Parts for your 2006 Toyota Crown-Strut mounts

Are strut mounts used on the 2006 Toyota Crown?

Short answer: no. The 2006 Toyota Crown (S180 series) doesn’t use MacPherson struts, so there aren’t any strut mounts in the usual sense. Technical documentation for the S180 platform — including Toyota chassis repair literature and parts catalogues for GRS180/GRS182/GRS183 variants — specifies a double wishbone front suspension and a multi‑link rear. In a MacPherson setup, the strut top mount (with an integrated bearing) carries suspension loads and allows the strut to rotate for steering. By contrast, the Crown’s double wishbone front end locates the steering axis through upper and lower control arms and ball joints, so the damper and spring don’t need a steering bearing at the top. That’s why the typical “strut mount” isn’t part of the Crown’s front suspension.

For anyone cross‑checking, the definition and role of a strut mount are well established in chassis engineering texts and commonly summarised in automotive technical references: a MacPherson strut uses a top mount and bearing assembly as both a load path and a steering pivot. The S180 Crown’s layout avoids that by design.

What the Crown does have are upper shock insulators/top hats and associated bushes that isolate noise and vibration, plus control arm bushes and ball joints that do the locating work. These rubber components age and can cause knocks, vibration or vague steering feel if they’re tired.

Good service practice on a 2006 Toyota Crown is to:

• Inspect front shock absorber upper insulators, dust boots and bump stops for cracking or collapse.
• Check upper and lower control arm bushes and ball joints for play, plus sway bar links and bushes for clunks.
• At the rear multi‑link, check all arm bushes and shock mounts for wear.
• Torque fasteners at normal ride height to prevent bush pre‑load and premature wear.
• After any suspension work, get a proper wheel alignment to protect tyres and keep it tracking straight.

If fitting aftermarket coilovers, note that the included “top hats” or pillow‑ball mounts are simply damper mounts in this application, not steering bearings, because the Crown still doesn’t steer through the damper. That’s why ordering “strut mounts” for a 2006 Toyota Crown typically leads to the wrong part — what you want are shock absorber upper insulators or complete damper assemblies appropriate to the S180 chassis.

Popular questions about 2006 Toyota Crown strut mounts

Does a 2006 Toyota Crown have strut mounts?

No. The S180 Crown uses a double wishbone front suspension and multi‑link rear, so it doesn’t employ MacPherson struts or the familiar strut top mount with a steering bearing. Instead, it has shock absorber upper insulators and a network of control arms, bushes and ball joints that do the locating and steering work.

What should be checked if there’s a front‑end clunk on a 2006 Crown?

Start with the front shock upper insulators/top hats, sway bar links and bushes, and the upper/lower control arm bushes and ball joints. Also check the dust boots and bump stops. Because there’s no strut mount bearing, noise is more likely from tired rubber bushes or loose hardware than a failed “mount”.

If I install coilovers, do I then need strut mounts?

Even with coilovers, the Crown’s front end remains double wishbone. The coilovers use top hats or pillow‑ball mounts that secure the damper to the body, but they’re not steering bearings like a MacPherson strut mount. Choose hardware designed for the S180 chassis and have the alignment set after installation.