I was wondering what others think about repairing just one side when symptoms arise?  One CV joint, one wheel bearing, one head gasket, one wheel, or even one failing brake?  Why is it that the usual recommendation is you have to do both sides at the same time?  Right reason should dictate based on what can be afforded, you repair or have repaired only what is in need of attention, unless it is a lot easier and sensible to do both sides at the same time.

A lot of things you can get by with only repairing one side instead of both.  CV joints, bearings, head gaskets are some of them but you need to ask yourself the question of why did it fail and if it was due to age then the other side just may fail very soon. 

 

Brakes, struts, springs, and other suspension and stopping items really need to be replaced in pairs.  If you just replace one brake the opposite side may have problems keeping up with it's new neighbor.  The same with the suspension parts only you may get a lean or unsafe handling out of the old one vrs the new one. 

Jp98 is right in that it is to keep both sides working evenly in systems that work together such as brakes, suspension, etc...

 

Head gaskets though it is just smart because 1/2 the work to get the heads off applies to both sides. Why do one when you don't know the condition of the other and it could fail in a month and you would have to pay it again. It's a risk vrs cost analysis.

My father always told me never do anything half arsed.

I heard many times from head light manufacturers advocating the replacement of both bulbs, when only one has burned out. I never bought into that idea, and have always just replaced the one that had burned out. Just seemed dumb to replace a bulb that was working properly.

Lights (any electric light) loses luminescence as it ages. The reason to change them in pairs is so that you have equal lighting from both bulbs.

 

Not as big of a deal on tail lights, etc... but head lights light up the road for you.

Wheel Beaings only one side at a time

Steering parts in pairs

Head gaskets in pairs because it can create an unbalanced idle

Half shafts one at a time.

 

Head light bulbs in Suabrus one at a time, as it is usually a bad socket that gets them, not the bulb age

AWD cars 4 tires at once.

Wheel Beaings only one side at a time

Steering parts in pairs

Head gaskets in pairs because it can create an unbalanced idle

Half shafts one at a time.

 

Head light bulbs in Suabrus one at a time, as it is usually a bad socket that gets them, not the bulb age

AWD cars 4 tires at once.

 

I've changed headlights on 3 subaru's now and every single one of them the second light had dimmed compared to the new one.  If the bulbs are more than a few years old one will end up being dimmer if you just replace one at a time.

If it's not broken don't fix it, is a good motto.

I wasn't happy when the collision center only replaced one strut.

 

I think it's close call in some systems. I'd 'prefer' to have both sides of a braking system for instance to be the same components and wear level. Same for the struts and springs - but, i doubt there'd be a detectable difference for most of us most of the time..

I've never ever heard of ayone just replacing one strut before. 

I've never ever heard of ayone just replacing one strut before. 

 

yeah, it definitely offended my sense of order - but, i would have had to shell-out for the other strut. They also could not find 2 rims to match the other 2 (aftermarket) so, I asked how much $ they were allowing and I had to go find 4 rims.

 

insurance isn't all it's cracked-up to be sometimes.

i dont like changing headlights in pairs because when one fails the other is gonna go soon. if u replace both of them than the chance comes up that one will die and the next night the other one will go out too this has happened to me before i did not have time to get a new bulb before the other one failed so i like to change them one at a time because then i know when the other one does fail that one i replaced will keep going long enough for me to change the bulb

I've never ever heard of ayone just replacing one strut before. 

I have done it on an old GEO tracker when I broke one, wasn't worth putting two new ones in but the one I put in was from a junk yard.

Edited July 23, 201510 yr by desertsubaru

yeah, it definitely offended my sense of order - but, i would have had to shell-out for the other strut. They also could not find 2 rims to match the other 2 (aftermarket) so, I asked how much $ they were allowing and I had to go find 4 rims.

 

insurance isn't all it's cracked-up to be sometimes.

 

Insurance in my experience, doesn't really cover all the costs of repair though the insurance companies will unctuously declare that they "made you whole".   A lady in a Subaru pulled in front of mine a few years ago, and with the front end damage, it was considered totaled by her adjuster.  Then I looked around for a comparable or newer 99 Outback at around $3K without any luck.  With repair, rental vehicle while I was waiting for the vehicle to be ready by state standards, and only those expenses specifically aimed at the repair, I ended up being out over $500.  So I took up the matter with the state insurance commissioner and did not get any more $$$ for out of pocket but the insurance company of the lady was hit with the mediated fee.

in all fairness, it wasn't insurance's fault the rims I had were no longer available, just extra frustration getting the car drivable.