Strut Mount Washer Gap?

[oragex]

When the spring seat starts failing, often times the rubber cracks at the place under the spring seat, so it's not visible from the top. Now if you happen to see cracks near the top, everything is busted underneath. Use only Sachs or genuine parts for this item, Febi, Meyle or any other junk works perfectly for 6 months.

[JimBee]

I've wondered about the "right" gap, too. I bought the parts and had the local shop swap the new struts, FCP seats and bearings. On the ground, everything looked snug at the top, but installed, with the weight on the new assemblies, the top washer / footed bushing was standing proud like in the above pictures. In my other 850, there's no space, no threads are visible under the top footed bushing. I think what might happen is it's hard to compress the springs on the work bench enough to get the cross nut pulled down far enough to eliminate the space that opens up once the car's weight is loaded on them.

So, why not just leave the cross nut and top hex nut finger tight when you remove the spring compressors, install the strut assembly but only run the strut bolts top and bottom through their holes (maybe one nut to hold bearing in place), gently lower the car's weight onto the new assembly THEN take off the top hex nut and footed bushing and tighten down the cross nut that extra 1/4" -/+ then replace and finally torque the top hex nut, holding the footed bushing with a pipe wrench or large channel lock.

I don't think you want threads visible between the cross nut and the spring seat bushing, because that could allow vertical slop over harsh surfaces and that might act like a slide hammer and take out a spring seat bushing prematurely. Just my thoughts.

[kippster41493]

Sounds like you pretty much hit the nail on the head as to what happened, I didn't want to over think it but if that's all that actually happening then that is an easy fix. I can get the spring compressed enough using the spring compressors, and they are shorter springs than stock anyway. I may have just been doing it a little quickly. The night it sounded like it was about to fall apart I happened to be a friends house and when we tore it apart and saw the seat was completely useless I had to get a new set. Being me and my luck we had to go to the next county over because no one with in a 60 mile radius had them in stock and my car was stuck on his lift so I needed to get them done and was already late in the day so we rushed a bit. Tear down again soon I guess

[heuringRE]

This seems to be a common topic among many makes and models. Not sure if this is the solution or a workaround but if you flip the top mount bushing then the gap disappears, you can torque the top nut to spec and the ride is quiet and cushioned as it should be. Careful to get the bearing correctly positioned, usually underneath the bushing.

It is natural to want to put that bushing on so that its bevel side matches the shape of the frame metal. But this is where the gap comes from.

[erikv11]

There is supposed to be a gap. Make sure you see one when you assemble it.

Don't turn the spring seat (bushing) over as a way to get rid of the gap or for any other reason.