If you can live without the adjustable shocks, Bilstein 4600s are $100/ea and deliver a decent ride. Disconnecting the adjustable dampers won't trip any dash warning lights. Love your channel!
@@chumpthetraitor7331 not really, AMD said the shocks don't really do all that much, so you aren't majorly downgrading the ride quality of the vehicle.
AMD: Love the GX content as a new owner myself (2020) -- I made my choice for the premium (non air ride) based on knowing how expensive these are! Non air rear shock is 80$ from Lexus. Please keep the GX content coming!
Another tip for removing shock or struts "easier", clean the threads with a wire brush as best possible and spray some penetrating fluid and let it sit for a sec. At work, we used to replace rear shocks all the time and 90% of the time, we would break the shock off at the nut due to corrosion and they would crack off. We would need to buy nuts also and sometimes they were a pain to get. Now i spend 1 min cleaning the threads and a quick shot of lube and i never snap the shocks anymore. For DIYers, it definitely worth the time.
Yeah I don't understand why the people in the rust belt don't spray the fasteners the first thing and let them sit while they are doing other stuff or setting up.... I do it and I live in the Southeast, very little if any rust on anything.
I had the same setup for the most part on my GX470. It turned into a pain with the cost of replacement and adjusting to level. The shocks were great, to this day, I had a smoother ride going over a really rough pot hole road than any other vehicle I drove to date. Back in the day, they did not have many replacement non-adjustable options like now. The brackets on the rear end were different so I could not just replace them with springs and such. TIME TO ASK FOR A RAISE JOSE!!!
I replaced struts on my 2001 Avalon about two years ago with KYB struts. Initially I was hesitant whether to do that or go with Toyota struts. It was an old car so I just went with KYB. It worked beautifully and couldn’t have been happier given the cost savings and the ride felt just like it used too.
I'm still on the original shocks on my 2004 GX470. Replacing them will likely be the thing that forces me to sell it (they should be replaced in pairs). A full set would be $2500 before labor.
Well I will be first in line to purchase your GX LOL, there are tons of after market options that do not cost near that much. You have lots of options. My local Lexus dealer is charging 1,023 for a pair of rear shocks for a GX 470, so the older GX's are cheaper. I am going to have and look at my shocks and see if they have been replaced, I bought mine used from a Lexus dealer.
@@SupraSav It has been well maintained, but currently looking at replacing the panhard rod in the back and perhaps the other rear trailing arms because the rubber bushings are worn. If the rear shocks are bad too, then I'll see if I can get a 2023 for a good price.
This lecture about KYB struts is very useful. A shop did the front struts on my 2004 4Runner 1.5 yrs ago and the mount on the passenger side strut is loose and rattles every time I go over bumps. Took it to five shops with this issue, all said it's nice and tight and fine. Now I understand it's likely that these shocks are not to the specs of the vehicle - it cannot be that loose.
In my shop experience, some of the issues are with the KYB strut mounts. When I see the country of origin like India or Thailand , I’ll use the factory mounts. It’s the quality of materials used in that country. The average customer doesn’t know or even care. I take this extra step because I don’t care to perform a repair within the 12 month/12,000 warranty our shop extends to our customers.
@@johnmedina5399 I firmly believe that there's a decent contingent of employees at Bilstein who own / drive / outfit Tundras/4-runners/etc. They've got some good stuff that fits very well and benefits Toyotas today.
This situation of $800 shocks seems to be exclusively about air suspension models. The last minute of the video says the shock situation applies to air suspension models. Most models are the standard suspension so I surmise this situation is irrelevant to standard suspension owners. Why is this not shared in the opening statements of the video. It would reduce induced high blood pressure.
I replaced the entire front and rear suspension on my GX with a kit from Dobinson, which included pre-assembled front struts & springs, rear twin tube shocks, and rear airbag replacement springs, locating pucks & isolators. Way better body control than the wallowy air bags, way less front dive under braking, and the shocks & springs give an excellent ride. Total win, and it was something I did in my own garage, all for about $2K including new swaybar links and bushings. It even leveled out the truck with a mild 1" lift in the front and I chose the zero lift rear springs, but they offer higher lift options as well.
For adjustable magnetic shock, it's actually pretty cheap. I think it's close to four figure per corner on every car that has some sort of magnetic shock.
I actually work for a contracted company that makes struts and shocks for KYB. You are wrong about buying struts and shocks made by the manufacturer that makes the OEM. All shocks made specifically for a make and model ARE made to specifications. We make both OEM variants and aftermarket. It’s the same lol. The price difference is the OE markup. That $800 shock is $800 because of Toyota is on the product AND economies of scale since they aren’t sold in mass quantities like their grey market variants.The KYB branded version is exactly the same. The only difference is the label, with KYB. Car brands test out parts from various manufacturers until they find what works best for them, then they order that part to be mass produced for their vehicle. The manufacturer then takes that same product and make grey market variants of that same part without the car brand labeling. You’re conflating cheaper aftermarket brands with aftermarket brands that make OE equipment. Struts and Shocks aren’t rocket science. They’re extremely simple. Where people go wrong with aftermarket is just being too cheap.
