Parts for your 1998 Toyota Altezza-Strut mounts

1998 Toyota Altezza strut-mounts: not used on the XE10 platform

For the 1998 Toyota Altezza (XE10, AS200/GXE10 and RS200/SXE10), “strut-mounts” aren’t applicable because the car doesn’t run MacPherson struts. Instead, it uses double-wishbone suspension front and rear. In this layout the shock and spring assembly mount to the body at the top, but the damper doesn’t locate the wheel hub or carry steering loads. That job is handled by the upper and lower control arms and their ball joints. So there’s no strut top bearing or classic strut-mount assembly to replace.

What the Altezza does have is an upper shock/coil support (often called a top mount or insulator) that simply isolates noise and vibration. On the front end, steering rotation occurs through the ball joints in the control arms, not through a strut bearing. On the rear, the shock top mounts likewise act as isolators rather than structural strut mounts. If someone’s chasing a “strut-mount” for an Altezza, they’re usually after the front or rear shock absorber upper support/insulator, or they might be fitting coilovers that come with their own top hats or pillow-ball plates.

Owners dealing with clunks, knocks or vague handling should look at the real wear items for this chassis: upper and lower control arm bushings, upper/lower ball joints, sway-bar links and bushes, and the shock absorber upper mounts/insulators. If fitting coilovers, many kits include pillow-ball top mounts (and sometimes camber plates). These are still not MacPherson strut-mounts, they’re simply the coilover’s body-to-chassis interface. After any such work, a proper wheel alignment is a must to protect tyres and keep the car’s sharp steering feel.

Technical sources that document the Altezza’s double-wishbone layout (and absence of MacPherson struts/strut-mounts):

• Toyota New Car Features (NCF) for Altezza/Lexus IS (XE10, 1998–1999): front and rear double-wishbone suspension with coil-over shock absorbers.
• Lexus IS200/IS300 Repair Manual – Chassis: Front/Rear Suspension sections illustrate upper and lower control arms with the shock absorber mounted to the body, not a structural strut.
• Toyota Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC): components are listed as “Front Suspension Support Sub-Assembly” and “Rear Shock Absorber Mounting,” with no steering-bearing “strut-mount.”

FAQs

Does the 1998 Toyota Altezza have strut-mounts?
Not in the MacPherson sense. The XE10 uses double-wishbone suspension, so there’s no strut bearing at the top. It has shock absorber upper mounts/insulators that isolate noise and vibration but don’t carry steering loads.

What should be replaced instead of strut-mounts on an Altezza with front-end noises?
Check the front upper and lower control arm bushes, upper/lower ball joints, sway-bar links and bushes, and the shock absorber upper mounts/insulators. These are the common wear points that cause clunks or looseness on this chassis.

Do aftermarket coilovers for an Altezza use a strut-mount?
Coilovers typically include their own top hats or pillow-ball mounts (sometimes camber plates). They bolt to the body like an OE shock top mount but aren’t MacPherson strut-mounts. Follow the coilover manufacturer’s torque specs and get a wheel alignment after installation.