kuni808

Hello everyone,

I have roughly 115,000 miles on our 07 RDX and will be performing a replacement on the front strut and rear shocks shortly. I will go with the KYBs and wondering if I would need to order a new strut mount kit? This is the upper mount that bolts to the body mount. It has 5 studs sticking up which mount to the top.

Should I replace this as well? I will be ordering the front struts, rear shocks, front bellows, and saw the mount replacement. I was not sure if I should buy those or reuse the OEM ones.

Is the upper mount needing to be replaced or it is okay to reuse the OEMs?

Thank you!

mrgold35

I just replaced my struts/shocks with KYB about a month ago on my 08 RDX with +117,000 miles. I replaced the front/rear endlinks, new KYB strut mount kit, and replaced the OEM RSB with the Acurazine Progress RSB group buy that started last year. I also have eibach lowering springs on my RDX since 2010. My ride was getting a little rough before the new parts when the road wasn't perfectly smooth and the Acura tech said my front endlinks were showing wear. I just did the rear endlinks because it wasn't that much more considering everything else I purchased (also put new Conti DWS tires).

It rides much better with the new parts. The only issue I have is I get a moan/groan that sounds like it coming from the strut mount area (not 100% sure). I only hear it went I start the car and turn the wheel 45-90 degrees when moving (like pulling out a parking spot or backing out of the garage). I don't hear the sound again no matter how much I drive after that. Not until I stop and park the RDX for a while I get the sound once again for a few seconds. Not sure it is from the part, stress from the lowered suspension, faulty install, or the part needs to break in some more.

Other than the noise, the set-up is better than OEM. I might have to take it back in to double-check everything or go back to OEM part if the sound doesn't go away.

kuni808

Mrgold35 - got it! I guess it would be better to replace everything at once considering mines also has over 110,000 miles already. I was looking at the design of the strut mount and it doesn't seem to have anything that wears. looks like a solid piece of metal. but I could only see from the top area and not the bottom. I get this rattle "Tocking" sound from the passenger side front. When I looked at the strut assembly the bellow boot is torn up pretty bad. I don't see any signs of leaking but im pretty sure it could be the strut is done. It could be the damper is weak and not able to control the recoil of the spring. Its getting pretty bouncy, still handles pretty firm but I noticed on certain bumps it like I'm riding on 15k springs. LOL

How do you like the ride quality of the KYBs with the Eibachs? I was thinking of ordering the Eibachs as well. basically doing a full strut assembly switch to make it easier to install. I hate compressing and uncompressing spring since it takes forever to disassemble the OEM set up and transfer to the new ones. the sucky part is the Eibach's cost just as much as all the of the dampers. LOL

mrgold35

I really like the Eibach and KYB combo. It provides a nice little drop about 1-1.2 inch drop all around, stock ride going straight, less lean in the curves, less squat during acceleration, and less dive with the brakes. An added bonus is my 75 year old mom can get in/out of the RDX so much easier compared to my TSX or MDX because of the lower height is just right for her to slide in. The RDX still has its same stiff/controlled ride as before (which I like), not going to change the RDX into a Lexus.

On my TSX, I have A-spec suspension, Progress RSB, and the same Conti DWS tires. The RDX feels better and more controlled on the same curves compared to the TSX. It might be the sh-awd adding adding extra stability and helping rotate the RDX compared to the TSX just dragging its ass around the curve. I would go for Eibach if you have a need for speed AND a lot of curves in your area which requires the "sh" to kick in. Not much benefit if you only have long and slow curves in your area.

The strut mount are a pivot point and suppose to have a bearing in them that flex/turns/rotates as you turn the wheel in a hard turn. If you don't hear/feel anything, your old strut mount might be A-OK. I had zero issues with my OEM strut mount; but, I figure I would be proactive and switch them out (cheaper to do it with everything else at the same time). I was thinking the old ones will not last another 100,000 miles mixing new parts with old parts might put more stress on the old strut mounts. It sound more like it is just a worn strut problem with the symptoms you have.

I'm just not 100% sure about the noise I'm getting and I can't recommend going KYB strut mount kits replacement+eibach springs for now.

Tomtwtwtw

Is it possible your strut mount is a little misaligned? Never done suspension on this car but on my previous cars there is usually a marker on the strut mount that lines up with a marker on the strut itself, and it's very easy to install them slightly misaligned and not even notice it. Or maybe even the P/S pump since you only hear it when everything is cold? When it starts groaning that's usually when you hear it.

mrgold35

Unfortunately, I wouldn't know what I'm looking for if I took a peak at the strut install. I'm thinking the eibach springs and KYB struts might be putting extra stress on the strut mounts? The sound doesn't seem as bad now compared to it was first installed (about 1/2 as loud). The person that did the install said I can bring it back anytime to adjusts the Progress RSB for free to the stiffest setting if I didn't like the softer setting. I will have him double-check the install and maybe re-TQ everything.

It seems like a strange con-wink-a-dink I only got the noise after the install if it is the power steering system? I was planning to flush the power steering unit on the next oil change. I can have the Acura tech double-check everything if my first installer can't correct the problem.

mrgold35

UPDATE: I ended up getting into a little fender/bender leaving Sam's club in my RDX ($2400 and it was 100% the other driver's fault). My issue with the front end noise was still going on at the time of the accident. I told the Allstate claim adjuster the noise happened after the accident. Turns out, the front eibach springs were installed in reverse during the KYB strut install in March and that was causing the noise. There is just a tiny bit of noise now (have to turn off A/C and radio to hear); which, could be just normal suspension noise after +120,000 miles of normal wear/tear. I think I'm A-OK now.

Tomtwtwtw

I don't know how it happened, but the accident somehow turned my springs upside-down!

Good that the noise was fixed though. That's a hard thing to isolate because it isn't obvious from a visual inspection unless you know exactly what you're looking for.

mrgold35

I should have said the left spring was installed right side and and the left was installed on the right. I didn't read the instructions when I had the springs installed back in 2010 at the same shop by the same person. I just assumed you only need to worry about front/back; not side/side installation of the eibach springs?

Tomtwtwtw

I've actually never heard of springs being different between left and right - that's nuts! Definitely front and rear because of different spring rates (and usually shape), and in some cases orientation is also an issue.

mrgold35

UPDATE: I still couldn't get the noise to go away after:

- switching the front eibach springs from left to right (because the alignment guy said they were installed in reverse)
- replacing all eibach springs with my original OEM springs (alignment guy again said the eibach springs are not making full/flat contact with struts)

The noise just seems to get worse after all that and I was hearing it every-time I turned the wheel to take a turn. Ended up just purchasing left and right OEM strut assembly since I already had the OEM springs in the rear (still have KYB shocks in rear). Zero noise so far with the OEM replacements. I should have gone with the OEM struts instead of KYB since OEM+eibach worked just fine for +5 years. Got tired of spending time and money, just went for the 100% sure fix.

I now have a full set of eibach springs and left/right strut assembly with KYB struts on my garage floor if anyone is interested.