I think that you are generalizing too much. To even begin to make the claims you made, you would need to know the details of the particular contract and exact specs for that specific part, when that generation/version of the car when it was first made, before aftermarket parts even existed for it. Saying that Toyota always just looks around at what parts are available, and picks one to install in a new car design, is way, way, way wrong. It shows significant or maybe even complete ignorance of the actual design and manufacturing process for a new car model, especially for any vehicle with any cutting-edge technology. On the other hand, you are completely correct that shocks without any exotic technology, are a simple, cheap, completely proven technology. This whole electronically-adjustable shock idea is an exercise in using unnecessary technology for a very modest change in capability, at a very high cost. When replacing a shock that is broken or worn out, 99% of the improvement comes from installing a shock which fits and matches the force, damping, strength, and geometry specs. Only the last 1% comes from it having the advanced technology. I'm a mechanical engineer, and while I might appreciate the precision and elegance of the electronic control, I would personally install the most durable non-electronic one that matches all the other specs, and pocket the $1000+ of savings per pair. But that is all theoretical, because I never would have bought such a complex solution to such a simple problem. Matching a spring and damper for optimal damping of oscillations, is a very simple mechanical engineering problem, and leads to a response curve that, while not perfect, is perfectly adequate. Adding active elements to force a response that's even better than traditional spring/damper optimization, just isn't something I'd like to pay serious money for, especially when it's not a one-time expense. Having said that, if an aftermarket shock is less durable, then comparing this shock to 2 or 3 of those, starts to affect the decision. On the other hand, even in that case, if you install $1600 of shocks vs $300 of shocks and the car gets totaled or stolen before the aftermarket shocks would have had a problem, that $1300 is GONE with almost no benefit. "My car had all genuine Toyota parts when it was stolen and totaled, plus I loved the active suspension that was 2% better than any other car I've owned" just isn't something I get much value out of for the money.
Don't mess with a mechanic, they are all deceptively strong. They work out for a living. I really feel it the day after doing my own brakes lol. I was around 17 and was bending pipes on my socket wrench trying to get a spark plug out. I took it to the local mechanic, first car, first time meeting the dude. Told him the problem, he looked at me like I was a little girl and popped it out with a hand and a stump. The dude's arm was cut off below the elbow and he got it out with the wrench in his pocket.
I absolutely love this channel. My Japanese cars have been Honda and Subaru and lately I’ve been slowly transitioning to outmost reliable Toyota brand. So very glad this channel exists. Many blessings and Happy and prosperous 2024!!
AMD, Yes, I am shocked by the $800 shocks. It pains your heart to say it but it really pains Jose's heart to pay it. 😉Jose is going to have to do some overtime to pay for them. 😁
@@andyg5004 CERTAIN aftermaket parts are usable rather than often overpriced dealership parts..for example I use mostly Gates timing belt kits in Toyota/Lexus. Not only are they equal..or superior to OEM, Gates invented rubber accessory drives over 100 years ago. Aisin kits are also high quality and suitable for use.
No, an $800 dollar Lexus/Toyota shock is not the most expensive in the world. The rear shock on my BWM R1250RT motorcycle tries. It retails for $3169.17. The front? $2038.30. Not a joke. It is a semi-active setup.
$792 is the retail price, many Lexus dealers offer discounted parts and these can be bought for $572 before shipping. It isn't cheap but if you have to do this every 130k miles, it is hardly a crazy expense.
4runner limited xreas shocks are also expensive. Comes as a kit. $3500 at dealer. When mine started leaking I deleted the whole system and replaced with aftermarket shocks. No noticeable differences. Aftermarket cost $450.
What kind of shocks did you purchase? I'm interested in knowing which aftermarket shock gives the most possible OEM ride. Or did you go with the original standard OEM Toyota?
I replaced a single failing air strut on my now gone LS 460 (thanks to a woman who couldn't read signs) on a car with then 117K miles with some rebuilt non-air and I was really happy with the result. No, it wasn't the same, but the ride on original sport air suspension was too brittle on my awful roads once you got past 90% road quality (truly bad in central Houston). I guess the point is that you shouldn't expect the same performance, but it might not be terrible. I was happier driving the car after replacing all the air struts for the same price as replacing one air strut at the dealer. The engine and trans were still great at 150K miles. Now that I am getting an ES, it won't matter for a while. But I have used and do trust KYB parts overall.
Which ones did you replace with? If my ltd shocks ever fail I’d be interested in exploring my options. I have seen a lot of people with the standard shocks for sale. Pretty much hey bought the car and lifted it so the suspension is brand new and sell for cheap
I went with KYB oem. They have a set of four at shocksurplus. Other options I had was to go with bilstein 4600 or 5100. For ride quality. Since 4runner limited xreas system is not air suspension (it’s a hydraulic fluid system with two central reservoirs). Honestly I cannot tell the difference.
Frined do not buy toyotas, they have bad supply chain issues. Have a 2019 highlander with 140,000 miles and the axles need to be changed already. Of course Toyota nationwide axles are all on backorder with no eta. Plus their cv boot rebuild kits are all backorder. Aftermarket does not match up to existing parts so, suv is down for good until when?
I currently have a GX470 that I lifted, so I lost the dampening ability. However I kept the airbags and added a couple of washers to the sensor to trick the truck into thinking its lower so it raises it up a bit. I've thought about upgrading to a GX460, and there is one currently for sale near me that is the base model, so no fancy shocks, no airbag suspension. If you want to get one to eventually lift, I think that is the way to go.
