Suspension - Use of Different Strut Rod Lengths
90chevy11Number: 88-437-3C
Section: 3C
Date: March 1990
Corporate Bulletin No.: 073301
Subject: REPLACEMENT OF STRUT ASSEMBLIES 25 MM STRUT ROD VS. 22 MM STRUT ROD
Model and Year: 1982-88 J CAR
TO: ALL CHEVROLET DEALERS
In the 1988 and 1989 model years, "J" vehicles commonized from 25 mm and 22 mm diameter strut rods to 22 mm diameter strut rods on all "J" cars as follows:
ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT STRUT ROD DIAMETER
*1988 1989
Chevrolet "J" Level 1 & 2 22 mm 22 mm
Chevrolet "J" Level 3 25 mm 22 mm
1987 and prior model year vehicles are not listed. Most will be equipped with struts with 25 mm diameter strut rods, but some may be equipped with struts with 22 mm diameter strut rods.
All service stock in GMSPO (for J vehicles) has been commonized to the 22 mm diameter strut rod, with specific internal valving for individual applications. Therefore, when ordering replacement struts from GMSPO, any struts received will have 22 mm diameter strut rods, even if the vehicle involved was originally equipped with struts with 25 mm diameter rods.
The difference in strut rod diameter has no noticeable effect on vehicle handling, performance, or strut durability. Therefore, when replacing an individual strut on a vehicle (due to accident damage, etc), it is not necessary to replace both struts due to different strut rod diameters.