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[petec]

Hi all,

Simple question hopefully, with the front strut removed from the car should the top bearing be free to turn or very stiff. 

I am just replacing my struts and didn't think to check this before dismantling. The bearings and mount are ok and I greased the bearing before reassembly but the top mount is now quite hard to turn by hand so there must be quite a lot of preload on the bearing which doesn't seem right. Dont want to get it all together then have to strip them out again if there is a problem.

thanks

[petec]

Any views anyone?

You can turn the top mount with one hand, just, but it certainly doesn't turn freely.

 Presumably there will be more friction when the shocker is unloaded as the spring will be fully extending the damper rod and there is bound to be some friction against its end stop/seals etc. I am pretty sure I reassembled the strut correctly, washers the right way up, springs sitting in correct recesses, damper rod nut torqued to 65nm.

Dont want to get geometry all sorted then have to rebuild the top mounts

 ta

[freecall666]

 I think it would be fine if there was no problem with it before and you have greased it up should be fine, there is a lot of pressure on the bearing.

[petec]

thanks for that,
 just coming to a similar conclusion, tried turning damper rod on an old strut without the spring. If fully extended its hard to turn but push it in a little and it turns easily. Think that is the resisitance I was feeling.

Car must think it's having a birthday, just fitted new control arms, new front and rear shocks, new rear springs and a master cylinder. Just need to get geometry and tracking sorted now.

[feeutfo]

While the strut is off, it's worth checking the top mount barings aren't pitted and re grease them.
It means compressing the spring, but pays dividends later.

They are stiff to turn, proportionate to the compression of the spring rate and length loading the baring. But if the baring is pitted, that will restrict movement further.

[petec]

I checked the bearings and regreased them before putting springs back on so they should be ok

[feeutfo]

So you did, on re reading. All fine then.