At the alignment shop today the guy grabbed the wheel top to bottom (like checking for balljoints) and the strut shaft up in the wheel well moved in and out a bit. He just said struts. Do you think this is it or could it be the mount?? Would it be the mount bearing worn down or can something actually wear on the strut shaft??

 

I'd be surprised, I guess, if a person could move the strut up and down without something being amiss. Should you need the mount, see the following link for some info:

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=183622

JamesC

 

ok, more info after looking at it today. When the suspension is completlly hanging, I can grab the strut tube (just below where the shaft enters it) and there is zero play. When I load the suspension a bit with a jack, grabbing the strut at the same place and moving it side to side (toward the engine and then toward me) there is a bit of play and a bit of a clunking noise. When doing that it appeared that the shaft was wiggling in the strut just a hair as the shaft moved from being parallel to the strut tube just a wee bit.

Also, when bouncing on the car (And the cap off the strut) the strut shaft seemed to move up and down in the mount a wee bit. Would this be normal dueto the rubber in there (I assume the rubber isolates the strut from the mount)???

 

No rubber in there that I recall.

JamesC

 

Yeah, there is definitely rubber, you can see it from the top when the cap is off.

 

It's been a while since I messed with those, so.... If I were the devil's advocate though, I'd want to know how true alignment could be maintained with rubber in the system.

JamesC

 

THat is a good question. I assume it is another suspension bushing to dampen vibrations.

 

Eddie, any update on this? It's been over a month and I'm curious.

 

It's true. The bearing is mounted in a sort of rubber biscuit. And yes, that is why people go with the billet or steel mounts that have solid bearings in them. No deflection.

 

The rubber biscuit (bushing) at the top of the strut can defintely wear out, mine have over time and I can tell the car doesn't handle as well. It actually makes a strut tower brace useless.

 

Yeah, sorry about that, I got caught up with work on the regular driver and working late hours at the day job

There is indeed a rubber component to the upper mount but it seems to be sturdy (there is tiny movement when grabbing the strut but it is just the rubber flexing as it turns out). I put a stethascope (to pinoint the clunk noise) on the strut and mount while wiggling the strut and it definitely is coming from the strut right where the piston enters the tube.....so I guess the bushing in there is worn to allow shaft play.

For the time being I just slapped on the old rims/tires (that I don't care if they wear funny) so I can still drive it and take my time deciding which struts to go with. I decided now is the time to do the 20 year old bushings too (before the alignment) so I am going to round up the parts over the winter and attack it in the spring. I may even go nuts and blast the LCA's and POR-15 them while they are off too