Hello everybody, first post here. Lurked for years getting info, just never needed to probe the hive mind until now. I have a 2009 Sport that I've had since 2014. I've put over 185,000 miles on it myself and it's at 212,000 today. I drive it as a courier now, getting about 1400-1500 miles a week. Last year I drove over 70,000 miles on it.

The suspension is shot. I'm enough of a car guy to know how to watch videos and read manuals or someone else's write ups to do what needs to be done. I do all the fluids, brakes, filters, plugs, coils, batteries, and valves myself. I've swapped an alternator in another car before. I've charged the AC before... I'm capable enough, I just don't have the inherent knowledge to know what to do off the top of my head without going to some sort of source.

I took the easy way and went to the dealer so they could tell me what parts needed to be swapped, but as we all know, the dealership is really a stealership. They know I do my own stuff... the parts guy knows me by name since I've also had two CRVs I've taken care of over the years. I just don't know if their list was put together with their standard MO of robbing everyone blind or if they were suggesting what really needs to be done.

On the front they say both tie rods, stabilizer links, control arms, shock absorber units, shock mounting rubber and shock mounting bearings need to be swapped. The rear shocks need to be swapped too.

I've seen plenty of people say there isn't much difference in ride feel between aftermarket and OEM, so my biggest question is will there be any difference when it comes to longevity? I know there are people around that swap in KYB shocks and struts and say they're fine, but they don't drive as much as I do and I'm wondering about duration. OEM costs more up front, but it's my experience it lasts longer, especially when it comes to rubber parts, and there is a lot of rubber getting replaced with all these parts. I don't want to be swapping this stuff every year or two.

Has anyone swapped in aftermarket stuff and put another 150 thousand miles on them, or do they need to be swapped sooner? I got 150,000 or so out of my original suspension before I started hearing noises, feeling harsher bumps, and experiencing softer handling.

 

Personally I only buy and use OEM Honda parts. They tend to last longer and are a much better made quality than the cheap aftermarket stuff.

 

For the links, avoid OE. They are expensive and cheaply made. I would suggest to go with Moog, which are all metal and sturdier.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...TdCLGrh13VSHs8

For shocks and tie rods, I would also not go OE as it is very expensive.

But for all rubber parts, I would go OE for the quality.

That is what I would do with the experience I have on cars.

 

Last year I changed both my front tire rods after breaking one. That was a pain. The old ones would not come off. They had to be cut off.

 

At 170,000 miles last year I replaced my '09 Fit's strut assemblies and rear shocks with Bilsteins, keeping the stock springs, and new strut bearings, Moog stabilizer links, control arms. The Bilstein parts took a few weeks to arrive, as they actually shipped from Europe. The OEM's were pretty well beat to death and it totally refreshed the suspension. Ride is very similar to Honda OEM handling and feel.