Going on a long drive inside a shaky car is foolish. Inside a vibrating vehicle, you’ll quickly get tired, and you’re not even sure it will make the trip. Bad struts – they’re the primary reason why vehicles get wobbly. If you don’t want a rickety car, you must know what bad struts to avoid and why.
Some of the bad struts you need to stay away from are the following:
- ACDelco Struts Or Car Parts
- OEM Sachs Struts
- MOOG Struts For Cars
- BAVAUTO Replacement Parts
- CCIYU Struts
- SENSEN Shocks & Struts
- KYB Struts
Admittedly, these strut brands are cheaper than more well-established brands. That’s why they can attract those who are looking for budget alternatives. However, you can’t be sure about their quality and durability since they are made of cheaper materials with questionable quality.
Read on to learn more about the brands of struts you must avoid and why.
What Are the Bad Strut Brands to Avoid?
Some struts are good, and some struts are simply bad. When replacing your vehicle’s worn-out struts, you need this information before deciding what strut brand to buy. Just buying a strut brand because it is the cheapest will make you regret it in the end.
Based on numerous vehicle owners’ experiences, you need to avoid certain brands of struts. They are the following:
- ACDelco Struts Or Car Parts
- OEM SACHS Struts
- MOOG Struts For Cars
- BAVAUTO Replacement Parts
- CCIYU Struts
- SENSEN Shocks & Struts
- KYB Struts
Buyers of these struts brands have experienced problems with them after installation.
Struts are crucial in handling a vehicle’s degree of comfort. Getting a comfortable ride is impossible if a vehicle’s struts are stiff and inflexible.
Why Do You Need to Avoid These Strut Brands?
I have enumerated this list of strut brands to avoid according to the numerous reviews of vehicle owners, not just what the brands’ write-ups say. In other words, my recommendation is based on the actual experiences of these vehicle owners:
1. ACEDELCO Struts
A vehicle owner says they bought struts with these brands because they are the cheapest. However, they did not like what happened after they used the struts. They discovered that the quality matched the money they paid for them.
These struts didn’t last for 1,000 miles. They said that no matter what other buyers say about this brand of struts, whether good or bad, they will still not repurchase them because of what they have experienced.
According to this buyer, these struts were far from what they expected in terms of quality. They are cheaper, yes, but they are not worth the trouble. Their advice is to avoid these struts when you need strut replacements.
2. OEM SACHS Struts
One of the strut brands you need to avoid is OEM SACHS Struts. They claim to produce quality struts and suspension parts.
Sachs usually has struts designed for BMW vehicles. However, some buyers say these struts are ineffective in bigger BMW models. It is a choice between price and durability.
Some customers say you may need to buy a new replacement even if you have just purchased and used an OEM Sachs strut after only six months. Additionally, several customers say that the reviews about these struts are predominantly negative.
According to these customers, these struts are cheap but ineffective. Their recommendation is to stay away from these strut brands.
3. MOOG Struts for Cars
The reviews of Moog struts for cars are varied. There are positive and negative reviews. But the majority of these reviews are negative. And this will cause you to think twice before buying them to replace your car’s old struts.
Considering its negative reviews, it’s probably best not to invest in this brand.
These struts, according to some buyers, are hard to mount. MOOG doesn’t provide data about the clearances that their struts require. According to some buyers, there are situations where the sway bars get stuck or get broken when they are trying to disconnect them from the struts.
Additionally, some customers say that the ride quality of these struts is stiff even when the vehicle has only a slight bounce. Generally, these struts cannot satisfy these customers’ needs.
4. BAVAUTO Replacement Parts
You may think that since it is made in another country, BAVAUTO struts were subjected to rigorous inspections and tests before being allowed to sell it in the United States. However, that’s not the case.
Some customers say that there are times when the quality of these struts doesn’t meet their standards for quality. Some customers even say that these struts are worthless. Some buyers gave struts a rating of 1 out of 1 to 10, ten being the highest.
