Greg86andahalf

I've read the archives, I have the manuals and PET.

I'm installing new upper strut bearings along with new a-arm bushings and Koni adj. yellows.

The car's on the lift, (front suspension un-loaded) When I torque the top strut nut down, the upper spring perch binds and the strut assy. won't pivot. If I loosen the top nut, the strut pivots, but the nut is turning on the top plate, working itself loose.

I'm confused.

As I understand things, starting at the spring, the top spring perch should contact the removable spacer which is inserted into the replacement strut bearing. This puts the small surface of the spacer in contact with the spring perch. ??

The strut bearing fits into the upper mounting plate (4-studded mount) . The inverted plate fits into the mounting plate from above the plate, then the large strut nut is tightened??

What is supposed to contact the strut bearing from above?? The way I'm doing it, the inverted plate may contact the top of the bearing and the nut is there binding things up when tightened. ??

I read a thread where there was discussion of the strut bearing being installed upside down. No pic in the thread, so, does the large metal flange which is part of the strut bearing face up or down?

It appears that others have had similar problems, and I have not found a definitive solution yet. Any help would be appreciated.

Greg

Kurt R

Sounds like the same problem Manning had. Did you wait until you had it on the ground to tighten the top nut?

Manning

I can't remember the orientation right off, but I had trouble with this when I installed new bearings/bushings. I think, if I remember correctly, the orientation is: the strut shaft slips up through the spring cap, then bearing with big opening up, which slides into the bushing, and the spacer goes in from the top with the big metal stop (part 16 on the pet) going on top of that. I seem to recall the layout in the PET was kind of misleading in regard to the bearing orientation. I also seem to recall the bearing had to kind of *pop* in place in the bushing, not slide in nice an easy.

I hope someone else can give a more definitive answer than that. I do know the metal on the small hole side of the bearing is brittle and will snap if you get it wrong.

Manning

Rockfan,

I had that front end apart so many times trying to sort out the problem that I'm not sure that is how it is set up right now. I ran downstairs a minute ago and looked at the old bearing and bushings which I kept for some reason to help jar my memory, but that didn't work. I am not sure which way is right, but I am pretty sure I have the bearings in now as described above and everything handles pretty well now.

Again I hope someone else can come back with a very much authoritative answer. If I feel really industrious I'll drop on side out tomorrow night an see how it is put together.

Skip

Not sure if this will help - I'm not sure I understand the problem - anywho, here's a pic of the assembly order:

Skip

There's a rubber gasket on the top of that middle piece - not sure it shows up in the picture.

Manning

Yeah, that's what we are looking for, thanks Skip. And by the picture it looks like the spacer (circled with red line) points up toward part number 16. So the order is like what I described in my first post to this thread I guess.

Manning

Oops, forgot the picture:

8 - concave washer (spring hat)
9 - spacer sleeve
10 - suspension strut mounting
11 - bearing flange
15 - stop ring
16 - stop
17 locking nut 14 x 1.5

Kurt R

Greg -
Using the photo above, the only part 16 should touch when the car is on the ground is 9 - the spacer. However, when the car is up in the air, or if the bearing isn't completely seated in #11, then 16 can make contact with either #11 or sometimes even with #10 and make it hard to turn. It shouldn't be a problem once you put weight on it. To verify you could put the car on jackstands under the ends of the a-arms and see how the assembly moves. Shouldn't be a problem on a car with steel a-arms, but I'd caution doing that if someone with a 944 reads this.

Guys - great job with the photos.

Greg86andahalf

Thanks everyone-

So, when the steering wheel is turned, do parts 16 and 17 turn also???

If so, then it appears that my problem is that 16 is clamped to 15 with the nut (17). When you turn the strut, the top shock rod is turning inside the nut and working the nut loose while binding the the whole deal.

I can see where weight on the assy. could help by forcing 16 away from 15 and I may install the spindles/ hubs and lower the car on some wheels.

Not the best designed assy. huh?

Kurt R

Yes, 16 and 17 turn. That's why the bearing is there. If 16 is touching 15, weight on the car will solve that as the rubber in the bushing will compress a little. It is a good design, and works great as long as there is weight on the wheels. If you start consistently pulling a front wheel off the ground coming out of corners, we can talk about other solutions.

Greg86andahalf

rockfan4,

Thanks.

I'll take this info home and put things back together.

The PET kinda shows the spacer at the bottom of the bearing which is misleading and started this whole thing. I'll take some pics for the archives to hopefully save others the headache Manning and I have encountered with this.

Thanks again,
Greg

tempest411

Yes, this thread really is 12 years old...Does anyone know the dimensions of the spacer sleeve (#823 412 365) that separates the top spring perch/hat from the bearing in the strut mount? These are NLA from Porsche, but I need a pair. They shouldn't be too difficult to make, and I could probably come up with a decent estimate-but know what they were exactly would be ideal. I'm also on the hunt for a pair of the plates (Porsche #477 412 345) if anyone has a pair laying around they could part with. This is for an early car I'm putting together...

Thank you, and sorry for resurrecting such an old thread!

Rick

odonnell

odonnell

Piggybacking this thread. I installed the 133-412-365 (VW) spacers and they are very close, maybe 2mm too long though. They still do the job but there is a little bit of float before the giant concave washer comes to rest on top of the mount (when suspension descends).

Anyone have the actual OEM parts they want to sell for a few dollars? Item # 823-412-365.