[banditsc]

My right front wheel was clunking, I found it to be the wheel bearing. I tightened it up and it seems to be better, but haven't test drove it yet. But while I was in there I noticed my strut, the boot is in pieces and the rubber stop is trashed and is not sitting on the top. Is this an issue that I should fix? I'm guessing I would need to order a new boot and rubber stop, which are probably dealer parts. The strut seems fine, there is no bounce to it and its still feels very tight. The car is a 94 Cab with about 75k on the clock.







Thanks,

Josh

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[flash]

the rubber boot is the bump stop for the front - it looks like you have been bottoming out to crack it that badly - that is about the worst i've seen yet - your struts could be shot - if they are original, it is very likely - they are beyond their age expectancy, regardless of mileage



sitting still, if you can get the front end moving up and down, and then release and it goes more than one and a half moves, your struts are toast

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[banditsc]

The car is new to me as of about two months ago, so not sure of the complete history, other then I'm the third owner and the second owner bought it as a CPO and only had it worked on at the Porsche dealer it was bought at.



The left strut boot looks a lot better and the rubber stop looks good and is still attacthed to the top. The right side the stop is to dried up and to cracked to be able to stay at the top, it just drops back to the bottom. When I push up and down on the front end (which takes some effort) it doesn't bounce at all after I stop.



When I saw that I figured it might be time for struts, it's just that they feel perfectly fine. I guess it's time for the koni coversion. I looked up the retail on the rubber stop and boot and it was only like $12 and $20 so that isn't to bad.







[quote name='flash' date='Sep 18 2006, 03:35 PM']the rubber boot is the bump stop for the front - it looks like you have been bottoming out to crack it that badly - that is about the worst i've seen yet - your struts could be shot - if they are original, it is very likely - they are beyond their age expectancy, regardless of mileage



sitting still, if you can get the front end moving up and down, and then release and it goes more than one and a half moves, your struts are toast

[right][post="26184"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]

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[banditsc]

After putting it back down on the ground and giving the front right tire a pull back and forth the play is still there, less but there. So I guess it's time for wheel bearings to. Of course the left side is till good, but might as well change that to.

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[flash]

well, before you go too crazy, try a hard brake stop - get up to about 15mph and nail the brakes - see how far the front end dips - if you feel the back end coming up on you and the nose really diving, the struts are probably gone - if it brakes pretty evenly, then you may be ok - running down the road, it should feel pretty solid, with not much oscillating up and down, and certainly no difference front to rear



the boot could have just gooten hit with some chemical (like brake kleen) that would eat the rubber, but it's hard to tell from a picture



if it turns out to just be the boots/stops, i may be able to help you out - i have an OEM pair here doing nothing

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[banditsc]

I just took it out for a drive and there doesn't appear to really be any front end dive when I jump on the brakes. It stays pretty level. Do you know if that boot and stop can be repalced without pulling the whole assembly out, like could it be dropped in from the top? I've never dug into a stru assembly on these cars, so not sure how it's all put together. I am going to have to do some wrenching anyways to replace the front wheel bearing anyways.

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[flash]

you will have to compress the coil spring, but yes, it can be done with the strut still in the car - no alignment needed

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[flash]

p.s. - you will also probably have to disconnect the sway bar from the control arm to get the control arm to lower enough to swing the top of the strut out so you can change the boot



you will need a compressor and an impact wrench to do this job

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[chris]

Honestly, I would be surprised if a wheel bearing was causing the clunking....has the the clunking gone away now?

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[banditsc]

[quote name='chris' date='Sep 18 2006, 06:27 PM']Honestly, I would be surprised if a wheel bearing was causing the clunking....has the the clunking gone away now?

[right][post="26191"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



The clunk hasn't gone away. If I grab the top of the tire while it's on the ground and pull it back and forth I can feel play and here a clunk. I looked thru the rest of the bushings on that side and they all appear to be good. The camber block bushing was replaced on that side, the drivers side appears to have not been. One is shiny new while the other isn't. The wheel bearing was my best guess at the clunk and play in the wheel.

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[flash]

ruh roh - now you need to get it up in the air, wheels hanging, and see if the shaft is moving in the strut - grab the wheel at 12 o'clock and have your finger on the strut shaft, and pull back and forth - there should be absolutely no movement - thsi is easier with a second person doing the shaking and you feeling the shaft (hmmm - that sounded like a dirty joke)

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[banditsc]

That was getting a bit dirty..



