Parts for your 2013 Toyota Mark x-Strut mounts

2013 Toyota Mark X strut-mounts — what’s actually on the front end?

Short answer: a 2013 Toyota Mark X doesn’t use MacPherson-style strut mounts. Technical sources list the Mark X (GRX130/GRX133) with a front double‑wishbone suspension and a rear multi‑link layout. That’s documented in Toyota’s Mark X New Car Features (NCF) manual for the GRX13# series under the Suspension section, and reflected in the Toyota Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC), which shows a front shock absorber and spring with an upper insulator rather than a rotating strut top/bearing. Contemporary Toyota Japan brochures for the 2012–2014 model years also call out “double wishbone front suspension” for the Mark X.

Because the Mark X runs a double‑wishbone front, it doesn’t need a strut mount in the usual sense. On a MacPherson car, the “strut mount” carries vehicle weight, locates the strut, and houses a bearing so the whole strut turns with the steering. On the Mark X, steering pivot and camber control happen at the upper and lower arms and ball joints. The shock’s top is simply isolated by a rubber insulator/top mount that doesn’t rotate, there’s no strut‑top bearing plate to service.

That’s why some parts catalogues can feel a bit confusing: they might label the Mark X’s front “shock top mount/insulator” as a strut mount. Functionally, it’s just a rubberised support for the damper and spring, not a steering bearing.

Owners chasing front‑end noises or vague turn‑in should look at components that do the heavy lifting on this chassis:

• Front shock absorber upper insulator and spring seat (for perished rubber or knocks over small bumps)
• Upper and lower control arm bushes and ball joints (for clunks, wandering, and tyre wear)
• Stabiliser links and bushes (for rattles over corrugations)

Good practice in Aus/NZ workshops is to inspect these at each service or at least every 20,000–30,000 km, and after any hard knock. If the upper insulator is cracked or the damper’s weeping, replace in axle pairs, compressing the spring safely and torquing the mounts with the suspension at ride height. Follow the factory torque specs from Toyota service literature for the GRX13# to avoid squeaks or premature bush wear. A wheel alignment afterwards is money well spent, especially if any arms or bushings were changed.

Technical references: Toyota Mark X GRX13# New Car Features (Suspension – Double Wishbone Front), Toyota EPC Group 48 (Front spring & shock absorber, upper insulator shown, no strut bearing), Toyota Japan sales brochure (2012–2014) noting “double wishbone front suspension”.

• Does a 2013 Mark X have strut mounts?
  Not in the MacPherson‑strut sense. It has a front double‑wishbone setup with a shock top insulator. Some listings call that a “strut mount”, but it doesn’t contain a steering bearing.
• What should be replaced if there’s a front‑end clunk?
  Start with the shock upper insulator, stabiliser links/bushes, and the upper/lower control arm bushes and ball joints. Replace worn parts in pairs and book an alignment.
• Can coilovers with strut tops be fitted?
  Aftermarket coilovers for the Mark X include their own top hats/insulators, but the car remains double‑wishbone, not MacPherson. Check local ADR/WOF rules, ensure quality components, and get a proper alignment.