That is something but price gouging on the part of Toyota & their other brands. If there is a shock or structs which meet or exceed factory specs, I would buy them. I would never buy a Chinese made shock or strut for any car or truck no matter what. I always try to buy new OEM parts when I can either from the dealership or a retail GM OEM dealership supplier. But at the same time, there are a lot of aftermarket shocks, struts, & brake pads the meet or exceed even Toyota OEM or other manufacturer's OEM parts. All a person has to do is look around to find them. When I was a mechanic, I always looked for OEM or aftermarket parts which met or exceeded OEM parts. Because a lot of OEM parts are not worth a shit! The replacement OEM part was not made to the original parts standards from the factory & were a waste of money. I would buy a Ranchero shock or shock & strut assembly over a Toyota OEM part.
What would all four shocks and struts replacement cost approximately on a 2017 Toyota Corolla plus labor cost? The car has 80,000 miles and I can't believe that it would need this repair considering it driven under normal driving conditions. Love this channel.
If I am not mistaken I think the man might do more than just operate the camera.. can't blame Mr. Car Care one bit for not having some "fly by nights" lingering around stinking up the joint and fouling up his reputation. Jose appears to do a fantastic job.
@thecarcarenut last month I bought the Grand Highlander XLE and I just notice the right side bottom corner of the liftgate is not flush when its close. Is there a way to fix myself or have to bring it to dealership to adjust the door to make it look flush?
You can’t even buy these shocks aftermarket from KYB in the US market. You have to order them from over seas markets that Toyota/Lexus has a different agreement with the manufacturer in… because they’re the same shock.
The difference between the Lexus(kyb) part and the aftermarket kyb part isn’t quality, it’s valving. The aftermarket shock is designed to handle the vehicle dynamics of a vehicle with higher mileage and likely other worn components. Kyb makes fantastic products and wouldn’t hesitate to put some on my GX when the time comes.
The OEM shocks on my 2007 Chevy Trailblazer is KYB. Still going strong after 170K, and being taken off road, pounded on sand dunes, and towing my boat.
Great instructional video. Great camera angles José. Imo I would get your front brakes done first as they do 70% of the braking (Akebono brake pads) and wouldn't want to crash it after replacing those shocks. Happy New Year and best of health for 2024. 22:3722:37
Cripes...for $800 USD I can do 2 complete front strut assemblies and 2 rear shocks in my '17 Chevy Cruze up here in Canada...throw in the alignment and have change left over...wow!
KYB is a Japanese owned company so they have high standards. While original OEM is always better for most cars, KYB is the only aftermarket brand I would use since Japanese companies put quality over profit.
I put a set of kyb excel g's on my lexus es330 and it road like a truck. Took them off and a week later I put on factory toyota kyb shocks the the ride was nice a smooth again. Lesson Learned cost me some money but lucky I did the work myself..
$800 each shock? I feel happy about my $4000 ELKA 2.5 dual control shocks (2 front struts + 2 rear shocks) on my 4Runner. I also love to see a video on XREAS and KDSS repair cost as I see prices all over the place. For KDSS I see prices like a 4R member said "Quote to repair $4,256.00 on an $1,800.00 option" , another member "Our local Toyota dealer quoted me $10,000 to fix the KDSS" (From 4Runner forum members).
@@LoneWolfSparty Wish Toyota USA has put some pricing control to these parts. As stated one of the members it sound unfair for a $1800 option to have a hefty repair cost. Similar story Mr CCN discuss about the dealership prices on oil change parts.
@@LionRunner If I remember right, with the KDSS stuff, the parts are even expensive for the dealer to purchase, and the markup isn't as bad for that stuff that you think it is
Informative video thank you Jose you are super lucky to have the best Tech in America at your disposal. Jose I think the videos you create should earn you credits towards parts and labor. Why not lol
The shocks extend by themselves because they're gas shocks. The gas charge helps the fluid from cavitating when they get hot. The old ones lost their charge. They weren't entending anymore when Jose had them off.
I have been watching and subscribed to your channel for some time now. Your videos are wonderful! I wish you were in my area because I would take my Rav4 to you - absolutely! I always take my Rav4 to the dealership for service and have been happy with them. Have you ever done a video on what it takes to work at a Toyota Dealership? Again, thank you for the great videos!
I personally cant justify using OEM parts on my 10+ year old stuff when its that expensive. $1600 for 2 shocks or $250 for aftermarket KYB is an easy decision for me. But, I do see why people enjoy OEM parts.
Just replaced one in a 2015 Sequoia Platinum...$600. It was leaking 2 or 3 quarter sized spots of oil over night. It was a pretty simple job. Parting with $600 was tough.
Great content, your channel was one of the reasons I bought a Lexus. Would love to know your opinion on changing the oil at the 1k mile mark, the dealer and the owners manual says 10k but I feel like a new car should get a 1k oil change, hope you can help!
The nivomat shocks on my Yukon were 3-400 each. Nothing like the air strut on my LS430 though! Had to order from Japan to get them less than $1500. Japan delivered them for 700 each for the rear.
I have a 2007 GX 470 and it has a Off button for the air bag, but there is no light, how do I know it is off vs on? My GX has a leak on the rear air bags.
A 1991 Nissan Terrano R3M SUV (JDM import) had shocks that were electrically controlled ( valving) and were $800 each then... in 1999. The two choices were "Sport" and "Comfort" controlled by a switch down on the centre console Over time the "Comfort" mode just led to wallowing... and then "Sport" mode wore out and also led to wallowing. I replaced them with normal non electrically controlled $150 4x4 shocks... and have done so ever since....