Some customers say the issues with these strut brand is not much about their quality or unreliable specs but because they are not in demand. Few vehicle owners consider these struts a reliable brand, so they are unpopular.
BAVAUTO, as a struts brand, seemingly has issues with its lower or discounted prices. According to some customers, their struts don’t meet the quality required from a high-value product.
The takeaway is that if you choose a non-reputable strut brand, there is an excellent chance that it will not function as you hope.
5. CEIYU Struts
Struts made by CEIYU are sold at relatively low prices. Like all merchandise, some customers praise them, but some swear they will never use them. Since I included these struts to those you need to avoid, let’s concentrate on their downsides.
Disgruntled buyers say these struts are not able to provide value for money. Yes, they are cheaper, but you are not sure of the quality of these struts. Additionally, they say the struts create strange noises when mounted on a vehicle, whether on the rear, front, or sides.
6. SENSEN Shocks and Struts
This brand of struts seems very low on the totem pole of strut brands. One customer was so harsh in their review that it gave Sensen struts a flat zero out of 10, saying that it is total junk. This buyer declares that he bought Sensen struts, which turned out to be garbage.
With that kind of review, it wouldn’t be your fault to think these struts are not worth it. Some customers even say they won’t last for 1,000 miles.
7. KYB Struts
KYB struts fare better than all the struts that you need to avoid. It seems that some customers have rated these struts 8 out of 10. With that rating, you will think there should be no problem if I consider buying these struts.
However, there is another thing you need to consider. There is a specific defect that makes a strut not suitable to use. It’s related to durability. How long is it able to provide good ride comfort? It would look for another strut if it cannot last, as it says.
And that seems to be what some customers have discovered about KYB struts. They don’t seem to last as long as promised.
Some customers were frustrated that these struts were no longer working after only a few months and started to transmit all the road’s imperfections inside the vehicle.
Additionally, if you use them with lowered springs, they won’t work effectively. After only 2,000 miles of use, some customers said they felt nearly all the bumps on the road while driving.
Are Cheap Struts Worth Your Money?
So, the inevitable question is: are these struts worth your money? If you consider that struts are installed on your vehicle to absorb road imperfections, support your car, and ensure you’ll get a smooth ride each time you drive, they’re not worth it.
These struts are cheap, but they can’t provide the smoothness you need every time you are behind the wheel of your vehicle. They also won’t last as long as struts of more reputable brands. Their qualities and quality are lacking.
They are only helpful in covering up the extra miles for your vehicle. However, they break down early or start shaking and vibrating on rough roads. You will be wasting your effort, time, and your money – money that is better spent on more valuable and profitable merchandise.
Why Should You Not Buy Cheap Struts?
Now let’s get down to brass tacks. There are valid reasons why you should avoid these strut brands. Here are some of the reasons:
1. Made from Cheap Materials
You will never avoid driving through bumps and potholes on the road, especially during a night drive. Just imagine the impact it will have on the struts. They will be subjected to excessive strain. They won’t last long if they are made of cheaper materials.
2. Easily Breaks Down
Cheaper struts have inner bearings that are made of cheap materials. When exposed to the elements, they quickly break down. If you add that to the low-quality mounting of these kinds of struts, you will understand why you must avoid them.
3. Rougher and Less Comfortable Rides Due to Thicker Springs
Cheaper struts have springs that are thicker than more reputable strut brands. You will notice the difference if you use a micrometer to measure their diameters. The thicker springs translate to rougher and less comfortable rides.
In Closing
The brands of struts that you need to avoid are:
- ACDelco Struts Or Car Parts
- OEM SACHS Struts
- MOOG Struts For Cars
- BAVAUTO Replacement Parts
- CCIYU Struts
- SENSEN Shocks & Struts
- KYB Struts
While these strut brands are cheaper, they may not last long because they are made of more inexpensive materials. In addition, you can’t tell what kind of quality went into their production.
In the long run, buying well-established strut brands will still be cheaper since they are proven to work better and can last longer.