I just rebuilt my front end with new struts and springs and steering linkage, I took it for an alignment and apparently my car is missing strut plates according to the alignment guy. What exactly are these? The previous owner must have had these removed. Are they cheap and easy to find? Thanks.

 

Strut retainers? I can't imagine that these would be missing, but...:

http://www.spohn.net/product.cfm?productid=1494

JamesC

 

Can't be those, unless he was blind.

 

There are strut mounts and retainers. I can't imagine that either one could be missing. Look for yourself.

JamesC

 

I know those are there, but the guy mentioned plates. I don't even know where plates would go (spindle mount or fender mount?). He said without them my struts would knock around and wear my tires out. The struts are a direct swap from the old ones and there was no plates on those (they were aftermarket as well, though). I did forget to put the plastic boots on the new ones, but those cant be what he is talking about.

 

Strut mounts are also called "bearing plates." The following link shows both plate and retainer. I have no idea what your mechanic is speaking of:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...elp-quick.html

JamesC

 

Interesting, well if I'm not missing anything then I should be fine. I just thought maybe the previous owner had those removed when he put on his Monroes.

 

Go to another alignment guy that knows what he's doing.

 

If I lived near you I would volunteer my time to drive back to that shop with you and embarass the sh*t out of that idiot inpersonating an alignment tech.