anatomy of EA82 strut top needed

[jono]

OK. On closer inspection the EA82 strut tops on the front struts, are not symetrical as far as a triangular symmetry goes.

 

I was planning on just installing the EA82 strut top in my EA81 by drilling a few holes, adding reinforcement washers, shove the EA82 struts in and away I go.

 

Much closer inspection shows the tops have a rake to them when viewed from normal underside, and I am guessing the rake is ramped up at the back fitting end - again, if a triangle can have a back end.

 The rake is more from two stud points down to one stud point, so is starting to suggest the fatter section sets towards rear of tower, not side ? well, there are some angles seen in L strut towers !w

 

I loosely inspected the distances of each of the three studs to see they at least measure up equidistant around the triangle and from the centre,

 

The only hole drilled so far, is likely the wrong one in an old rough mount.

 

In keeping with the strut mount centre being more rearward for the 4WD position, rather than the FWD forward position (gained by spinning EA81 strut mount around) I was planning to mount the EA82 strut mount using the single EA81 strut mount hole, make two new ones to the front. This self inspired method is reverse of how they are in the no adjustment for 4WD or FWD mount positions in EA82 bodies. Is also opposite how another member did it.

 

Think I am beat - will have to use the forward mounting position as in FWD, but in 4WD AND will have to work out which way the mount sits underside of the strut tower. I might get FWD handling in my 4WD !!

 

Does anyone recall the EA82 strut tops only fitting in one way in the triangular bolt pattern ?

 

The factory manuals give no indication. edit - the Gregories manual says to mark the orientation of the strut mount before removal ! This suggests two things 1, that it can fit back incorrectly and 2, there is something in its position

 

I have only ever pulled struts out of EA82

 

Also threw out a strut top thinking it was of no use due to a broken stud ! Know better now !

 

Any of your experience or knowledge shared in here in this topic will be appreciated

Edited December 28, 2014 by jono

[rdweninger]

If you look at the round top of the EA82 strut part that receives the top of the spring ... there will be a stamp mark indicating  "OUT".     You might have to clean that piece up to see the stamp.  

[jono]

very privy info you reveal there thanks

 

you know what ? I did see the word OUT stamped on top of the top spring 'cup' and it was on the inner side of the strut. Yeah, go figure !

The mystery continues, as there is a hard wearing sticker on the struts indicating their position on the vehicle, by way of va basic car diagram and red circle on a corner. The one with left front corner came out of a right front corner of an L Sedan.

 

The positioning of the strut is governed by the non ambidextrous nature of the retaining bracket at the strut base, using the short M10 bolt.

I think some clever parts list uses the left from one similar vehicle for a right for the EA82/L Series and vice versa !

 

The design of the spring coi determines where it sits and end result is top spring cup sits around opposite side !

 

The detail in the strut tops themselves has been resolved.

 

To look at an EA81 two stud strut top you can see a definite angle of their construction when viewed side on. They at least have lots of decent stampings to show which way they fit in which set ups - one way for 4WD, the other way on opposite side for FWD.

The tri stud EA82 top mount is a little more of a stuy from side on to determine just how different it is.

 

There is only 2mm in it. Best measured with strut top in place on the strut, spin it to measure each of the three points, to find the one different, two same points. The different point is the one that fits to the lonely hole at the front of the EA82 strut tower.

A closer study of the strut tops top bits when still fitted in the tower can also determine if the blighter has been installed correctly.

 

The very central cylindrical section that the bearing dust cap sits in is top square to the rest of the strut centre valve piston rod thing. The rest of the strut top is not square to the rest of the strut mount. I think there are some differently constructed mounts made by different suppliers or different years. One, you need to keep the dust cap in place, use a flat straight edge rule across the two sides of central cylinder and swing it around over the three rubber castle tops in the direction of each stud. You will see a difference in the clearance between your straight edge and the top side of the castle top. Other designs might need the dust cap removed. Find the odd clearance out and that one is usually pointing to the front of the car.

 

Someone in here had beast that refused to steer or straighten up - tried swapping replacing all sorts of things - I am wondering if the strut top was the cause. I found that just to hang the strut from its three studs, and turn it to steer left or right, it would self centre to straight ahead when in certain positions. Stick the strut top in wrongly up top may cause car to try to self centre the wrong way !!