Strut Tower Repair Cost???

[97TaurusGuy]

I know there are a lot of threads on the issue of rusted strut towers. I am wondering how much it cost you guys to get this repaired. I see posts but only Canadian people. I am wondering how much Americans are paying to get this done. My passenger side tower has a hole about the size of my fist. The previous owner covered it up with rubber underbody coating, I had no idea it was there when I bought it. I am now wondering if it is even worth fixing or sell it. It is a 1996 PLymouth Grand Voyager, about 136,000 miles and has some minor surface rust. So, how much have you guys paid???

[jsinton]

I poked around the internet on this one to try to find some info, but I didn't find a good solution. Somebody said the dealer will do it for reasonable cost. Others said there was repair kits available, although I didn't find any.

[97TaurusGuy]

i talked to a dealer who gave me an estimate of about $3000 for the one side. I have talked to another guy who estimated sbout $35 for the new tower, and about 4 hours labor, so about $300 or so. Thats why i am wondering what people are actually paying to get this done.

[xj31]

Repair kits are available.There is a cap that gets riveted and glued on.the repair kits are not that expensive.About $50 for the cap and installation kit.Plus there is an adhesive for about$55.So the parts are not the issue.It depends how bad they are rusted.The $3000 estimate does not sound like a repair,more like a replacement of the whole tower,so yours might be too far gone for the caps.

[97TaurusGuy]

Originally Posted by xj31

Repair kits are available.There is a cap that gets riveted and glued on.the repair kits are not that expensive.About $50 for the cap and installation kit.Plus there is an adhesive for about$55.So the parts are not the issue.It depends how bad they are rusted.The $3000 estimate does not sound like a repair,more like a replacement of the whole tower,so yours might be too far gone for the caps.

I know how much the repair kits are. I am wondering how much people are paying to have this performed. The hole right know is about the size of my fist. And of course the area around the hole is rusted.

[Mbriggs]

Here's a previous thread
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=377570

[webbch]

Whatever you do, DON'T be a dick and pass it on to the next un-suspecting fellow. If you want to sell it, fine, but do the right thing and disclose this to any prospective buyers.

[97TaurusGuy]

Ohh there is no just passing it on to the next person. It is quite obvious when you open the hood. I know I am going to end up loosing out of this van but I dont feel like dealing with it anymore. i guess I am going to stick with Ford.

[soso mech]

I just had a friend that had his into the dealer for the strut tower replacement and it cost him just over $300.00 for parts labor and taxes. There is also a recall on this with specified vehicales. Might be worth checking into if you would like to keep the van.

[Bernard Feltzer]

Most Americans in the North East trade their vans in on a new vehicle, they don't bother fixing vans that rust out. In some states, the inspection process won't allow rusted out tower vans to have their registration renewed.
I heard Candians have higher living expenses like rent that is 3 times more than in the States.
In Europe, people baby their cars, keep them 15 to 30 years.

[97TaurusGuy]

There isn't any recalls on this issue that I am aware of. I have looked into it. There is a TSB on it which doesn't do anything for us owners. We have decided just to sell it. Not worth fixing. Not really a great van anyways. Very underpowered and it has the 3.3 in it. We are going back to Ford.

[dieter]

I realize this is an old thread but it seems that the answers are up in the air somewhat. I found a number of so-called kit today and the cheapest is from Amazon ($16.00).

Apparently some are being epoxied in and other uses pop-rivets and still others are having the kits welded in.

I would like to see the instructions if anyone has a copy.

I don't see this as a major problem from a design standpoint although I think Chrysler should pony up some support because they screwed up on this one.

Most of you can't weld and I am not sure exactly how they mean for these kits to be installed but if the kits are substantially supported with the existing metal after the rusted metal is removed, then I think epoxy will work fine and pop rivets will also suffice is the rivets only maintain the position of the kit and not the forces of the shock.

I am currently bidding on Ebay on a 2000 Voyager hoping that the strut towers scare off the competition.