Yes, I have an old 2006 gx470 with low miles that got the same issue. I priced the oem shocks from lexus and they were $792 + tax each. I put an order to get 2 because those and the air pillows suspension above them should be changed in pairs as I beleive. But my brother found me a lower price on ebay for those same oem lexus rear shocks (I am not sure if someone bought those shocks to used them as a certain point and didn't and got stuck with them and may have kept them for a long time and his wife may have started complaining about the limited storage or the money, so he decided to sell them at a way lower price!, may be that was the case). Anyway, I install them and after only one month the very next thing that went off was the left side air pillow suspension. Now, these can't be done anywhere else other than a lexus dealer although they are not as expensive as the rear shocks. They are $315 each + tax each. And because lexus charges a lot of money for both the labor and parts, some folks decided to replace them with springs inslead. I followed your advise that I heard once in the past and kept the same air suspension and paid the painful lexus bill. I only hope now that they replaced both of them and not only the bad left one. I love your channel and religiously adhere to your invaluable advises.
Scotty Kilmer made a video years ago concerning the GX shock/strut and why buying a GX over a 4runner is stupid because of the cost of parts with limited aftermarket.
LOL You obviously havent priced replacement suspension components for Range Rovers. They make even factory Toyota parts look like an absolute bargain, and they are mechanical/electical disasters. I would MUCH rather work on ANY Toyota.
I have an '06 GX470 with the same adjustable suspension and just checked...$1000 EACH at a dealer. The wires connect to an electric motor that adjusts the valving.
If you can live without the adjustable shocks, Bilstein 4600s are $100/ea and deliver a decent ride. Disconnecting the adjustable dampers won't trip any dash warning lights. Love your channel!
I was wondering if there was a standard drop in.
Your comment is gold.
It's like buying a Ferrari and put Honda inline 4 engine in it.
@@chumpthetraitor7331 not really, AMD said the shocks don't really do all that much, so you aren't majorly downgrading the ride quality of the vehicle.
Not a bad idea@@chumpthetraitor7331
You are the mechanic that everyone dreams of to work on their car.
Seriously I would love a bday presents that gifts me a through car checkup!
The Car Care Nut needs to take his next vacation in Japan and visit Toyota MegaWeb in Tokyo and make a YT video!
Megaweb closed
@@trdrav4 Ouch!
AMD: Love the GX content as a new owner myself (2020) -- I made my choice for the premium (non air ride) based on knowing how expensive these are! Non air rear shock is 80$ from Lexus. Please keep the GX content coming!
Another tip for removing shock or struts "easier", clean the threads with a wire brush as best possible and spray some penetrating fluid and let it sit for a sec.
At work, we used to replace rear shocks all the time and 90% of the time, we would break the shock off at the nut due to corrosion and they would crack off. We would need to buy nuts also and sometimes they were a pain to get.
Now i spend 1 min cleaning the threads and a quick shot of lube and i never snap the shocks anymore. For DIYers, it definitely worth the time.
New shocks come with top nut.
Or cover the threads with some kind of rubber/plastic boot..
Yeah I don't understand why the people in the rust belt don't spray the fasteners the first thing and let them sit while they are doing other stuff or setting up.... I do it and I live in the Southeast, very little if any rust on anything.
@@Dytopjewa7631 water/moisture will get in there regardless
Also spray the nuts a few days before, they come off real easy.
This guy is so awesome! Just stumbled across his channel while researching 2017-2018 GX460. Thank you for your channel and advise
I had the same setup for the most part on my GX470. It turned into a pain with the cost of replacement and adjusting to level. The shocks were great, to this day, I had a smoother ride going over a really rough pot hole road than any other vehicle I drove to date. Back in the day, they did not have many replacement non-adjustable options like now. The brackets on the rear end were different so I could not just replace them with springs and such. TIME TO ASK FOR A RAISE JOSE!!!
Christmas bonus time! 😂😅😂
I replaced struts on my 2001 Avalon about two years ago with KYB struts. Initially I was hesitant whether to do that or go with Toyota struts. It was an old car so I just went with KYB. It worked beautifully and couldn’t have been happier given the cost savings and the ride felt just like it used too.
When you went from really old shocks struts to new ones you'd feel that way. Doesn't matter.
I will be using KYB for my 2000 Avalon XLS very soon.
Yikes … glad our 460 has the standard suspension
These shocks last forever though, unless youre doing some highspeed rock crawling
My mans actually shows hands on mechanical work alongside his reviews…legend
I know, unlike a certain Car Wizard ahem cough cough
I'm still on the original shocks on my 2004 GX470. Replacing them will likely be the thing that forces me to sell it (they should be replaced in pairs). A full set would be $2500 before labor.
Well I will be first in line to purchase your GX LOL, there are tons of after market options that do not cost near that much. You have lots of options. My local Lexus dealer is charging 1,023 for a pair of rear shocks for a GX 470, so the older GX's are cheaper. I am going to have and look at my shocks and see if they have been replaced, I bought mine used from a Lexus dealer.
Let me take that lemon off your hands!
That's not a good enough reason to get rid of a well maintained vehicle - unless it hasn't been maintained well and/or has other issues.
@@KidCorporate So kind of you helping for a brother out.🤣
@@SupraSav It has been well maintained, but currently looking at replacing the panhard rod in the back and perhaps the other rear trailing arms because the rubber bushings are worn. If the rear shocks are bad too, then I'll see if I can get a 2023 for a good price.
This lecture about KYB struts is very useful. A shop did the front struts on my 2004 4Runner 1.5 yrs ago and the mount on the passenger side strut is loose and rattles every time I go over bumps. Took it to five shops with this issue, all said it's nice and tight and fine. Now I understand it's likely that these shocks are not to the specs of the vehicle - it cannot be that loose.
