Few Queries Out Top Mounts

[Furiousd 0]

My question(s) is(are) really, will I be ok just replacing the top mount rubbers?

 

I know BBM do these but as I see euro car parts also do a 'FRONT STRUT BEARING KIT' Can anyone tell me what this 'kit' will comprise of? and whether it's likely to be a pair or just for one side?

 

Am I better off replacing all the top mount components or just the rubbers? And where's best to buy these Items?

 

Thanks

Chris

[Retro Pug 0 1 Cars]

I bought this kit from ECP last year.

 

You need to buy two kits, one for each side. I'm pretty sure you get the rubbers and the bearings.

 

As you've got to remove the strut anyway I would replace the lot.

 

Cheers

John.

[Furiousd 0]

I bought this kit from ECP last year.

 

You need to buy two kits, one for each side. I'm pretty sure you get the rubbers and the bearings.

 

As you've got to remove the strut anyway I would replace the lot.

 

Cheers

John.

 

Thanks, what do you get in the kit?

[205turbo 32 2 Cars]

you should get,

 

3 new 11mm strutt top nuts,

1 rubber mount

1 bearing

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

If you don't get the actual top mount in the kit, the contents can be bought for quite a bit less imo.

 

The bearings can be bought for approx £8 each & the rubbers from BBM for £16 a pair is much better than buying the kits from ECP.

 

Graham.

[Furiousd 0]

Hi I've found this similar kit on Ebay, does this look ok?

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=013

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

That top mount looks nothing like one for a 205 or 309 imo.

 

They usually look like the second item down left of the strut in this picture.

 

Graham.

[Furiousd 0]

Thanks Graham, I'll not bid then.

 

I'm trying to resolve my wandering steering problem, I'm suspecting the top mounts and as I'm replacing the front suspension I want to replace the mounts at the same time. The bearing kit is 50 quid a side from pug, and not much cheaper from ecp. If I get the rubbers from BBM where's the best place to get the bearings? I'm assuming the bolts will be re-useable or if not standard bolts my local mechanic will probably have anyway?

 

The actual top mounts are fairly rusty (Although probably fully useable) will I be ok keeping the original ones? no idea where to get new ones from if not : /

 

Cheers

Chris

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

Bearings alone are under £10 each from GSF;

 

N45710 STRUT TOP BEARING 106/205/206/306/307/309/405/PARTNER ALL MODELS~~USE N45710~~ 7.50

 

The actual strut top mounts are pretty expensive & new ones are hard to find. I think they might be a Peugeot only part in the kit for £50 but I've never bought any as yet.

 

The top mount studs are M7 so replacement nuts are difficut to find but a few people have replaced them with M8 bolts while they were apart which isn't a bad idea really.

 

Graham.

[d-9 0]

If GSF bearings are anything like the pattern ones ive fitted in the past they'll last about a year or 6000miles before they die, you can buy new ones from peugeot, but they dont list them for the 205/309, theyre the same as the ones for 306 thou, which they do list seperatly. If you get desperate I can find the part number, the recipit is somewhere round here, or look on the thread i posted up a few weeks back which someone helpfully put the part no on. Theyre about £20 from pug.

 

BBM mounts are a whole lot more solid than pug ones, excellent service from BBM as well.

 

Not sure about fixing wandering steering thou? Is it just wandering when ur on the motorway (tracking) or changing direction when u come on off the power (wishbone bushes) or lurching randomly mid corner (oval'd balljoint clamp in hub carrier).

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

I got my ZX top mount bearings from my local motor factors for less than GSF sell them for & iirc they came in an SKF bearing box.

 

Lasted three years so far with no problems.

 

Graham.

[d-9 0]

I suspect there is a lot of varience in the quality of pattern ones.

 

Theres now about 3mm of latteral play in the patternbearings I fitted that were about £10 each and the cars only done about 6k with them on. Id rather spend twice as much initially and not have to take my struts apart again (and again, and again and again)

[Furiousd 0]

Not sure about fixing wandering steering thou? Is it just wandering when ur on the motorway (tracking) or changing direction when u come on off the power (wishbone bushes) or lurching randomly mid corner (oval'd balljoint clamp in hub carrier).

 

I had the tracking checked after I fitted a new rack last month, the toe setting is correct but the alignment printout highlighted a degree of neg camber on the passenger side. The steering kind of drifts left and right as you drive along, so you have to hold the wheel a bit to the left in order to go straight and then will go back to the centre. As it does this the car will wander left and right as you correct the steering to try and make it go straight.

 

The balljoints are good (I've had a mechanic check) and its not related to coming on and off the power. I believe the wishbone bushes to be ok too.

 

I'm replacing the struts anyway as one the dampers is leaking oil (Getting some used gti6 dampers from 205turbo) so thought I'd replace the rubbers and bearings whilst its all apart. My theory being if the top mount rubbers has split the strut could be loose and moving around causing the wobbly steering. Any milleage in this?

 

Chris

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

My theory being if the top mount rubbers has split the strut could be loose and moving around causing the wobbly steering. Any milleage in this?

Its unlikely the rubber will have split imo, I've stripped shocks on cars that have done nearly 200k & the rubbers have still been fine, soft but in one piece.

 

There isn't really any movement for them to split when its all built up on the strut.

 

What condition is your rear beam in?

 

Graham.

[welshpug 1,657]

I had the tracking checked after I fitted a new rack last month, the toe setting is correct but the alignment printout highlighted a degree of neg camber on the passenger side. The steering kind of drifts left and right as you drive along, so you have to hold the wheel a bit to the left in order to go straight and then will go back to the centre. As it does this the car will wander left and right as you correct the steering to try and make it go straight.

 

I had a similar issue on my 205, the beam was rebuilt 3 years ago, but what I didn't realise was that I'd set the beam to near standard height forgetting that I'd fitted 25mm lower front springs, a shot of me under braking at Llandow highlighted how high it was, and a few "interesting" moments where the back end decided to skip left to right several times under braking over bumps into the chicane highlighted that there was something amiss!

 

I lowered the back end 25mm to match on Friday and it seems to so much more stable

[d-9 0]

While youve got it all apart, pull the balljoint out the hub and check that the hole it goes in isnt ovaled. Also worth replacing the pinch bolts as they can wear.

[Furiousd 0]

Its unlikely the rubber will have split imo, I've stripped shocks on cars that have done nearly 200k & the rubbers have still been fine, soft but in one piece.

 

There isn't really any movement for them to split when its all built up on the strut.

 

What condition is your rear beam in?

 

Graham.

 

I hope the beems ok, although i'm not really qualified to say either way I had the alignment checked and there wasn't any real camber issues going on with the beam. It still moves freely and doesn't make any funny noises.

 

If the new mounts and etc don't improve matters, I take it the beam is the next thing that needs looking at