Strut mounts?

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Question Is it really needed to buy all 4 new strut mounts? I only ask because this is some expensive rubber a piece looking on rockauto $32.79 for a single mount or a pair?

 

I'm replacing my blown struts with the GR-2 I take it when I replace the bellows I need to replace the bump stop as well?

[idosubaru]

i wouldn't buy all new strut mounts.

 

you can buy loaded struts that come as a complete assembly ready to bolt on. sounds like you want a specific brand though which is probably why you're not going this route. i bought a rear one for a friends car at $84.99.

[bstone]

i wouldn't buy all new strut mounts.

 

you can buy loaded struts that come as a complete assembly ready to bolt on. sounds like you want a specific brand though which is probably why you're not going this route. i bought a rear one for a friends car at $84.99.

 

Loaded with GR-2 doesn't exist. I called KYB and begged them to do this. They said it didn't exist. I had to buy OE coils and KYB struts, bellows boots and mounts and put them all together at the shop. I got one of the senior mechanics to help me and it is a 2 person job putting it in and getting the bolts to line up and put the nuts on them in the car.

[porcupine73]

If the existing mounts aren't too rusty they can be reused, especially the rears. Usually I replace them because my soobs are rusty and I am in it for the long haul. The fronts especially since there is that bearing in there for the steering. The genuine bumpers are expesnive, like $25 each. But I did see rockauto had some including new boots I think for less than that.

 

I'm about to do this job on all four struts on my '94, but I am planning to reuse as many components as possible on this job so save $. Hopefully the mounts aren't in too bad a shape.

[Fairtax4me]

Unless they're falling apart just reuse them.

Check the front mounts for play in the bearing by spinning/twisting rocking the top hat and if none is found slap 'em on the new struts and go. If the boots are cracked buy some generic shock boots from the auto parts store and zip tie them in place. Some even come in different colors!

[lmdew]

I always watch at the yard for a car that has newer KYB struts. $35 each its a steal.

 

I trashed good rust free top hats a week ago.

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are the mounts just a damper of some sort?

 

I think my mounts are rusty.. but I can't tell if it's just a one piece rubber with the 3 threaded bolts or what but while doing my ball joint I happen to look up at one of them (can't remember which side) but it was the front and I noticed rust so I'd take it that's the top hat, no?

[Fairtax4me]

The mount consists of the top hat (the part that has the 3 studs sticking up)

molded to a rubber bushing with a hole in the middle for the strut shaft to go through, and for the front struts a bearing gets thrown in between all that so they can swivel.

 

There might be a cover in the center of the top hat (if it hasn't been lost) You remove that to see the nut that holds the strut shaft in the mount. (Don't try to remove that nut without a spring compressor or you'll get a face full of spring.)

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So what's this rusted piece I saw or was it something else? I know how to remove the strut and all and anyone who removes it from the nut only is asking to go to the hospital.

 

Here is the incorrect way to remove a spring...

 

 

action starts at 1:10

[Fairtax4me]

I dunno, take a picture?

[porcupine73]

You can also add grease to the bearings for the front if desired. I was working on this job on my '94 today. Both front springs were broken near the top, so I removed the strut nuts before lifting the vehicle off the ground. Then the tension was all off the spring so I didn't have to mess around with the spring compressors for disassembly. I checked the springs very carefully before messing around with it. I think if the springs hand't been broken already, this method would have been too risky to attempt.

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my springs are not broken.. I have new rear GR-2 shocks in my closet I just need to get the fronts plus some lowering springs.

 

I will grab a shot of the area in question tomorrow.

 

thank god for vacation

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man I must of been high off of all that PB blaster because I dunno what the hell I saw that night that looked like rust

 

[samneric]

man I must of been high off of all that PB blaster because I dunno what the hell I saw that night that looked like rust

 

 

I like the shiney rotors

 

Mine don't look quite so nice!

 

Steve

[porcupine73]

haha sometimes in the rust belt everything on a soob just takes on a rust tinge in the mind's eye, even if it's a new part. The red bumper looks like it's in kind of rough shape, but those really only come into play if you bottom out the suspension. Those red bumpers might not be original; all the original ones on soobs I've seen are a like a white polyurethane that seems to hold up quite well.

[1-3-2-4]

haha sometimes in the rust belt everything on a soob just takes on a rust tinge in the mind's eye, even if it's a new part. The red bumper looks like it's in kind of rough shape, but those really only come into play if you bottom out the suspension. Those red bumpers might not be original; all the original ones on soobs I've seen are a like a white polyurethane that seems to hold up quite well.

