Hey, guys. I just installed my set of billet strut mounts that I bought from Spohn.

My old strut mounts had a plastic sleeve that fit over the top of the strut, and engaged into the mount (metal where it engaged the mount). Should I reuse this sleeve/dust cover of sorts with the new billet mounts? My thoughts were no, but I thought I'd ask you guys before I getting an alignment.

Thanks!

 

I would either try to reuse that stock cover or get the rubber shock boots like 4X4 shocks have. You dont want the strut rod exposed to the elements.

 

how do you like them? i was going to grab a set for my camaro

 

Agghh! If it isn't one thing it's another. I took it all back apart to install the shield (dugh...I should have known I needed them). While I was taking the nuts off of the top of my new KYB AGX Struts, it stripped the strut shaft somewhat.

It isn't horrible...I still see threads, but it is marred up enough that if I try to put a nut back on it, it won't tighten far enough down the shaft without turning the whole assembly for me to get vice grips on it.

Tomorrow I'm going to get new nuts for starters. Any advice? Tap & Die set, perhaps? Thanks, guys.

I don't know if I like them yet. They look pretty, but we'll see how the perform after I get it all back together. If I have to buy new struts, that might be a month or two .

Scott

 

Tap and die set is the best bet. If you do not have a set, or access to a set, there is such a thing as a thread file. I have one and it has saved me many time in restoring slightly damaged threads on bolts and studs. Had mine for a long time, not sure where you would find one though.
Your bigger worry though is after you clean up the threads, will there be enough left to torque it down properly without fully stripping the threads. Then you will need to replace the strut

 

I don't know how he's getting along with the install, but for me these made a huge difference. When I drive in california on the 680 I usually go about 80mph and there are a few small potholes that could really rattle the front end of the car. After these were installed, wow! A lot more of the shock went directly to the strut instead of the worn to hell rubber bushings that had a huge about of play that held the bearing in place on the stock one. Plus the fact that my car is lowered and these allow for more travel could have done it too. The front feels more stable at higher speeds and is much more comfortable to drive.

I remember Vsixtoy saying that if you removed the dust cover from the top of the strut mount and then bounced the front up and down that you'll be surprised at the amount of play it has, that's what I did, and why I bought the billet ones.

 

I have those same Spohn pieces, I could not reinstall the dust cover. I've been running without the covers for about 2,000 miles without visual problems.

 

Yeah this is one thing about the spohn ones that needs to be addressed, a bearing that open to the elements is not good.

 

if the bearing were to go bad... would u experience these symptoms....jumpy steering at slow speeds, like turning into a parking space for example? and while driving you would hear a rattling type noise when u hit bumps and stuff? if so i need new ones... any other info on how to tell if they are bad?

 

Heres a thread for you to read:-

Dust shields/boots for the struts when you have billet mounts?
https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...t=spohn+mounts

BTW I thoroughly recommend these products to anyone who can afford them.

 

I've been running KYB struts for over 2 years wtihout any boots on them. No problems at all. I wouldn't worry about not using them.

Also too think about how many coil over people are using no boots and they do not have any problems at all..

Kat