Broken strut spring
 

I was trying to diagnose a noise when driving on bumpy roads and I noticed this (see attached pics).
The red encircled part, that's where the end of the spring should be, correct?

Any recommendations if I should just get the spring replaced or replace the whole strut assembly?

Yeah the red circle is where the spring should be sitting lol.

Everything. Replace everything. It looks like the previous owner tried to lower the car ultra ghetto style but maybe it slipped? Never seen that before.

Did not think about that.
There is also a broken piece so it's not just the slip.

Wow, that's a broken spring. Crazy. Must've been some very rough roads.

You're looking at a new OEM strut and spring assembly, as the damper likely got damaged from being used without a functioning spring.

Maybe someone local is selling a set for cheap if they recently upgraded to coilovers?

If you are anywhere near London I have a whole set of FRS springs with 10 kilometers on it you can have.

And/or rust. :(

- Andrew

I am in BC.

I wonder if I can just replace the spring instead of the whole assembly? I think it would be the labor costing the bigger chunk of the cost and I am assuming that the spring replacement would be significantly cheaper.

The whole works has to come off anyway to replace the spring.

The spring can support the shaft of the strut when taking corners, but your spring is providing 0 support which means the strut might be compromised. It’s not hard to damage them.

I’d personally only replace the front top hats/springs/struts now and do the rears down the road. As long as they are BONE DRY.

Used suspension from a 2017-2020 brz or 86 ~ $250
Install for just the fronts ~ $200
4 wheel Alignment ~ $80

Stress corrosion cracking + fatigue most likely. Typically most common failure mode of springs as they age. Not that there isn't a dozen things that can go wrong during the manufacturing process. Hydrogen embrittlement from base metal corrosion, martensite embrittlement during tempering, too high quench temperature, too hard, held to long below phase transition temp before quenching, ect.

I better sell my car before it crumbles.

I think I would be more concerned with Yellowstone erupting or the Cascadia Subduction zone causing a massive earthquake. Or aliens.

That's it! I'm going back to bed.

:scared0016:

I just got a quote for strut assembly replacement at the front to be $1425.
Will look for more quotes and then decide.

I wouldn’t buy the suspension new, used sets of stock suspension are readily available on this forum so even if you need to pay extra shipping $ to get it to Canada, it will be worth it.

I hardly have any tools but can do the front springs in 1 hour. Might be worth it to search the forums for someone near you that can help you if you have any tools. Once you get the wheels off it’s like 6 bolts/nuts on each side.

Is it possible at all to say from the picture if it's stock suspension? The ride height from center of the wheel to the fender came to 13.5" on the good side, compared to factory 14.5ish, got the number from search here.

Looks stock to me - sheet metal strut, black spring with colored markings, OEM looking part number sticker. Most aftermarket suspension use machined strut parts and non-black springs.