Blistein makes great shocks. The new trd Toyotas usually use blisteins. Also get new top hats.
In my shop experience, some of the issues are with the KYB strut mounts. When I see the country of origin like India or Thailand , I’ll use the factory mounts. It’s the quality of materials used in that country. The average customer doesn’t know or even care. I take this extra step because I don’t care to perform a repair within the 12 month/12,000 warranty our shop extends to our customers.
@@johnmedina5399 I firmly believe that there's a decent contingent of employees at Bilstein who own / drive / outfit Tundras/4-runners/etc. They've got some good stuff that fits very well and benefits Toyotas today.
Kyb mounts suck.They don't last long. Stick with factory mounts.
Five shops !?!?!? Well , lucky you !!!!!
This situation of $800 shocks seems to be exclusively about air suspension models. The last minute of the video says the shock situation applies to air suspension models. Most models are the standard suspension so I surmise this situation is irrelevant to standard suspension owners. Why is this not shared in the opening statements of the video. It would reduce induced high blood pressure.
Ya just on the Luxury trim for sure.
I now know why Grandpa Scotty hasn’t featured these shocks. He’s already maxed out on shocks in the industry.
Da dum tiss
Got that nano metal particles which use an electrical signal to regulate the ride…aka magic.
These are not magnetic shocks
I would like your analysis of the new 2024 Tacoma.
I replaced the entire front and rear suspension on my GX with a kit from Dobinson, which included pre-assembled front struts & springs, rear twin tube shocks, and rear airbag replacement springs, locating pucks & isolators. Way better body control than the wallowy air bags, way less front dive under braking, and the shocks & springs give an excellent ride. Total win, and it was something I did in my own garage, all for about $2K including new swaybar links and bushings. It even leveled out the truck with a mild 1" lift in the front and I chose the zero lift rear springs, but they offer higher lift options as well.
Did you have any dash lights on?, I think of doing the same thing without a lift
For adjustable magnetic shock, it's actually pretty cheap. I think it's close to four figure per corner on every car that has some sort of magnetic shock.
Merikan n European luxury are expensive.
These are not magnetic shocks. There is a mechanical valve in the shock body which adjusts the damping.
they're not magnetic shocks they're AVS shocks
Magnetorheological dampers are exclusive to Delphi. So many GM vehicles use them and some exotic Italian cars. Not used on any Lexus vehicles
Lexus GX 460 Base model are different. The one without the air lift suspension.
Could you replace those with 4Runner shocks if you didn't want the electronic damping control?
I actually work for a contracted company that makes struts and shocks for KYB. You are wrong about buying struts and shocks made by the manufacturer that makes the OEM. All shocks made specifically for a make and model ARE made to specifications. We make both OEM variants and aftermarket. It’s the same lol. The price difference is the OE markup. That $800 shock is $800 because of Toyota is on the product AND economies of scale since they aren’t sold in mass quantities like their grey market variants.The KYB branded version is exactly the same. The only difference is the label, with KYB.
Car brands test out parts from various manufacturers until they find what works best for them, then they order that part to be mass produced for their vehicle. The manufacturer then takes that same product and make grey market variants of that same part without the car brand labeling.
You’re conflating cheaper aftermarket brands with aftermarket brands that make OE equipment.
Struts and Shocks aren’t rocket science. They’re extremely simple. Where people go wrong with aftermarket is just being too cheap.
I think that you are generalizing too much. To even begin to make the claims you made, you would need to know the details of the particular contract and exact specs for that specific part, when that generation/version of the car when it was first made, before aftermarket parts even existed for it.
Saying that Toyota always just looks around at what parts are available, and picks one to install in a new car design, is way, way, way wrong. It shows significant or maybe even complete ignorance of the actual design and manufacturing process for a new car model, especially for any vehicle with any cutting-edge technology.
On the other hand, you are completely correct that shocks without any exotic technology, are a simple, cheap, completely proven technology. This whole electronically-adjustable shock idea is an exercise in using unnecessary technology for a very modest change in capability, at a very high cost.
When replacing a shock that is broken or worn out, 99% of the improvement comes from installing a shock which fits and matches the force, damping, strength, and geometry specs. Only the last 1% comes from it having the advanced technology.
I'm a mechanical engineer, and while I might appreciate the precision and elegance of the electronic control, I would personally install the most durable non-electronic one that matches all the other specs, and pocket the $1000+ of savings per pair. But that is all theoretical, because I never would have bought such a complex solution to such a simple problem. Matching a spring and damper for optimal damping of oscillations, is a very simple mechanical engineering problem, and leads to a response curve that, while not perfect, is perfectly adequate. Adding active elements to force a response that's even better than traditional spring/damper optimization, just isn't something I'd like to pay serious money for, especially when it's not a one-time expense.
Having said that, if an aftermarket shock is less durable, then comparing this shock to 2 or 3 of those, starts to affect the decision. On the other hand, even in that case, if you install $1600 of shocks vs $300 of shocks and the car gets totaled or stolen before the aftermarket shocks would have had a problem, that $1300 is GONE with almost no benefit. "My car had all genuine Toyota parts when it was stolen and totaled, plus I loved the active suspension that was 2% better than any other car I've owned" just isn't something I get much value out of for the money.
