Was just wondering how often you should replace your shocks/struts. I have an 02 strat with over 75,000 miles on it and I haven't replaced this parts.The ride is still smooth, butcan be a bit hard sometimes.Also, is there any shocks/struts out there that have a smoother ride than others?

 

I'm not sure there is anything smoother unless your going to put air ride in or bag it, otherwise nothing is really smoother than what you have now. If your suspension is going out just replace everything with OEM products. You can check out www.dodgeparts.com if your looking for parts over the net.

 

75K is about the time I start recommending based on mileage, with a few exceptions (bilsteins). But aside from mileage, they're needed if they leak oil, or if your tires start chopping and cupping (be sure it's not from lack of rotation, though).

If they're not leaking, tires are wearing good and the ride is OK to you, no real need. Mine are still OEM on my '99 INtrepid with right at 100K.

When it is time, I'd go with either OEM parts or KYB for aftermarket.

 

Well you have to think about it, if your tires are cupping or chopping you might want to look into getting an alignment, right? or am I wrong?

 

Having your alignment checked and fixed wouldn't hurt. It also would be about time to get new struts and shocks

 

Something you should probably know before you go replacing your struts, especially if they aren't really causing you any problems...the Strut plates on these Stratus' are bad. Mines an 02. I can't remember what the shop told me they were made of, but the original strut plates literally disintegrate over time and shatter. Cost me almost $500.00 to have them replaced. That could possibly be an extra cost you will incur when they go in and start changing things out. Then again, they may hold up, just thought it may be something you would want to consider. The good news isthat the replacement plates are made out of a different material and they don't have the same issue.

 

In regards to the strut plates, my wife has an 02 and I was going to replace the struts, etc, but when I took everything apart I found that the top strut plates in the rear were totally shot-deteriorated similar to rot, if they weren't metal. Just really bad corrosion. Now, the bad news. I've called several dealers and all have told me that they are on a national backorder list-I was told anywhere from 3000 to 8000 on backorder and they are expecting 1000 to be shipped in July sometime.
So this means that the majority of the people who need these will not be able to get them. It appears to be a major problem with these disintigrating and replacements are not available. So therefore, the car just sits.
I really think it needs to be reported to the gov't-whoever is in charge of recalls as when I took my wife's apart, the right rear was totally gone and no attachment of the top of the strut to the frame and the left one was just about as bad. This seems to me to be a safety issue when the struts are not attached anymore-and this car only has around 80K on it and a little over six years old.
Anyway as I see it the only way I can get her car back running for now is to hand make two new plates for this, which I think I can fairly easily, but a car this new should never have this problem.

I've tried several times to post a couple of pictures of these but it keeps telling me the file is too large, even though I reduced them down to about 37Kb in size.

 

Hey Skippy, I got you beat! I've got a 05 with about 75k and have the same problem. The mechanic told me exactly the same thing your saying. I'm looking around my area to see if I can get a new one built. I put my name on the list but the mechanic didn't feel that the part would be arriving soon>

 

If you're any good at making things you can make a set fairly easily. I had some scrap metal and made a set for my wife's car. The only hard part was getting a piece that was the correct diameter for the center circular part to hold the absorber and coil spring in place. Here's a pic if I can get it to upload.
Whoops, can't get them to load. Says they're too large but they're only 60 Kb's so I don't know what's wrong.