I will give that a shot tomorrow, I already had that side apart today to adjust the wheel bearing..



So the shaft that you are referring to, is that the actual strut cylinder? If that moves, I guess I am back to replacing the struts. When I had the bearing cap off and the locking nut off, I could have sworn I say movement in the bearings when I was rocking the hub.





[quote name='flash' date='Sep 18 2006, 07:11 PM']ruh roh - now you need to get it up in the air, wheels hanging, and see if the shaft is moving in the strut - grab the wheel at 12  o'clock and have your finger on the strut shaft, and pull back and forth - there should be absolutely no movement - thsi is easier with a second person doing the shaking and you feeling the shaft (hmmm - that sounded like a dirty joke)

[right][post="26193"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]

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[Ceenit]

Sounds like a spring seat (a rubber bushing that sits on top of the strut where it meets the top frame mount). A broken or cracked spring seat will allow play in the strut and cause clunks and squeeks.



Not difficult to replace, but it does require removing the spring and strut. The good news is that you can replace the bump stop and the dust boot at the same time.

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[flash]

the shaft i am referring to is the strut shaft that goes into the strut housing (the approximately 1" diameter shaft) - it should not move at all left to rigth or forward and back - with the wheel dropped, and therefore that shaft extended, you should have adequte leveage to have someone jerk he wheel around and find out if the shaft moves - it won't take much movement to make a racket (thousandths of a inch will do it)

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[flash]

the shaft i am referring to is the strut shaft that goes into the strut housing (the approximately 1" diameter shaft) - it should not move at all left to rigth or forward and back - with the wheel dropped, and therefore that shaft extended, you should have adequte leveage to have someone jerk he wheel around and find out if the shaft moves - it won't take much movement to make a racket (thousandths of a inch will do it)

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[flash]

the shaft i am referring to is the strut shaft that goes into the strut housing (the approximately 1" diameter shaft) - it should not move at all left to rigth or forward and back - with the wheel dropped, and therefore that shaft extended, you should have adequte leveage to have someone jerk he wheel around and find out if the shaft moves - it won't take much movement to make a racket (thousandths of a inch will do it)

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[banditsc]

[quote name='Ceenit' date='Sep 18 2006, 08:29 PM']Sounds like a spring seat (a rubber bushing that sits on top of the strut where it meets the top frame mount).  A broken or cracked spring seat will allow play in the strut and cause clunks and squeeks. 



Not difficult to replace, but it does require removing the spring and strut.  The good news is that you can replace the bump stop and the dust boot at the same time.

[right][post="26196"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]



Ouch, that's a 377 dollar part. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/ohmy.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> Sadly it's a $35 part for the pre 87 cars..

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[Ceenit]

There are actually two pieces, the spring seat, and the spring seat bushing. The bushing is just a big rubber grommet and usually not to expensive. This is the part that is a tyipcal wear item. The spring seat itself is the mounting bracket, this piece is more expensive but less prone to wearing out.



Hopefully is is just the spring seat bushing

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[banditsc]

I jacked it up again and tried to rock it back and forth and feel the strut shaft and I don't think I felt any play there. I could feel a clunk, but I think that it was just a projection from where it really is. I also tried pulling back and forth on the strut cylinder and I didn't get any play there. I'm really thinking wheel bearing now as it defiantly takes more force to get it to start moving and clunking after I tightened up the bearing. I'm pretty sure it's a lot tighter then it should be to.

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[banditsc]

Update....



I finished replacing the wheel bearings on that side, I figured it was only $50 for a set of bearing for both sides, so why not. The bearing didn't look bad, probably could have gotten away with a re-pack. I put it all back together and the play is still there. I was pretty much expecting that.



So I pulled the tire again, and this time I pulled the strut out. With the strut out I can feel some play in the cylinder when I move it back and forth. I can also push the cylinder all the way down without much force and it will stay there for a second or two then slowly move back up. So I take it's time for new struts. I really couldn't tell the condition of the upper strut mount, it looks ok to me, no obvious issue jumping out at me.



Do you concur that it's time for new struts? I'm guessing the Koni yellow conversion would be the best route?





Thanks,

Josh

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