*these are AVS socks and I struggle to understand how they could fail sub 150k-200k miles*
Rust never sleeps
Don't mess with a mechanic, they are all deceptively strong. They work out for a living. I really feel it the day after doing my own brakes lol. I was around 17 and was bending pipes on my socket wrench trying to get a spark plug out. I took it to the local mechanic, first car, first time meeting the dude. Told him the problem, he looked at me like I was a little girl and popped it out with a hand and a stump. The dude's arm was cut off below the elbow and he got it out with the wrench in his pocket.
I absolutely love this channel. My Japanese cars have been Honda and Subaru and lately I’ve been slowly transitioning to outmost reliable Toyota brand. So very glad this channel exists. Many blessings and Happy and prosperous 2024!!
Good. Now you can give up vaping too.
@@chumpthetraitor7331 I never did vaping lol I’m not that kind of Subie owner.
AMD, Yes, I am shocked by the $800 shocks. It pains your heart to say it but it really pains Jose's heart to pay it. 😉Jose is going to have to do some overtime to pay for them. 😁
AMD Ryzen Processor
At $800.00 per shock, I'd live with the noise. That's crazy.
Still cheaper than a shock for a jeep srt and TrackHawk 1k
Try buying Range Rover parts..Toyota is cheap by comparison.
You don’t have to use these shocks. You can replace with normal shocks
Buying a Lexus then get ready for expensive parts or else drive a regular car
@@andyg5004 CERTAIN aftermaket parts are usable rather than often overpriced dealership parts..for example I use mostly Gates timing belt kits in Toyota/Lexus. Not only are they equal..or superior to OEM, Gates invented rubber accessory drives over 100 years ago.
Aisin kits are also high quality and suitable for use.
No, an $800 dollar Lexus/Toyota shock is not the most expensive in the world. The rear shock on my BWM R1250RT motorcycle tries. It retails for $3169.17. The front? $2038.30. Not a joke. It is a semi-active setup.
YOUR BIGGEST KENYAN FAN, SUBSCRIBER, LIKER, COMMENTER RIGHT HERE, AS USUAL, 28/12/2023
$792 is the retail price, many Lexus dealers offer discounted parts and these can be bought for $572 before shipping. It isn't cheap but if you have to do this every 130k miles, it is hardly a crazy expense.
4runner limited xreas shocks are also expensive. Comes as a kit. $3500 at dealer.
When mine started leaking I deleted the whole system and replaced with aftermarket shocks. No noticeable differences.
Aftermarket cost $450.
What kind of shocks did you purchase? I'm interested in knowing which aftermarket shock gives the most possible OEM ride. Or did you go with the original standard OEM Toyota?
I replaced a single failing air strut on my now gone LS 460 (thanks to a woman who couldn't read signs) on a car with then 117K miles with some rebuilt non-air and I was really happy with the result. No, it wasn't the same, but the ride on original sport air suspension was too brittle on my awful roads once you got past 90% road quality (truly bad in central Houston). I guess the point is that you shouldn't expect the same performance, but it might not be terrible. I was happier driving the car after replacing all the air struts for the same price as replacing one air strut at the dealer. The engine and trans were still great at 150K miles. Now that I am getting an ES, it won't matter for a while. But I have used and do trust KYB parts overall.
Which ones did you replace with? If my ltd shocks ever fail I’d be interested in exploring my options. I have seen a lot of people with the standard shocks for sale. Pretty much hey bought the car and lifted it so the suspension is brand new and sell for cheap
I went with KYB oem. They have a set of four at shocksurplus. Other options I had was to go with bilstein 4600 or 5100.
For ride quality. Since 4runner limited xreas system is not air suspension (it’s a hydraulic fluid system with two central reservoirs).
Honestly I cannot tell the difference.
Same situation here. Dealer quoted $4600 to replace on 2014 4runner ltd. Looking for best alternative option for smoothest possible highway ride.
Frined do not buy toyotas, they have bad supply chain issues. Have a 2019 highlander with 140,000 miles and the axles need to be changed already. Of course Toyota nationwide axles are all on backorder with no eta. Plus their cv boot rebuild kits are all backorder. Aftermarket does not match up to existing parts so, suv is down for good until when?
I currently have a GX470 that I lifted, so I lost the dampening ability. However I kept the airbags and added a couple of washers to the sensor to trick the truck into thinking its lower so it raises it up a bit. I've thought about upgrading to a GX460, and there is one currently for sale near me that is the base model, so no fancy shocks, no airbag suspension. If you want to get one to eventually lift, I think that is the way to go.
Anyone else owns this car and had to replace these shocks? I would have heart issues getting that quote 😅
A Land Cruiser without AHC (Hydraulic) rides awful. Happy my AHC system has zero leaks on my LC200 after 400.000km.
That is something but price gouging on the part of Toyota & their other brands. If there is a shock or structs which meet or exceed factory specs, I would buy them. I would never buy a Chinese made shock or strut for any car or truck no matter what. I always try to buy new OEM parts when I can either from the dealership or a retail GM OEM dealership supplier. But at the same time, there are a lot of aftermarket shocks, struts, & brake pads the meet or exceed even Toyota OEM or other manufacturer's OEM parts. All a person has to do is look around to find them.
When I was a mechanic, I always looked for OEM or aftermarket parts which met or exceeded OEM parts. Because a lot of OEM parts are not worth a shit! The replacement OEM part was not made to the original parts standards from the factory & were a waste of money. I would buy a Ranchero shock or shock & strut assembly over a Toyota OEM part.
20 year old Lexus RX330 AWD. Still has original rear struts. Only 44,500 on the clock.
