2003 Shocks And Brakes Questions - Toyota Corolla, Chevy Prizm (1998-2008)

Hello!

I have a few questions today. First, my '03 Corolla has 77,000 miles on it and it has the original shocks and struts. What is the life expectancy of shocks/struts? When I get out of the car, my suspension "squeeks" a little. Also, under hard braking, my front end stays stable and doesn't dip much. When I accelerate "hard" (is that possible in a Corolla?) the back dips down considerably. All things considered, I'm thinking the struts up front are ok, but the rear shocks could use replacing. Is that a good assumption? Are they easy to change out myself? Do shocks go bad before struts?

Second, brakes. I need new rear pads. What brake setup is an '03 LE? I'm assuming disc in front and drums in the rear? I've never changed out brake pads before, how easy/hard is this job? Does anyone know any references on how to change brakes?

Finally, because I'm looking to do these repairs (and anything else that may pop up) myself, can anyone recommend a repair manual for '03 Corollas? Chiltons and Haynes don't have manuals for these things yet that I've seen. I am on a tight budget and if I can fix this thing myself and not have to pay a garage, I'll be very VERY happy.

I know it's a lot of questions. Thanks in advance for all the help everyone!

- Mike

Squeaks are probably from your anti-roll bar's rubber mounts. They tend to dry up and squeak - a little lube on them helps. Easy way to diagnose - get a can of lubricating spray (silicone is a good choise) spray around mounts. See if squeak persists, if not, you've solved the noise issue. If noise is still present, move onto other suspension attachment points.

As for suspension life expectancy - very hard to say. All depends on driving conditions, driving style, and upkeep of car. 2003 Corolla has front and rear struts and springs - originally picked for ride compliance. If you are noticing too much brake dive or porpoising on acceleration - could be strut/spring issue. Not hard to change, but very time consuming and requires a spring compressor. Usually best to replace both springs and struts together as a set - makes install go much smoother and reduces the amount of tools needed. Alignment is generally not needed if the original ride height is retained - otherwise, it would be a good idea to get a alignment performed after the suspension work.

Usually to need rear shoes at 77K, unless you were told that they are worn. Also requires some specialized tools - but can be done with conventional tools. If this is your first time working on them - can be quite overwhelming. Best et is to work on one side at a time - using the undisturbed side as reference for the one you are working on.

On a tight budget - all car repairs are a bit tough. Springs alone can set you back a few hundred, struts go for about $75 each for OEM ones. Sets that have the springs and struts already mated together can be had for around $500 if you shop caefully. Brake shoes are pretty cheap - but the amount of work involved can be significant, expecially without the correct tools. Can be anywhere from 30 minutes a side to several hours, if something goes wrong. Usually the hardest part is getting the drums pulled of the car to begin with.

For a service manual - try this link:

http://9thgencorolla.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3885

A factory service manual provided by a generous contributor in a PDF format. For a 2004 Corolla - but should be more of less mechanically similar to your 2003.

Good Luck.

Ross_t

Our 1998 has 93k miles on the original rear brakes. I replaced the front pads this year after the pad friction material delaminated from the metal backing. Still on original struts, but probably replacements would improve ride and handling. (worn, but no shot.)

Wow! Great information. Thank you so much for the help and the great link to the service manual! It's downloading now. That's going to be a big help. Maybe it's just my imagination with the shocks. I drove a lot in downtown Baltimore City which has a ton of potholes and some streets are still cobblestone. :-( Sounds like the brakes and shocks are best left to the shop as I don't have a garage to work in and winter is in full swing here.

I will, however, crawl underneith and lube the mount points! Thank you! Hopefully that will do the trick!

Thank you for your help!

Mike