Suspension Strut Has Lots Of Play In It....

[ScoobyJawa 23]

Can anyone tell me if this is normal - looks knackered to me, but I'm not sure what I'm looking for.

 

Thought it was play in the balljoint/hub carrier, but its recently had a new wishbone and pinch bolt, neighbour is a mechanic and he said they both look ok, eg ball joint and hub carrier hole - thought it might be ovaled but looks fine. I've put an new pinch bolt in to be sure and torqued up to the correct settings but when I checked again for play I noticed this with the strut:

 

 

 

Any thoughts please?

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

where abouts are we meant to be looking?

[Anthony 1,002]

Defo not normal - best guess is that the top mount rubbers are shot, and chances are the bearings are knackered too.

 

Take the strut off the car, strip it down, and replace whatever is knackered. Bearings are easily sourced, and Neat sell top mount rubbers on their own (or you can get Group N ones from BakerBM, but I think they're a bit much on an otherwise standardish road car)

 

(they're videos btw Slo - click them)

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

oh so they are lol didn't realise, my top mounts have a similar amount of play but theres no knocking when they're agitated like that I would say top rubbers are past it too

[pug_ham 243 3 Cars]

Bearings are easily sourced, and Neat sell top mount rubbers on their own (or you can get Group N ones from BakerBM, but I think they're a bit much on an otherwise standardish road car)

You used to be able to get the top mount kit for the 205 with the rubber & bearing together, iirc the first set I got from GSF had them both in, then I discovered how to buy just the bearing.

 

g

[Mad Professor 7]

I am looking to replace all of the top end of the shocks on mine soon.

I can't be bothered to mess about hunting, so will be buying from the main stealers.

ServiceBox comes up with, Part number: 503125 @ £41.62+vat per side.

And from what I can see that's all of the top end of the shocks, but I could be wrong.

[ScoobyJawa 23]

I do have a spare strut so I might try sticking that on. I'm going to strip it all down tomorrow, get the hub off etc and check it all out. While the hubs apart I can easily replace it if I need to. Ecp have the rubbers in stock too nearby so if they are shot I can pick up a new pair.

 

I'm also going to check the hub isn't ovaled in much more detail - whats the best way to check if its ok?

Edited May 10, 2013 by ScoobyJawa

[pug_ham 243 3 Cars]

I'm also going to check the hub isn't ovaled in much more detail - whats the best way to check if its ok?

Drive the car & if it lurches / tightens slightly when turning in either direction, the balljoint hole is likely to be ovalled on the loaded wheel (left turning right & right turning left).

 

Off the car, unless they are seriously ovalled, its hard to tell by looking.

 

g

[ScoobyJawa 23]

Yeah it was very hard to tell. The car was quite wayward on the road. Took it off and its very minor (eg 1-2mm) and looks fine to the naked eye but there was lots of play in the wheel and a measuring tape showed it was ever so slightly oval.