I just found out about the spherical-bearing upper strut mounts from KLA
KLA strut mounts
anybody has experience with them?
1) will they last long, or the bearing wears off fast?
2) with 225/50-15 BFG my car tends to follow ruts in the road. I suspect this is due to flexing of the rubber in the upper strut mounts, and subsequent changes to the camber, etc. I would think this new mount would solve the problem. Am I right?
thanks.

 

That "installed" picture looks sinisterly familiar...

They run solid... and you will notice it. Nice, if you ask me.

Regarding the rut following... that's tramlining. Mostly a tire thing and not a mount thing.

 

On your #2 -- I think it'll make the "problem" worse. I put problem in quotes, because it really considered a "feature" by most -- it means you're connected to the road. The more solid connection you have with your tires, the more you'll feel the textures and contours in the pavement.

The opposite side of the spectrum is a "floater" American sedan...

 

could you explain what kind of improvement I should expect?

it's interesting the way you put it. I'm not sure if this is good because it feels like the car is not stable. I certainly don't won't a "floater", but I worry that I might be seeing a little "too much" of the road feel.

Are you guys saying every car with sporty tires feels like this?

 

Depending on how worn you current setup is, it could range from a significant to a profound improvement. Also depends on how you drive your vehicle...

 

I didnt notice much difference with the KLA mounts, they are a nice alternative to the expensive stock replacements (on the later cars). Any less rubber in the suspension cant be bad.

I have over 25k miles through the KLA mounts on my car and they are still holding up fine. Camber plates are on my list of things to do..but plenty of other things to address before then.

 

are you talking about the overall feel and how predictable the car feels during hard cornering?

 

I see your other post about the klunk noise... that, of course, could be a factor in the "lask of sability" you're feeling.

Do you know anyone in your area with a similar car to compare it too? It seems to me you do have something amiss.

As you make your suspension more solid, you will feel more of the road, but the car will also become more responsive. By giving it the slightest inputs, you'll feel the reaction.

Check the inboard control arm mounts (at the sub frame and caster block) and the ball joint and tie rod end. It could, like you say, be the upper strut mount, or even internal in the strut. It could also be a wheel bearing, although this would tend to create an inconsistant brake pedal feel.

You could even have loose lug nuts.

 

you're right, I should fix THE problem first.
unfortunately the days when I had a garage are gone (I just moved to the West Coast, and I love everything here except for the lack of a garage), so I probably won't be able to check much on my own. on saturday I plan to take the car to a mechanic for a check. we'll see how it goes.

 

Are the treads on your tire arranged in sets of grooves? like this:


That's a picture of the Falken tires I use. I've noticed that the car tends to follow the little ruts on the freeway that are meant for drainage; this is because the tire is shaped that way.

 

intersting statement; I have BFG g-force sport