The Correct Way To Inspect The Strut Bearings

**surfinjoe** · 06-05-2008, 09:02 AM

Does anyone have the correct way to inspect the strut bearings? I have this damn shake from 70+ that won't go away. I have checked or replaced everything and have not had any luck getting it to stop.

**Tide** · 06-05-2008, 10:37 AM

Jack it up on jackstands to free up the front wheels, with the steering wheel locked, give the wheels a good tug. Any looseness, slack, or play?

**Sarge** · 06-05-2008, 02:10 PM

Open your hood....rock your car back and forth and look to see if the strut bushings move.....

**Tide** · 06-06-2008, 10:23 AM

Or simply, that too

**surfinjoe** · 06-06-2008, 11:01 AM

Wow Sarge, you know a trick for everything. This makes me think that you have done a lot of work to your suspension

**Sarge** · 06-06-2008, 01:55 PM

Got that right....As I mentioned when you first started this shaking thread.....I bet it is the strut rod bushings/radius rod bushings ( front and rear).....hell you can never balance shit when those POS OEM bushings are allowing your wheel to wander all over hell and back...

**PartsGedder** · 06-10-2008, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by surfinjoe

Does anyone have the correct way to inspect the strut bearings? I have this damn shake from 70+ that won't go away. I have checked or replaced everything and have not had any luck getting it to stop.

Have you replaced the factory strut mounts?

**Silver Streak** · 06-10-2008, 07:00 PM

Hmm.. I've been fighting the same thing for the last year... just hit 118k.. stock front struts... new CHEAP monroe rear shocks... but aftermarket LCAs, PHR, TQ Arm, steel D/S, 12 bolt, and crossmember. Installed them all at once.. so I was thinking more toward the aftermarket stuff..

What $$ are we looking at here?

**PartsGedder** · 06-10-2008, 08:18 PM

Originally Posted by Silver Streak

Hmm.. I've been fighting the same thing for the last year... just hit 118k.. stock front struts... new CHEAP monroe rear shocks... but aftermarket LCAs, PHR, TQ Arm, steel D/S, 12 bolt, and crossmember. Installed them all at once.. so I was thinking more toward the aftermarket stuff..

What $$ are we looking at here?

It depends one what you want the car to do. Straight line, daily driver, twisties, etc. Do you want rake? Dropped? Just fix the jello they call oe bushes?

**surfinjoe** · 06-11-2008, 04:42 AM

Originally Posted by PartsGedder

Have you replaced the factory strut mounts?

I did not replace the factory strut mounts. I would like to know that they are bad before I spend the $$ on them. As I have already said, I have replaced every other bushing that is prone to failure without much results. I would like to determine the root cause before I replace another part.

I have tried the old shake the car back and forth method. Any other thoughts on checking the strut mounts/bearings?

**PartsGedder** · 06-11-2008, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by surfinjoe

I did not replace the factory strut mounts. I would like to know that they are bad before I spend the $$ on them. As I have already said, I have replaced every other bushing that is prone to failure without much results. I would like to determine the root cause before I replace another part.

I have tried the old shake the car back and forth method. Any other thoughts on checking the strut mounts/bearings?

You need to remove the strut plate to inspect the mount. Cracks in the inner edges of the mount or an elongated hole where the center ferule is located are good indications of failure. Take a deep 24mm socket and tighten the nut on the mount. It should have some spring back after a 1/4 turn after being fully tightened.

**surfinjoe** · 06-13-2008, 04:45 AM

Originally Posted by PartsGedder

You need to remove the strut plate to inspect the mount. Cracks in the inner edges of the mount or an elongated hole where the center ferule is located are good indications of failure. Take a deep 24mm socket and tighten the nut on the mount. It should have some spring back after a 1/4 turn after being fully tightened.

Yea, I tried that but I didn't see any excessive movement. Good news is that because I hit that pot hole, my insurance will pay for the repairs including fixing the shake