What would all four shocks and struts replacement cost approximately on a 2017 Toyota Corolla plus labor cost? The car has 80,000 miles and I can't believe that it would need this repair considering it driven under normal driving conditions. Love this channel.
I wouldn't expect a Corolla to need all 4 at 80k...
Get a 2nd opinion. Might be getting ripped off.
That low of mileage I would not think you need to replace the shocks or struts. 🙂 My son has a 2010 camry with original shocks& struts.
I never replaced my 2005 Toyota matrix suspensions components and had the vehicle for 10 years until I sold it to someone else
Who cares I would buy KYB’s for $139.00 That’s MORE than a set of double adjustable Olins!
Shock absorbers thats what we call them in Nigeria.
$800 is crazy..that's almost 1,000,000 Naira (Nigerian currency)😢
When the all new redesigned 2025 RAV4 Hybrid becomes available please do a review on it. Thanks and Happy New Year
Oh, for sure, you must pay your cameraman a decent wage. Driving a GX 460.
If I am not mistaken I think the man might do more than just operate the camera.. can't blame Mr. Car Care one bit for not having some "fly by nights" lingering around stinking up the joint and fouling up his reputation.
Jose appears to do a fantastic job.
@thecarcarenut last month I bought the Grand Highlander XLE and I just notice the right side bottom corner of the liftgate is not flush when its close. Is there a way to fix myself or have to bring it to dealership to adjust the door to make it look flush?
My Tundra 2007 Limited has 206k miles, and I still have the original shocks and struts. I love toyota parts!
I also have a 2007 Tundra with its original shocks 260k miles
@@SeahawkAz Niiiicce!
You can’t even buy these shocks aftermarket from KYB in the US market. You have to order them from over seas markets that Toyota/Lexus has a different agreement with the manufacturer in… because they’re the same shock.
Fluid film? Wool wax? That frame looks pretty nice for Chicagoland.
My shocks lasted 312000 miles 25 years tacoma 1998,, I change them last month
All the Toyotas I have owned, the shocks last from 125,000 to 160,000 miles.
Dear Sir.
I learn so much from you each time I watch your show. Million Thanks !!
The difference between the Lexus(kyb) part and the aftermarket kyb part isn’t quality, it’s valving. The aftermarket shock is designed to handle the vehicle dynamics of a vehicle with higher mileage and likely other worn components. Kyb makes fantastic products and wouldn’t hesitate to put some on my GX when the time comes.
Kyb is solid. Have it on my bmw
I have KYB struts on my Maxima and it rides great. getting struts or shocks from a dealer is a waste of money.
haha nothing compares to that stupid x reas suspension I see them with 20.000 miles and leaking everywhere
Rolls Royce Air Shock assembly with strut 4500-5000 per corner
Jose gets a bill for 1hrs labour
" but dude I filmed you doing the passanger side and it took you like 4 minutes" 😅
The OEM shocks on my 2007 Chevy Trailblazer is KYB. Still going strong after 170K, and being taken off road, pounded on sand dunes, and towing my boat.
Bentley air strut, shock assembly $4500 per corner
Merry Christmas TCCN FAMILY!!
Great instructional video. Great camera angles José. Imo I would get your front brakes done first as they do 70% of the braking (Akebono brake pads) and wouldn't want to crash it after replacing those shocks. Happy New Year and best of health for 2024. 22:37 22:37
Cripes...for $800 USD I can do 2 complete front strut assemblies and 2 rear shocks in my '17 Chevy Cruze up here in Canada...throw in the alignment and have change left over...wow!
Body on frame luxury SUV vs an econobox. Pointless comparison
Lexus GX... Shocks $800. ??? Price of air bags ? That's ANOTHER good reason to buy a 4 Runner instead.
Gx is available without AVS and air suspension
That thing is really clean underneath for a nearly ten year old ride.
KYB is a Japanese owned company so they have high standards. While original OEM is always better for most cars, KYB is the only aftermarket brand I would use since Japanese companies put quality over profit.
The OEM shocks on the GX are manufactured by KYB
I put a set of kyb excel g's on my lexus es330 and it road like a truck. Took them off and a week later I put on factory toyota kyb shocks the the ride was nice a smooth again. Lesson Learned cost me some money but lucky I did the work myself..
Are you hiring for camera man position..Seems it pays well
$800 each shock? I feel happy about my $4000 ELKA 2.5 dual control shocks (2 front struts + 2 rear shocks) on my 4Runner. I also love to see a video on XREAS and KDSS repair cost as I see prices all over the place. For KDSS I see prices like a 4R member said "Quote to repair $4,256.00 on an $1,800.00 option" , another member "Our local Toyota dealer quoted me $10,000 to fix the KDSS" (From 4Runner forum members).
The biggest thing with KDSS is the parts cost a ton, AND you have to bleed the entire system.
@@LoneWolfSparty Wish Toyota USA has put some pricing control to these parts. As stated one of the members it sound unfair for a $1800 option to have a hefty repair cost. Similar story Mr CCN discuss about the dealership prices on oil change parts.
@@LionRunner If I remember right, with the KDSS stuff, the parts are even expensive for the dealer to purchase, and the markup isn't as bad for that stuff that you think it is
I see videos like this and I like my 2002 Four Runner more every day.
Informative video thank you
Jose you are super lucky to have the best Tech in America at your disposal. Jose I think the videos you create should earn you credits towards parts and labor. Why not lol
Patent , stupid phones still can't fig out English in it's auto correct
Wait, to be clear, this is a GX with air suspension, yeah? This is exactly why I opted for one without.
