Thread: 2009 suspension - can be fitted to earlier cars?

Hi,

Like others here, I find my Azera has a great ride on smooth pavement, and sometimes truly lousy ride on broken or grooved pavement. And tire noise is high for me with the OEM tires when on rough payment. Anyone find a cure for that?

I note that some review of the 2009 model say it has an "improved ride." Has anyone actually tried the new car out? If so, can you let us know your impressions of any differences?

Does anyone know if the only change to the ride from 2008 to 2009 is shocks? Or did Hyundai go to greater lengths to change the ride? And if it's only shocks, I wonder if the 09 shocks will fit on my 2008 model?

Best to all.

Welcome to the forum!

In order:
There are a number of different tires that this or that person has said seems to be an improvement over the OEM Michelin tires (if it's Michelin you have). Check out the Tire Rack, plugging in the vehicle, year, model and size tire you're looking for, and see some of the reviews for the tires that pop up. You can definitely beat the $200/tire price that the dealer will charge!

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TRSelectAutoMakeAndYear.jsp

I haven't seen that those who have complained about the Azera's ride and who have tried the 2009 have stated a "great" improvement, just "improved."

I have read that the difference in the 2009 shocks and mounts preclude retro-fitting to earlier year models...

Originally Posted by Gamle-ged

Welcome to the forum!

In order:
There are a number of different tires that this or that person has said seems to be an improvement over
the OEM Michelin tires (if it's Michelin you have). Check out the Tire Rack, plugging in the vehicle, year,
model and size tire you're looking for, and see some of the reviews for the tires that pop up.
You can definitely beat the $200/tire price that the dealer will charge!

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TRSelectAutoMakeAndYear.jsp

I haven't seen that those who have complained about the Azera's ride and who
have tried the 2009 have stated a "great" improvement, just "improved."

I have read that the difference in the 2009 shocks and mounts preclude retro-fitting to earlier year models...

Our local dealer installed the latest so-called improved front shocks in our 2007.
Others have had their dealers do so also, and I know of one person
here in California that installed both the latest front and rear
shocks himself, so that is differentially not true.

According to my parts man, there are absolutely no differences in any
parts in either the front or rear suspensions except the shocks
in the front struts and the rear shock absorbers.

There have been three different sets of shock absorber part numbers, with
the current and latest front shocks, the so-called improved parts
being, for the front, the 54611-3L640. The rears are 55311-3L640.
These latest improved parts were available beginning 10/20/2007 and were
installed in the later 2008s and all vehicle produced since that date.

I have the latest front shocks and have previously had the originals
plus the factory TSB replacements, and none have lasted.
All three different sets have failed. These latest parts were failing after only
one thousand miles. Mando makers these parts, and evidently they are
of such poor quality that they will not last. All shocks were fine
when brand new, but very soon lost their newest and became
sloppy, with very poor jounce and rebound control.
My front end shop owner says that he has never seen shocks fail so quickly.

No one makes replacements for these inferior Mando parts made in India.

It is really a shame that Hyundai does not care about these poor quality parts.
I can only wish that some after market manufacturer will produce replacements,
but with this economy and the relatively few total Azeras brought to North
America, it seems no one wants to use developemental money to do so.

Poor shocks are the only thing wrong with our Azera.
It's a shame that Hyundai will not correct the only problem in an otherwise excellent automobile.

Quoting Snaglepus: "My front end shop owner says that he has never seen shocks fail so quickly."

That's distressing news. For most of the 40s through 80s, U.S. cars used to have the cheapest shocks available on mass bids, and because of that cost factor, they'd be toast within about 2-5K miles, according to a shock absorber engineer I met. But that's mostly changed, in the face of global competition, over the last couple of decades.

Since no aftermarket company seems to offer a replacement shock for the Azera, here's a "what if"... if the top/bottom mountings, compressed/extended lengths, and expected chassis weight/design stiffness were known, could we find something from Bilstein, Koni, KYB, Monroe, or Gabriel, already in their current offerings, that's close enough to replace the Azera's junk shocks with serious upgrades?

My personal guess is that we could. Maybe contacting those manufacturers, with photos and specifications as well as commentary on the short-lived OEM shocks, would get them searching their own specs books for something that would give an Azera's suspension more control and the company/companies some more sales(... with no additional manufacturing costs. Everyone loves that!).

J.R.
'07 Limited