vs strut top anger :(

[jas98]

well a while ago i decided to change me strut tops and bearings while i changed me front struts. turned out the ones i got (strut tops) were shit and flogged out withing less then a week. so then i got some other brand ones (still rubber) and they lasted up untill bout a week ago as today i finally deiced to find out why me car wasn't handling as good as it used to yep sure enogh the left one has totally come apart (****ed) again...however teh right one is still half decent bt not the best.

now in allot of my posts about neoprene i say i wouldnt use it for teh strut tops however i have had enough of the rubber ones flogging out so i lashed out the $$$ and got teh neoprene strut tops and bearings for it and waiting for then to come in as the shop didnt have any in stock

why the **** do they keep breaking? i only had this car for about 7-8 months now and this has happened 3 times...also car is lowerd bt only on lows and yeh all other suspension bushings and tie rods, ball joisnts are brand new

i do drive it hard and take corners pretty hard but only lately as when it happened teh first time i drove teh car pretty granny style

cheers

[hako]

At a guess I'd say your shocks do not have enough travel due to lowering - this causes them to bottom and destroy the strut top/bearings. I know FE2 shocks are different to standard as the car sits lower so if your's are still standard that may be your problem.
Regards.

[ephect]

wouldnt have a clue, but i just enquired today about some standard rubber strut tops and the strut top bearing. now i would like to stay rubber coz when urethane goes it goes, where rubber just stretches a little.
Jas98: holden list just the bearing and the rubber all as seperate parts.. i thought it was all in one jobby. were ur replacements all genuine or aftermarket? was it just the rubber part or a full struttop?

interested to hear some theories mainly on topic at hand.

[jas98]

At a guess I'd say your shocks do not have enough travel due to lowering - this causes them to bottom and destroy the strut top/bearings. I know FE2 shocks are different to standard as the car sits lower so if your's are still standard that may be your problem.
Regards.

yeh thast what i was told by the (pretty helpful) guy at tyrepower today...bt was also told by a few other shops that it doesnt really matter as i have only gone to fe2 height etc....bt ill look into it as i was thinking the same. however when it broke the first time the suspension was standard height

cheers

[jas98]

wouldnt have a clue, but i just enquired today about some standard rubber strut tops and the strut top bearing. now i would like to stay rubber coz when urethane goes it goes, where rubber just stretches a little.
Jas98: holden list just the bearing and the rubber all as seperate parts.. i thought it was all in one jobby. were ur replacements all genuine or aftermarket? was it just the rubber part or a full struttop?

interested to hear some theories mainly on topic at hand.

yep thast correct, on the VS there is a strut top rubber mount then there the bearing that sits in it, so 2 separate parts. holden wanted $44 each for the rubber mounts and around 35 each for the bearings which would have worked out to just under 160 buks...and the neoprene kit was 187 so not allot of difference. The ones in there now were makay brand normal rubber which i was told were the same as genuine.

with the ones on there now it has completely come apart ...i.e hasn't stretched lol i could jst be unlucky and have gotten some other faulty ones (as first ones i had were faulty) but i doubt it


just s u have an idea of what the mound and bearing look like check out the link...this is the kit im getting http://cgi.ebay.com/COMMODORE-URETHA...3286.m20.l1116

[VrWagz1]

did you have much trouble pulling the struts out, i gotta do my passenger side strut tops but it looks like too much of a job that im willing to put the effort into.

[ScoHar]

did you have much trouble pulling the struts out, i gotta do my passenger side strut tops but it looks like too much of a job that im willing to put the effort into.

na its not a problem, just remember where all the bolts go and what order the top is.

[jas98]

allot easier doing them on a vr/vs then a vn/vp lol

as for my problem i have to wait till next week to get the tops as i forgot tommorow is a holiday haha, i also gonna get some shortened front struts.....do it once do it right they say...wish i belived that teh first time i did it:P

cheers

[greenacc]

not having a go at you JAS98 mate, but Neoprene is a type of rubber. I think yo mean Nolathane, which is polyurethane.. the red ones.

[jas98]

not having a go at you JAS98 mate, but Neoprene is a type of rubber. I think yo mean Nolathane, which is polyurethane.. the red ones.

lol (*slaps self*) your right there they are nolathane.

i get confused sometimes haha

anyway me vs will be off teh road untill parts arrive etc....which will be about a week and to top it off im on holidays from me work and have to drive the vr wagon....which is still a bloddy dam good car but yeh not like teh vs

ill get a pic of the stuffed mount when i replace them
cheers

[Tas_HSV]

why not just get kmac adjustable strut tops?got them in mine and never had an issue....

[ephect]

yep thast correct, on the VS there is a strut top rubber mount then there the bearing that sits in it, so 2 separate parts. holden wanted $44 each for the rubber mounts and around 35 each for the bearings which would have worked out to just under 160 buks...and the neoprene kit was 187 so not allot of difference. The ones in there now were makay brand normal rubber which i was told were the same as genuine.

with the ones on there now it has completely come apart ...i.e hasn't stretched lol i could jst be unlucky and have gotten some other faulty ones (as first ones i had were faulty) but i doubt it


just s u have an idea of what the mound and bearing look like check out the link...this is the kit im getting COMMODORE URETHANE STRUT TOPS VR VS VT VX VY VZ NEW - eBay (item 270278722769 end time May-20-09 05:13:22 PDT)

Yeap thanks mate, i should be doin this, this week, got my shocks from GSL Rally sport today, so i'll do the whole strut just need to get some genuine rubber ones strut top n bearings.