800$ for shocks is a shocking price innit
I have questions about 2021 rav4 2nd line Model shocks because I want to try Ironman shock, Is it okay to change it? I
Iron man shocks will provide a harsh ride, go with KYB
The shocks extend by themselves because they're gas shocks. The gas charge helps the fluid from cavitating when they get hot. The old ones lost their charge. They weren't entending anymore when Jose had them off.
$800 ain’t nothing… just ask a Range Rover owner
Nice to meet you Jose, so what do you do? I work as a cameramen at a car repair shop
I have been watching and subscribed to your channel for some time now. Your videos are wonderful! I wish you were in my area because I would take my Rav4 to you - absolutely! I always take my Rav4 to the dealership for service and have been happy with them. Have you ever done a video on what it takes to work at a Toyota Dealership? Again, thank you for the great videos!
I personally cant justify using OEM parts on my 10+ year old stuff when its that expensive. $1600 for 2 shocks or $250 for aftermarket KYB is an easy decision for me. But, I do see why people enjoy OEM parts.
OEM just lasts longer
@@alvinsimba734 OEM usually costs more, is of higher quality, and lasts longer. BUT not always on all three of those statements.
Hey Jose do you go wheeling often. If so do you have any videos.
Just replaced one in a 2015 Sequoia Platinum...$600. It was leaking 2 or 3 quarter sized spots of oil over night. It was a pretty simple job. Parting with $600 was tough.
Great content, your channel was one of the reasons I bought a Lexus. Would love to know your opinion on changing the oil at the 1k mile mark, the dealer and the owners manual says 10k but I feel like a new car should get a 1k oil change, hope you can help!
Search his older videos, when he bought his GX. He changed oil at 1K👍🏻
@@tanyamsq thank you. Him doing that is enough proof to do it. lol 😂
Must see excellent video to watch for those of us that own 460 GX’s:)! Thank you…
Merry Christmas and the Lord bless and keep you too.
Aston Martin $1500 per corner for coil overs
Any thoughts on going for Dobinsons or Fox over OEM?
I know the adjustability can be disabled so nothing lights up.
When i heard the price of the shocks i was shocked!!!
The nivomat shocks on my Yukon were 3-400 each. Nothing like the air strut on my LS430 though! Had to order from Japan to get them less than $1500. Japan delivered them for 700 each for the rear.
I got ripped by Toyota for the lift on the tail gate on a rav 4 to say Embarrassed to say how much I paid
I have a 2007 GX 470 and it has a Off button for the air bag, but there is no light, how do I know it is off vs on?
My GX has a leak on the rear air bags.
I will take aisin over gates for toyota lexus
I miss ordering a 25 dollar shock from JC Whitney back in the 1970’s.
Inflation… I would bet that same shock is $150 today
Rockauto still has shocks that are inexpensive. I got a pair on closeout for my 2009 Silverado for $27 each. Normal price about $50 each.
A 1991 Nissan Terrano R3M SUV (JDM import) had shocks that were electrically controlled ( valving) and were $800 each then...
in 1999.
The two choices were "Sport" and "Comfort" controlled by a switch down on the centre console
Over time the "Comfort" mode just led to wallowing...
and then "Sport" mode wore out and also led to wallowing.
I replaced them with normal non electrically controlled $150 4x4 shocks...
and have done so ever since....
I replaced all for shocks this summer on my 58 Bel Air for under $100. Times has changed.
Is it Krown or similar rust protected?
Yes, I have an old 2006 gx470 with low miles that got the same issue. I priced the oem shocks from lexus and they were $792 + tax each. I put an order to get 2 because those and the air pillows suspension above them should be changed in pairs as I beleive. But my brother found me a lower price on ebay for those same oem lexus rear shocks (I am not sure if someone bought those shocks to used them as a certain point and didn't and got stuck with them and may have kept them for a long time and his wife may have started complaining about the limited storage or the money, so he decided to sell them at a way lower price!, may be that was the case). Anyway, I install them and after only one month the very next thing that went off was the left side air pillow suspension. Now, these can't be done anywhere else other than a lexus dealer although they are not as expensive as the rear shocks. They are $315 each + tax each. And because lexus charges a lot of money for both the labor and parts, some folks decided to replace them with springs inslead. I followed your advise that I heard once in the past and kept the same air suspension and paid the painful lexus bill. I only hope now that they replaced both of them and not only the bad left one. I love your channel and religiously adhere to your invaluable advises.
Where can I buy genuine Lexus parts, what website do you use?
Bell lexus
Scotty Kilmer made a video years ago concerning the GX shock/strut and why buying a GX over a 4runner is stupid because of the cost of parts with limited aftermarket.
He is an idiot
Gen 5 Runner limited has the XREAS system. $4K
@@rxcalvosa
Stay away from 5th generation limited. Got it.
Not necessarily
@@jsun3117
LOL You obviously havent priced replacement suspension components for Range Rovers.
They make even factory Toyota parts look like an absolute bargain, and they are mechanical/electical disasters.
I would MUCH rather work on ANY Toyota.
Another quality video from CCN!! Happy New Year
Thanks for sharing Jose sorry about the bad news luckily you have a great master tech who will bring that baby back to life keep us posted 👍
I have an '06 GX470 with the same adjustable suspension and just checked...$1000 EACH at a dealer. The wires connect to an electric motor that adjusts the valving.
They are shockingly expensive shocks
Those shocks cost the same amount as my car
Any hydraulic suspension is problematic
Not a hydraulic suspension, it is air ride