 

 

haha yeah hmm the strut says Subaru Sun something.. some weird name I had not planned on reusing the boot or the bumper

 

And the rotors they have only been on the car for about 2 weeks

[porcupine73]

Actually yes the bumpers i believe are originally white. I was disassembling my '94 and was surprised to see bumpers that same color. But I think it's just because they are oxidized and deteriorated. So I ordered the KYB bellows kits. Which I think I need anyway because the Outback struts are longer.

[1-3-2-4]

really they can change color? that's new to me..

 

I wonder can a strut be so blown after you remove it and the spring will the strut collapse? The left rear I know is gone any body movement and it makes this slight sound I wont take that on until next month because I wanted to get the lowering springs and the front struts at the same time along with new bellows and bumpers.

 

Question is how will I retain the toe aliment after removing and replacing? are the marks on the bolt?

[porcupine73]

really they can change color? that's new to me..

Sure man, why just the other day this cat was telling me he was taking apart a '91 and they came out tie dye. haha just kidding. I don't think they changed color like that. Mine look like they were white but they oxidized and maybe got some rust color on them. They're not quite as dark as yours. It's like when something white is exposed to cigarette smoke long enough it turns brownish, that's sort of what it seems like happened to them.

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I wonder can a strut be so blown after you remove it and the spring will the strut collapse?

Yes. My fronts are doing that. The struts even when new don't exert a ton of force upward. Because that is not their purpose. The spring is to hold the weight of the vehicle; the strut is simply to dampen movement.

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Question is how will I retain the toe aliment after removing and replacing? are the marks on the bolt?

There are marks on the bolts on the front, but that is for camber. And if you're changing height they aren't going to be the same setting afterward anyway. Toe you shouldn't have to worry about if everything is the same height. Even raising or lowering a little toe doesn't have to be a big issue, but it can change because of suspension geometry. I.e. the wheel moving up and down doesn't always move up and down in a perfect arc.

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Yeah old bumpers I've always seen were like a brownish color when old.. I guess Subaru back in those days got a good deal on red

 

and yes I understand about how a strut works but given my left rear has pretty much leaked out all it's oil should I expect it to retract on it's own when I take the spring off?

 

last year driving in snow was horrid hitting a snow rut was a hellish ride and not great A/S tires did not help that matter

[porcupine73]

It will probably retract on its own, but just from the weight of the strut rod pushing down on itself. My '94s did this when I removed the strut to mount nut, they just under their own weight slowly collapsed into themselves.

 

Hey on the new struts make sure to do the air purging procedure before assembling it, and then do not lie it down on its side after you purge it. I've had a few new GR-2's that you could feel the looseness that purging then fixed.

[1-3-2-4]

It will probably retract on its own, but just from the weight of the strut rod pushing down on itself. My '94s did this when I removed the strut to mount nut, they just under their own weight slowly collapsed into themselves.

 

Hey on the new struts make sure to do the air purging procedure before assembling it, and then do not lie it down on its side after you purge it. I've had a few new GR-2's that you could feel the looseness that purging then fixed.

 

Yep I got that all worked out I purged them again day before yesterday as they have been in the closet upright since I got them.

 

I also cut the notch in the side with my air cutter for the brake line the day I got them. I was asking a few months ago making sure like 4 times to make sure WRX lowering springs would work with my tophats.

 

Since I'm going to go a good deal lower When I want to have some offroad fun I was thinking would it be a hassle to keep Outback struts on hand when I want to raise the car?

[porcupine73]

Ah yes cutting the notches, that does make it a lot easier. I was working on that on my '94 too. Then I use stainless steel safety wire to secure the brake lines back onto the strut.

 

You could keep the original Outback struts on hand if you want to swap them out from time to time to get more height for playing off road. I would consider only really if you had the entire strut assembly kept together. It's already going to be some amount of work to swap out four strut assemblies. But if you're disassembling the strut assemblies to get the top hats and other bits I think that would be way too much hassle.

 

All this talk is making me so excited that it's Friday and I'll be able to work on this project over the weekend!

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I would keep the whole strut assembly as one would the forester struts provide more lift then an outback?

[porcupine73]

I'm not really sure which ones provide the most lift out of the Outback / Forester / Baja options. My original thoughts were they are all pretty close. But what I will do right now is check the KYB catalog and see what part #'s they list. If the part #'s are the same then they woudl be the same height. If the part #'s are different they might be different heights.