Strut Mount Washer Gap?

kippster41493 · Post by **kippster41493** » 21 Jul 2016, 10:58

I replaced my front suspension not long ago with all new parts but not a completely assembly so I had to build it. The driver side washer had a gap, but the passenger side did not. I had a problem with the bearing binding up and a loud clunking as well, tore the struts apart to find the driver side (with a gap) had destroyed the coil seat and passenger side wasn't far behind. Replaced the coil seats put everything back together. The passenger side is still sitting flush (how it's supposed to be?) and the driver side still has a gap, but not as much.

Am I just not tightening down the strut lock nut down tight enough? I don't know why I keep getting this gap and I'm 90% sure that's what cause the seat to get destroyed.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 21 Jul 2016, 11:38

There is typically a 3/8" or so gap between the top washer and the top of the strut mount, totally normal. What isn't normal is no gap.

...Lee

kippster41493 · Post by **kippster41493** » 21 Jul 2016, 11:59

I'll take a picture on my lunch break in a bit here, but the gap on the drivers side is big enough to fit my finger under it almost. Seems a little big to me, but there might be a small gap on the passenger side but when I glanced at it, it didn't look like it. As mentioned I'll take a picture and post it in maybe an hour so not long.

What would cause the no gap/ way to big of a gap? As you can probably tell this was my first suspension job

kippster41493 · Post by **kippster41493** » 21 Jul 2016, 12:53

Update, the passenger side does have a gap which looks roughly correct.

The driver side seems to have gone down or "settled" a bit, but still bigger gap than the other side. Is it the cross nut not being tight enough that is causing it not to sit all the way down? I don't have the specific tool so I used crescent wrench (a.k.a. the devils wrench) and an allen key. So it most likely isn't set to the correct torque spec if I were to guess, but that's the only thing I can see blocking it?

I still hear a little knock from the suspensions I'm assuming it's the seat still? Any ideas on how to fix?

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 21 Jul 2016, 13:58

Picture number 2 is a busted spring seat.

...Lee

kippster41493 · Post by **kippster41493** » 21 Jul 2016, 14:03

Just put it in last night, was at that height before the car was even moved. I don't think it's broke, just isn't sitting low enough it seems? The lock nut didn't want to go any further down, I'm assuming I didn't tighten something underneath all the way down but looking for other opinions because I might be over looking something simple.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 21 Jul 2016, 17:27

How was the strut bearing?

...Lee

kippster41493 · Post by **kippster41493** » 21 Jul 2016, 19:27

Looked ok, spun freely. Again it was my first suspension job, what specifically would I be looking for to tell if it's bad? From what I could tell looks wise it looked like it came out out a box still.

Post by **erikv11** » 21 Jul 2016, 21:27

One minor critique: count the threads on top, there are more on the passenger side. It does look like the cross-shaped nut is probably not tightened down all the way on the one with the bigger gap. You can also see a bigger gap between the cross nut and the top of the spring seat on that side. I use a big pipe wrench or huge channel locks on the cross-shaped nut, both work great.

Are you sure the coil spring is seated properly in the platform on the strut, on the side with the big gap?

The driver's side of the car is always heavier anyway (transmission and the driver are both over there), I wonder if you just have a tired coil spring on that side. About 10 years ago on the forums I wondered in a post if it might be good practice to rotate your strut/spring towers to even out the wear on them. I was laughed out of the place!

But anyway, it is a hassle but you could swap the tower to the other side, see what happens. A hassle but much less work than opening up the towers again. You could inspect them when you pull them, to remove the mounts and inspect them is trivial when the towers are out. Definitely a head scratcher.

kippster41493 · Post by **kippster41493** » 22 Jul 2016, 07:26

I didn't realize that thread count till I posted the pictures, it seems to be a pretty clear indication that cross nut can be done tighter. All the parts are new so it isn't a tired spring, I foresee another tear down in my future .......