My front struts where shot so i replaced them with some KYB-GR2 and i also went a ahead and replaced the strut mounts with founders. The kyb's are installed with a pressure washer and hefty nut. I probably got about 5 turns before i ran out of thread is this normal?

 

no, not good. make sure the strut is all the way into the mount. Take the plastic strut piston cover off the strut, it wont work here and thats most likely the problem

 

You are probably right I reinstalled the dust boots on the shocks.

 

I have the same problem right now only I went with a set of yellow Koni's. The bearing in the Founder's mount is 0.0300" smaller than the bearing seat on my Koni's and my previous Gabriels. So the bearing of course does not fit the strut as it should and before I realized that I tried putting a nut on it and only got a turn or two. I'm going to write Founder's so they can resolve this. I really don't want this experience to leave a bad taste in my mouth for them.

 

I was able to resolve my issue thanks to <86TA> I was reusing the piston cover/dust boots from the original shocks that where on the car which where not letting it sit right in the strut mount. Once I removed them i was able to thread the bolt all the way.

 

good to hear you got it all sorted out! enjoy

 

I'm going to go ahead and bump this thread because my new struts are tearing the rubber inserts apart in my strut mounts and I am getting the founders ones very soon.

If you remove the dust cover, what is to protect the piston seal from getting shredded by dirt, dust, gravel and whatever other mess that splashes up onto the now uncovered piston?

 

I'm also in the same situation, I just installed my Founders strut mounts. I'm still waiting for my UMI A-arms so I can put the car back together.
I did call Founders a few weeks ago and he told me not to install the dust covers. My understanding is that they are not needed and will cause problems with the install.

 

According to what I've read you can use one of the accordian style rubber shock boots which actually doesn't sound like a bad idea. I think this is a detrimental step on anything other than a trailerqueen showcar.

 

There is no dust covers on my daily driver, I have gabriel shocks and stock strut mounts, so do pretty much all my friends and no problems, does it make any difference with the dust cover? Where do you get the accordian style?

 

Energy suspension makes the accordion style covers, they are very cheap. Most autoparts stores and mail prefer catalogs carry them under shock boots. I have them. I however don't think they are needed, but for the $5 it cost me, why not? Think of all the construction equipment with hydraulic systems that don't use dust shields. I have never seen a bobcat or frond end loader with a dust boot and they see far more dust, mud, dirt, rock, branches in a day than mine ever will!

 

Do you happen to have a link or part number?

 

I have had people tell me that you don't need shock shaft covers. But as a sideline I rebuild shocks for snowmobiles and four wheelers and I can't tell you how many shocks I've rebuilt with leaking seals from damaged shafts. And most of the time the shafts just have small nicks from rocks. A little dent always has a sharp edge around it and next thing you know the seal is leaking. I am also looking at the energy suspension boots. Why don't someone buy a set and let us know how they fit? My car isn't far enough along to need them yet, but soon. And with reguards to Tibo's comment on heavy equipment not having guards on them, they don't have rocks hitting them at 100 mph.

 

Neither do our cars. There is no direct path for a rock to hit them. It would have to bounce off the fender liner first which would kill much of the energy.

 

We don't recommend any kind of boot. The covers are installed from the factory for people who live on long dirt roads. The problem with the 4x4 style boots is they tend to capture moisture which makes the strut shafts wear faster from rust issues.

 

Sorry founders, but I'm going to have tl call you out on this one.

How many times can everyone here recall driving over a small patch of gravel in the road or even just going down the freeway and hearing what sounds like your front and back wheel wells being sandblasted by all the small particles of rock and gravel that get compressed into the tire tread then flung back off?

Now, can anyone tell me where the front struts are located? If you guessed in the wheel wells, you get a cookie.

 

If you want to run the accordion style covers by all means do it. With my 25 years experience in owning Offroad, Camaro, & Mustang suspension manufacturing shops I have come to the conclusion to not run those on shocks or struts for the reason I stated.

 

I am not saying you are wrong about the accordian covers.

I am saying the strut shaft needs some form of protection.

 

It already does. There is no direct path for the stones to hit the shaft. They must bounce off of something first. That something is loose thin plastic which does a great job absorbing much of the energy in the stone.

Take a look at your strut some time with the wheel off and the suspension compressed. It is very well shielded from the tire when the suspension is compressed, and even better with a lowered suspension.

 

Alright then with that topic covered lets discuss a much more plausible scenario.

What about all the small rocks and dirt particles that get splashed onto the shaft when driving through the rain? Is there anything incorporated into the design of the strut that will keep them from damaging the seals the next time the strut compresses?

 

The seals are specifically designed for this purpose. In fact it is their only purpose, to keep stuff out of the strut body. I have said it in previous threads. Consider other hydraulic systems. They all have seals for this job. You can be sure these things see much worse working conditions than ours.

 

Probably half of the after market coilover suspensions I see don't use a shaft cover of any sort. And thank you 87350IROC for agreeing with me. Construction equipment sees much heavier and more dust and rocks!