I wanted to know where I can buy aftermarket strut assemblies? I see that KYB and Gabriel have a global shortage of parts. I was looking for OE ride height and OE performance. It is a 2012 base fit.

As for the A/C system, does anyone have a write up to change expansion valve, orifice tube, ac compressor, and condenser?

 

Here, get the kyb excel g's.

I'll get back to you on the procedures. I assume you wont be needing instructions on stuff like front grill removal, right? Simple stuff. If you do just sound off

 

Another option is Sachs. The GK has Sachs struts/shocks as OE. I put the GK struts from a 2018 on our GE8, they're a nice ride, and GE-spec Sachs shocks on the rear. RockAuto has them, as well as the KYB Excel Gs as Pyts pointed out
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...ion,strut,7584

 

Alfa, can you get more specific by "nice ride" on a GE? Are they more comfortable? Leans less in corners? Less or more jiggly over road bumps? Lower ride height?

 

Hmm, the GE had 95k miles, so hard comparison as I never drove one with low mileage OE shocks. But the GK struts on the GE (which are Sachs struts and likely valved like the Sachs GE struts/shocks available aftermarket) did really transform the ride. Ride height is the same (I used the OE GK springs in front and rear, which sets the ride height). Much smoother and more controlled in corners. Rebound control seems good, like OE ride, and compression damping is about right - not so firm that the ride is jarring over bumps, yet not so soft that the car wallows like an old worn out sedan. Generally much more comfortable and controlled than the worn out OE shocks/struts.

 

OEM style struts aint changing your ride height, and I think ride quality between the two platforms' struts could be roughly dictated by the wet weight of the vehicles. I'm willing to bet the gk is heavier, so the struts will prolly have more pressure in 'em. Honestly, kyb, sachs, gabe, prolly all fine. For some reason folks on the site buy the kybs. I'm happy with them (no noticeable ride characteristics changes) since the oem went out on me so fast i wanted a non-oem brand.

 

Surprisingly, they are essentially the same weight, depending on trim level of the GK. Fully loaded GK is only 20lbs heavier than GE, and actually some models are lighter. Differences in chassis, wheelbase, track width, and suspension configuration make it feel like a completely different car, but its not due to weight.

 

That's cool to know. I'm surprised to think it could be lighter. seems with every new model year cars get more and more creature comforts and safety features packed into them.

Almost forgot, you wanted a write up for the A/C system.
Not sure about that there orifice tube, but we do got an expansion valve.

(My sources just informed me that an expansion valve and an orifice tube are the same guy, different designs for different applications)

 

First and foremost, thanks for the input. I was looking at a complete strut assembly (coil spring, strut, and mount assembly). The ge fit's strut assemblies are fully shot and need full replacement. It has around 110k miles also. The car did hit a sidewalk curve at around 30mph....

I also ordered the control arms and will be replacing those as well.

The kyb excel-g assemblies have been out of stock for months. Is there another alternative other than to rebuild the whole strut and reusing the coil spring? I mention this because of needing to buy the tools to compress the springs.

Thanks for the ac reference. The car's ac turns humid at 120+F ambient temperature while idling. The ac system is at the proper charge. When this car was bought used, it had an aftermarket condenser installed.

 

You can still get kyb excell g's through summitracing for less than a hundred a piece.

I cant speak to a full coilover replacement, but I can say that its the springs that control the feel of your ride, so if you go aftermarket you may well wind up with stiffer springs. According to the other gent on here, sachs may be the one for you if they make a full coil.
If you want to cover shipping and promise to be a cool guy I could send you my spring compressor.
Its the design I felt most comfortable with from a safety standpoint.

Unless your car is crooked/has deviation despite proper alignment (not to be confused with "bump steer", which is a symptom of bad struts) your stock springs probably fine. I'd be..... SHOCKED.. if they were damaged.

This is pure opinion but I would not replace the stock springs unless I was going a performance direction, in which case I'd save up for Bilsteins

Cant speak to the AC system producing muggy air, considering that air conditioning itself is a dehumidifying process, sure wouldnt want to replace the compressor though unless it was absolutely necessary. Those things are expensive!

 

If I had to guess, the issue with the AC is probably the 120F ambient. The system probably isn’t designed to handle that. Where I live we only occasionally exceed 90 and the ac struggles in that.

 

I suppose 120F is getting to the limits of the OEM system. I would not expect the aftermarket condenser to overperform the OEM unit.

A few tricks you can use to "improve" A/C:

0. Replace cabin air filter so fan blows in as much air as possible.

00. I would consider getting a shop to do a test and recharge with the proper equipment. The DIY cans are worthless and risk ruining your AC system.

