Strut Top mounts replaced... but 'stop shells' protrude ?

[raymor]

Does anyone know whats gone wrong ?

I just changed my top mounts a few weeks ago, but when rechecking the torque settings after they had settled I was alarmed to see that the stop shell was sitting about 5mm above the turret ?

I removed both struts to check in case I had assembled incorrectly, but no... everything seems ok. One of the removed top mounts was fairly recent judging by the look of the green paint on it, so I compared them.

On examining the blue and the green side by side. The green mounting felt firmer. I could move the top lip of the blue mount by about 3mm where as I could just only move the green one. I reassembled one side with the old green mount and sure enough the gap decreased to about 2 mm.

I need to get the alignment done, but don't want to until the stop shell fits flush, as I imagine it should. Should the front wheels clear the ground completely in my 'pipe and slippers' wagon, it would cause the stop shell to clatter against the turret, (I'm sure it's caused the knocking noise to re-appear.)

Anyone seen this before ? Something simple I hope.

Raymond :confused:

[Doug_RS2]

This is normal (I hope ) . Mine does this and previous cars have been like this - it's just that you don't usually see it becasue of the black caps on top of the struts.

I did notice one was sitting a bit higher at the Billing meet but that was probably due to sitting on uneven ground - I will check mine though and measure how high they protrude.

Doug

[raymor]

Cheers Doug

Any idea why the gap is there ? When you raise the car off the ground they drop, as they would..... just seems like must be a reason for it.

[s2avant]

The caps are only really there to stop the struts falling out when the wheels are off the ground. The suspension itself relies on the weight of the car to hold it in while its on the ground. As simplified as it sounds this is the same arrangement that was used in all VW and Audi's for years. Nowadays struts are bolted to the top strut area, although a lot of cars still use the old arrangement.

I've at one time or another changed the top mounts on every car I've owned and all have had one cap sit higher than the other at some point. It always used to concern me till I sat down and looked at how the front suspension on VAG cars works. It helps when your supplying parts every day. I'm sure Martyn will confirm that sitting in front of ETKA all day means you soon learn how everything fits together, although it can make you a bit of a geek

As long as the top mounts are on as far possible (AFAIK they should be at the bottom of the threads on the strut) and the springs are mounted on the plates properly then it's not a problem. You will get them to sit down a bit further if you tighten then up with the front suspension compressed (i.e sit in the engine bay) but it won't make a huge difference. I think VAG may have started fitting the black covers so that customers wouldn't think their cars were falling to bits.

Ben

[audiman]

Heres a pic of mine.. sorry its a bit blurry done in a hurry just for you lot.

[s2driveruk]

Mine are the same - checked after having new 'blues' fitted to the fronts last week!

David

[raymor]

Phew..Cheers Guys. If thats normal thats fine. I'll need to do a little more detective work to find out what the intermittent knocking noise is coming from the NS front, but thats one thing I can discount...

Raymond

[Doug_RS2]

When was the last time the wishbone bushes were changed?

[audiman]

Check ARB drop link and bottom ball joint for wear. Its very rare but i have come across shock absorbers that make knocking noises when going over bumps.

Also worth checking. Does the noise go away if you place your foot very gentle on the brake pedal? If it does then suspect caliper mounting pins to be worn.

[SteveH]

Tom, from the pic of your front suspension turret, it looks like your strut brace isn't bolted up tight:eek2: Probably due to all the gearbox eating torque you have twisting the bodyshell

[S2central.net]

Yep - the gap at the top of the upper strut mount caps is normal. Twas the same on my old Type85 Coupe (wherever she is now)

Paul

[s2driveruk]

Steve,

Funny you should mention that cos i thought the same - just figured Tom had managed to find a suitable location for a super charger there and was in the process of removing the strut

David.

P.S. Paul - did you sell your coupe in the end then....? Hmm, am actually thinking of getting an old five pot coupe as my daily driver to give me the time to play with the s2 without the problems of bolting her back together on a sunday night ready for the commute...

[audiman]

Nah, the reason its like that is because my battery is too tall and the terminals would touch the strut brace if i didn't use some washers to space it out a bit!!! Not good.

Dont talk to me about gearboxes

[raymor]

Well, I managed to suss out what the annoying clanging knock was.

I've just changed dampers, wishbone bushes and springs recently and I had to cut the threaded strut cap off due to corrosion and grit blasted it nice and clean. Looks as though the coppaslip + not enough torque applied through the 'C' spanner to the super cleaned thread caused the new cap to work loose, doh !

The damper was moving up and down inside the strut housing causing the banging.... not pleasant given the that the suspension should have been 'knock free'

Ahhh, the sound of knock free suspension

thanks guys

Raymond

[audiman]

Originally posted by audiman
Its very rare but i have come across shock absorbers that make knocking noises when going over bumps.

I love it when im right!!!