SEL 154k
91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k
93 190E 3.0 235k
93 300E 195k
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:19 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page