Parts for your 1999 Toyota Crown-Strut mounts

1999 Toyota Crown strut mounts — are they actually used?

Short answer: no, not in the classic MacPherson sense. Technical references including Toyota’s Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC) for the S170-series Crown (1999–2003, e.g., JZS171/UZS171) and the factory workshop literature show a double-wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear. Those layouts don’t use a bearing-type strut mount. Instead, the dampers are mounted with rubber upper insulators/top mounts that don’t carry steering loads or rotate. Aftermarket catalogues for this generation (e.g., major damper brands) likewise list shock absorber upper insulators and bush kits rather than strut mounts with integrated bearings.

Why the Crown doesn’t use strut mounts comes down to its suspension architecture. In a double-wishbone front end, the steering axis runs through the upper and lower ball joints. The shock and spring assembly don’t turn with the wheels, so there’s no need for a rotating, bearing-style top mount. At the rear, the multi-link layout again uses a shock top insulator rather than a strut mount. That’s part of what gives the Crown its refined ride and precise geometry control.

Owners chasing knocks, vibration, or vague handling should focus on components that do wear on the S170:

• Front and rear shock upper insulators/top mounts and spring seats
• Upper and lower control arm bushes and ball joints
• Stabiliser (sway bar) links and D-bushes
• Strut rod/leading arm bushes (where fitted)

Good servicing practice on a 1999 Toyota Crown is to replace shock insulators in axle pairs, torque all arm bushes at normal ride height, and book a wheel alignment after any arm or bushing work. If an online listing calls out “strut mounts” for this model, it’s usually using the term loosely for the shock top insulators. Always match parts to the VIN/chassis code to avoid MacPherson-only components that won’t fit.

FAQs

Does a 1999 Toyota Crown have strut mounts?
It doesn’t use MacPherson-style strut mounts with bearings. The S170 Crown runs double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, so it uses rubber upper shock insulators/top mounts instead. Those cushion road impacts but don’t rotate for steering.

What should be checked or replaced instead of strut mounts?
Look at the front and rear shock upper insulators, control arm bushes, ball joints, stabiliser links and D-bushes, and any strut/leading arm bushes. These are the usual culprits for clunks, vibration, or poor tracking on this platform.

Can aftermarket “strut mounts” listed for the Crown be used?
If a listing says “strut mount” for the 1999 Crown, it typically means the shock top insulator. Make sure the part is specified for the S170-series and matches the VIN, MacPherson strut mounts with bearings from other Toyotas won’t fit or function correctly on the Crown’s suspension.