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Strut Spring Cup Question??


2002Targa

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Greetings all,

question about the top of the strut perch..  I have all the washers/spacers correct with a new bearing.  After tightening the nut, even with the bottom washer and the "grease cup" washer installed, the strut bearing still binds on top of the spring cup.  Is the top of the cup supposed to be a bit concave?  it's been a while since I've done a set of bearings. 

 

 

 

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Life's a garden baby, dig it.

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75 Fjord

73 RHD Targa

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key words are "new bearing".  unfortunately it was a while ago and i don't remember the specifics, but when we put new bearings on JGerock's car we had the same problem.  I had to modify one of the washers I think to fix it.  look at the stack and where it hits and the modification should be obvious.  it was a simple fix.  sorry, wish i had more detail for you.

 

the bottom of the new bearings had a distinctly different shape than the old one which causes the problem.

Edited by mlytle

2xM3

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Is the top of the cup supposed to be a bit concave?

 

 

The ones in my car are pretty flat on top

 

003.jpg

 

My brand-stinkin-new bearings varied side to side.  I sent these photos to my supplier and he replaced the "mushroomed" one because I had rubbing issues on that side.

 

001-1.jpg

 

002.jpg

 

The Meyle bag which said "Germany" and "Original" also had a "Made in China" sticker. 

 

005-1.jpg

 

 

    Tom

   

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The Meyle bag which said "Germany" and "Original" also had a "Made in China" sticker. 

 

    Tom

 

Entertainingly for the past 5 months the Meyle ones were the ONLY option out there .... if you wanted bearings that would fit.  A number of suppliers (febi, INA, and other well "respected" names) were re-boxing the same exact strut mount (down to the molding marks) with a bearing that was the wrong size.  The bearing was laughably too large in diameter meaning the strut could just slop around.  Also rather interesting was that each manufacturer re-boxing these identical mounts had different "made in ---" stickers, ranging from India, China, Germany, and Turkey.

 

It took a lot of persistent calls to suppliers and a couple months lead time but I'm starting to see correct mounts (other than meyle) trickle back into the supply stream.  

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  • 1 month later...

 The bearing was laughably too large in diameter meaning the strut could just slop around. 

 

Thanks for your post Andrew.  I just serviced 02 struts for the first time on my 76 and the new INA mounts had the comically oversized bearing.  I ordered Ruville strut mounts via Worldpac and they were fine.  Both mounts were marked made in India but were clearly made from different components.  

 

As others have discussed, I had to add another washer to the stack so the mount rubber would not rub against against the upper spring perch/cup.

 

Cheers.

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  • 8 months later...

Well, finally got around to answering my question about the cups being concave. 

YES, after 40 years, the top of the cup WILL smush in and the bearing will rub unless you stack some more washers in there.

New powdercoated one VS. original one.  They come bare metal.

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Life's a garden baby, dig it.

My web album

75 Fjord

73 RHD Targa

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The problem that I ran into when replacing the top bearing mounts on the tii was the stock cupped washer was too large to fit into the bottom bearing of the housing.  The rubber portion of the housing extended around the bearing so it made contact.  The solution was to grind the O.D. of the cupped washer.

 

The latest set of upper strut bearings I purchased for the 69 worked fine with the stock cupped washer. 

Jim Gerock

 

Riviera 69 2002 built 5/30/69 "Oscar"

Royal Red 69 VW Squareback built 8/13/68 “Patty”

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Key point is placement of large diameter washer beneath concave sealing ring and concave side of sealing ring facing up

attachicon.gifimage.jpg

I mistakenly put that washer below the spring perch on one side and it made quite a racket as everything bound up and released. In case you're wondering, disassembly/reassembly goes A LOT faster the second time.

Brent

1974 2002 - Megasquirt and turbo

2018 BMW M2/ 2013 Porsche Cayenne Diesel

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Picture of stock cupped washer placed in the strut bearing (of course this would be turned upside down).  The nubs on some strut bearings can interfere with the washer.

IMG_9390_zps88e591eb.jpg

Jim Gerock

 

Riviera 69 2002 built 5/30/69 "Oscar"

Royal Red 69 VW Squareback built 8/13/68 “Patty”

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all, just found this thread and the same thing is happening to me.  I think the metal "flaps" holding the bearing in are interfering with the cupped washer therefore binding and not allowing the strut cap and everything underneath to rotate as you rotate the wheels.  The mount on the left was on the car (maybe original) and the one on the right is giving me problems.  The red arrows point to some of the metal "flaps" I speak about.  Does this make sense?  Also one thing that I don't understand is why doesn't the cupped washer get squished as you tigthen down the upper lock nut?  Seems like you are pressing everything together and I would think the cupper washer would be pressed flat.  TIA for any advice...  '67 BMW 1600-2.  Paul

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Edited by prezucha
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Should be very easy to find out if metal flap are interfering with cupped washer. Put cupped washer on strut bearing as tended like assembly and try to twist it. If you can twist cupped washer then that is not the issue. Place a picture.

In my opinion and as I have seen it on my car when refurbished the strut assembly, cupped washer and concave washer like in thread 9 picture are two different item.

1). Concave washer is much thicker

2). Cupper washer is basically for sealing the bearing from dust, dirt, etc. under fender

3). If strut bearing has none sealed bearing then cupped bearing is used to seal it, where as concave washer when is in lp a will provide small gap between the hat and bottom of the strut bearing so metal flaps won't be touching the hat

4). Strut bearing are slightly different among different manufacture (length of the tabs), therefore one need pay attention that gap is there when top nut is fully tighten.

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76 2002 Sienabraun

2015 BMW F10

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Thanks Buckeye!  That is exactly what I did.  I laid the washer on top of the bearing, put my finger in the hole(s) and could not turn.  The washer was getting caught on the "tabs" of the bearing.  In the old mount, it would spin fine.  The new mounts I got are open bearings (non sealed).  Any chance to trim the "tabs" or trim the washer?  I'd rather get proper mounts though. Everything else I'm doing to the car is either OEM or performance parts.  Here is the one washer that was on the car.  Are these washers available?  I might as well replace them... Thanks!  Paul

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Edited by prezucha
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