Strut bearing help!!

[Hengro]

Ok, so I've just had a terrible last few days - I though I'd change over my suspension myself to save a few bucks... bad idea. At first I put in the rear shocks and springs with no trouble, drove around a little, about 50k's to get tools etc and then put in my front struts and springs. When doing my left front strut the strut bearing broke apart, but I just put all the little balls back in and greased it up as people on this forum had recommended. It seems to drive fine. When I got my wheel allignment I had to fork out an extra $160 for new rear tyres as they were bald on the inside due to me driving on my rear suspension, and now that i've had a few days with this setup my front left strut has started creaking.

Basically, my question is, how essential is having a perfectly operational strut bearing as I don't really have the time, money or patience to take my struts apart again and put in a new one. Will it wear my car? or just make the creaking noise. also, if i do just drop the strut and put in a new bearing will i need another wheel alignment? Thanks in advance!

[timmysvs]

front struts are a pain if you start playing around with them yourself, if you dont know much about them, take it into the shop, and let them do it,

[Adds_05]

not exactly sure if it will destroy anything else (id imagine it will) but you will need another alignment if your take the strut out again...

[Hengro]

ok, thanks mate, I feared the worst, haha.

[Sabbath']

I've been driving with no strut bearing in my VT for 5,000km. You'll be right.

[Hengro]

oh ok, awesome because i have a free wheel alignment in 3 months so i'll just do it then pretty sick of looking at the bottom of my wheel guard, haha

[Krilnik]

Driving with no strut bearing? Is that safe???

[jzt4kikz]

If your doing this on a budget mate set up an Sai tool which when your wheel is removed bolts onto your flange against your disk (as your wheel normally would) and make it touch your strut just and keep it saved then remove your strut seeing it sounds like it lowered and your bearings stuffed undo the 24mm nut on the ground and put it back with your new bearing on the ground also no spring compressors or a shop needed if it's lowered - once the wheel is removed all u need to undo is x2 22/19mm bolt and nuts, a 14 mm link pin nut and the 24mm strut top nut and possibly the x2 19mm caliper bolts if your strut bolts are facing the wrong way - for 10bux I'll give u the bearing or 20for 2

[azzaholic]

use this how to brett_jjj

How to replace the front struts.

[Hengro]

for 10bux I'll give u the bearing or 20for 2

For sure man, I'd be happy to buy your bearings off of you. Holden quoted me 30 - are yours in good condition? Also, i'm in SA so that might be a problem :/. I might just drop the whole strut out again next chance i get and change it over - the noise is pretty minimal and she seems to turn ok but I'd rather know everything on my car is safe