000. Clean the fins of the condenser/evaporator. Also make sure no fins are bent. Just a bit of grime and a few bent fins make a huge difference in cooling power. I've only done this for home AC units using some "special" spray foam, rinse with water, air dry. You can buy a plastic fin comb to straighten any fins. After service, home AC units run much quieter and cooler, and don't have any dangerous black mold to blow into rooms.

Bonus tips:

1. Park in the shade.

2. Park with windows slightly opened. There are solar window fans that might help. Careful of rain getting in the car.

3. Use one of those big cardboard or reflective shields at windscreen when parked in the sun.

4. Before you get into a car that was baking in the sunlight, open all the doors and hatch for a few minutes to allow super hot air to escape and ambient air to cool seats/plastics.

5. If you have a dark colored car, you can reflect a lot of sunlight by making your roof (and maybe hood) white or silver with a can of plastidip. You should be able to peel off for colder seasons. Read cautions on label.

6. If you have leather seats, cover them with light colored cloth to prevent skin burns.

 

Cabin filter is regularly replaced. Every summer, I spray the condenser from the front with a garden hose on low pressure settings. I should buy a plastic fin comb. Is this a typical tool purchased anywhere?

My home has no shade (it is a duplex). No leather seats and it is gray in color. I do use car shades regularly.

 

The damages from that collission were ruined lower control arms, strut assemblies, destroyed tire and warped wheel. I will have to research spring compressors then.

The ac cools under highway speeds. City driving, idling or low speeds can cause it to go humid on typical summer days (120F+ and 30%+ humidity ambient).

 

Another awesome post by Fiting.
Hadnt really thought of it, but yeah, consensation can form when an A/C system is overwhelmed. Think of a cup of soda you get from a fast food joint. Dont recall the science, but it may be the same ordeal. The only other bit of information I have on the issue is the presence of a pollen filter hidden somewhere else in the AC system. Pretty sure it exists..
Maintaining those fins certainly does benefit! I didnt even know there was a fancy comb, thats awesome. :}
I do have a follow-up to fin maint. should it interest you all. An old post on here about protecting your condenser by installing an aluminum mesh screen in your bumper. I can provide more info/a link if theres interest. I put in a black honeycomb mesh years back and my condenser is un-dinged to this day.

the damage done to your car is concerning.. i certainly understand apprehension about assembling a strut.. assembly. The first time its a pain in the butt, after that though it gets easier and can be done in like, three-four hours even by one as incompetent as yours truly.
A full assy. Is waaay easy to install.. if you go the strut route I will say that you'll need a metric ruler to measure how far to tighten down one of the top nuts on the strut, and i'd even consider using a strong and long-lasting thread sealant on said nut (I used PTFE because it kept coming loose after I had to readjust it due to poor measurement. Its held in place by an above locknut, and in this case especially, those are one shot deals).
Another necessary oddity is a metric (14mm?) 3/8 drive crows foot/box end spanner/whatever the heck the proper nomenclature is.
Allows you to torque the top-most nut holding the strut in place with an allen key.. hate hate hate that design. Resisting ~20lbs of torque with an allen key is just.. lame.
Apologies if that seems confusing. Just ask and i'll get yuh some pics

Oh yeah**** you got it inspected to verify the chassis is straight and.. what of your wheel hubs? Man, i'm so sorry to hear about your troubles.

 

Thanks @Pyts - Likewise!

Good tip on getting the chassis straightness verified. With that type of damage, you might get the wheels checked for trueness and speed balanced. You might even pay a shop to check you are not missing any key damage and check your work when done.

You can get an independent shop to assemble coilovers. Use the right tools and technique as they kill.

Radiator and AC efficiency is hyper dependent on clean & unbent fins. Just a few small fin bends can drop efficiency by 10% or more. Stores like Lowes and Home Depot will sell the plastic fin combs. They cost $5 although probably come out of China at $0.05. I've tried using haircombs and other home gizmos to save $5 but they never worked properly.

 

Does this car's radiator and condenser fan run only on 1 speed? No high or low speed, correct? I was looking at the schematic and see a condenser and radiator fan relay. Seems the computer grounds these relays to pass the current to the fans. The fans are connected in series meaning they split the current.

Update: Took it into a shop to get refrigerant levels checked. They said the levels were at the correct amount. They mentioned the car had an aftermarket condenser installed, but I have no history of any a/c work done on it. They did not state which parts it would need.

 

Update 2: AC works well. Apparently, the car was low 0.5lbs of refrigerant. Also changed out the low and high side valves. It cools well at idle