97 DEVILLE STRUTS

[ccdog]

Hi. Time has come to replace my struts on my 97 Deville. Does anyone know of a cheaper way to go? I did get a price of $3,500 installed. I heard passive struts are much cheaper. If anyone has any info regarding this, I would appreciate it. Thanks....Jim

[Cadillac Jim]

You can get a much better price from Rock Auto. You can have your mechanic put them on. Using passive struts will give you a harder ride and partially disable Stabiltrak.

[ccdog]

You can get a much better price from Rock Auto. You can have your mechanic put them on. Using passive struts will give you a harder ride and partially disable Stabiltrak.

Thanks for the info.....Jim

[up2ng]

You have a 97' deville so your shock/struts are all passive

Rockauto should be $130 for each corner. The rears are both the same part number but the fronts are different (L/R mirror image)

The rears are easy to do (regular shock), the fronts are struts.

[corkyd]

if you go to passive struts... what does that do to the BCM info? will that cause a code to make the car fail on Inspections?

[JasonA]

You have a 97' deville so your shock/struts are all passive

Rockauto should be $130 for each corner. The rears are both the same part number but the fronts are different (L/R mirror image)

The rears are easy to do (regular shock), the fronts are struts.

Not all '97 DeVilles had passive struts. Only the base models did. The Concours and d'Elegance both used active suspension systems. In 1997, only the base model DeVilles and Eldorados had passive struts -- all others used active systems.

So while it may be true that his DeVille uses passive struts, that's not necessarily the case.

if you go to passive struts... what does that do to the BCM info? will that cause a code to make the car fail on Inspections?

The car will likely display a "SERVICE SUSPENSION SOON" message, or something similar. It's merely indicating to you (the driver) that it cannot find the electronic controllers on the shocks, and that something is wrong (like a bad shock). Obviously, this isn't the case; you merely would have replaced them with passive dampers.

However, some companies make passive dampers with plug-in electronics to make the computer think the active dampers are still there. Boston Suspension and Arnott both make these dampers for our cars. I haven't used either, so I cannot comment on their performance. Others have, and some like them and some don't.

You can get a much better price from Rock Auto. You can have your mechanic put them on. Using passive struts will give you a harder ride and partially disable Stabiltrak.

I would agree with Jim that in the long-run, the active struts, if your car requires them, are going to give the best ride/performance.

For the '97 DeVille, the part numbers are (with prices from Rock Auto):

Right Front:

ACDelco 580118 ($543)

Monroe 40020 ($466)

Left Front:

ACDelco 580119 ($715)

Monroe 40019 ($466)

Rear Shocks (ea):

ACDelco 580117 ($467)

Monroe 40018 ($338)

That $715 price for the ACDelco left front IS what Rock Auto has listed; I don't know why the disparity between that and the right front strut.

Just wondering -- has anyone tried the Monroe active dampers? I don't think they have been available until recently. In fact, this is the first time I've seen them available from anyone other than ACDelco, but I haven't looked very hard before either.