Our RDX is reaching 10 years old and about 130,000 km. I feel it has a lost a bit of the tightness it used to have when it was new. Next year I'm planning on buying new summers (ExtremeContact DWS 06), and I'd like to revive the suspension a bit. I'm thinking new shocks all around, but is there anything else I should change while I'm there? I've already had to replace front sway bar endlinks previously. Are oem shocks the recommendation?

 

the art of maintenance is the art of visual intelligence.
one needs to look at components to see which components have failed or are failing.

so, we can tell you to refresh your whole suspension setup; but it would be a waste of money if the components were still good.

often times; bushings go bad. check bushings, check all rubber components

 

Unless you drive on some rougher roads frequently, 130k km seems a little early. But, it's not always easy to tell what's worn until after the fact. I drive mostly smooth highway miles, and at about 155k miles I replaced my shocks (full oem assemblies on front, shocks only on rear), end links, and front/rear sway bushings. The front strut mounts and rear bushings were noisy, and the shocks were fairly worn. Not sure the end links needed replacement, but they were cheap and easy to do while at it.

 

Hi fellow Canadian!

Have an 08 with just over 280k km. Don't know if the shocks struts springs are original or not. Ditto on all rubber bushings.

I ordered and replaced the front sway rubber bushings with new, polyurethane type, when had to replace a broken end link, under u$20 online. Seemed to make it feel very nice and tight, less clunky too.
Since then had to replace inner and outer tie rods at different times, if you do the work yourself, check, replace in pairs if needed to save on multiple alignments.

cheers

 

When my shocks went out they started rattling. Never had them really go noticeably floaty on me.

OEM, especially for 2007, shocks are sufficiently stiff.

 

What kind of a noise were they making? Can you describe it and when would it make the sounds?

 

When would you hear the rattle?

 

The rear bushings would just squeak a lot when going over speed bumps and the sort. The front strut mounts would make some rattling noise on rougher surfaces and I could often hear the bearings making noise when turning the wheel left or right, say when maneuvering in a parking lot. Aside from the noise the ride was still acceptable to me. But with old and new shocks side by side, the old compressed nearly twice as fast as the new when under the same pressure - it was definitely worn, but maybe not necessarily end of life.

 

Suspension parts are so cheap for these cars, I would do just about everything if you are going to do the shocks. I recently went with the Monroe Quick Struts on the front and Monroe shocks on the back and am happy with them. The whole kit was less than $400 from Rock Auto. I also did the F/R stabilizer bar links, F/R bar bushings, tie rod ends, control arms (not installed yet) and it basically rides like new. I think the best money spent was a few bucks on the rear spring seats. Replacing those things got rid of a rear clunk that had been floating around since we bought the car 6+ years ago.

-Matt

 

In my case, constantly.

 

Did bc coil overs progress rear sway bar and new end links and bushing at 120,000 miles couldn’t take the stock suspension clunking noises anymore

 

Update: one of my shocks is pretty much done so I decided to do a refresh of all 4. Any specific bushings you guys would recommend?
I'm going to install the KYB replacements shocks - I don't like the idea of 3 10 year oem dampers + 1 new one, so I'll just do it all at once.

 

My suspension cluncks all of the time. LOL

 

For bushings (I assume strut mount and/or sway bar), if not OEM then go with some Moog ones off of Rockauto. If you're doing all 4 corners, may as well spend a few extra bucks and do the sway bar links as well (I also used Moog here).

 

Replace all end-links with moog from the local parts store as well as bushings. If you get the progress rear anti sway bar it will come with prothane bushing!