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Strut Tubes

  • Big Slappy Z
    Big Slappy Z
    Senior Member
    • 237

    Strut Tubes

    I have a question about strut tube compatibility. I just removed my front strut assembly to redo the ball joints and upper strut mount because I have a very loud and annoying clicking noise that happens each time my car hits a bump. I pulled off the spring and I find that the front strut has an awful lot of play in the strut tube. If I move it up and down there is about 1/8" of play. I feel like this is the culprit, as if the owner before me installed the wrong struts in the tubes. I believe the car was originally a turbo model, and maybe the struts were to fit an NA, nonadjustable shock? Is it supposed to be like this, or should it be snug in there?

    Could I add some shims in there to fix it? WTF this kind of pisses me off
  • G-E
    G-E
    Junior Member
    • 6320

    #2
    Take off the spindle from the steering knuckle, remove the hat/spring hardware, remove the gland nut, pull out the strut, compare the inner diameter of the tube to the outer diameter of the strut insert.. gasp in disbelief, throw tools around in anger, come back to z31p to report
  • Big Slappy Z
    Big Slappy Z
    Senior Member
    • 237

    #3
    Thanks for the recount on my last 4 hours lol. Looks like the strut cartridge matches, I added some oil to the tube and dropped it in so it was a little more stable in there, and I just added 2 neoprene rubber washers right above the strut cartidge above the metal washer and it's all good....at least I think. I'll report on whether or not the sound stops when I get the front end all back up.

    And then more bad news:
    I go to put on the new top strut mount and all of the studs fall out. None of them will grab on the hole they are in so trying to mount the strut means the three nuts on top keep spinning. Awesome. How do companies get away with sending out bullshit products like this? I wanna throw that masterpro garbage through oreilly's window
  • G-E
    G-E
    Junior Member
    • 6320

    #4
    When I installed my koni inserts, there's gland nuts provided for both turbo and non-turbo tubes, but the insert itself had a nub on the bottom you have to trim down to the height you need, even in the instructions it says measure and hacksaw accordingly…

    The koni struts were designed to fit the non-turbo tube fairly snug, I imagine seating in turbo strut tubes would be a little more annoying

    Are your "masterpro" strut mounts the same design as the factory z31 parts? can you swap the old ones in?
  • Big Slappy Z
    Big Slappy Z
    Senior Member
    • 237

    #5
    I looked at that after I gave up trying to get them to seat correctly. The studs aren't splined like you would think they should be, they have three small ticks that are supposed to seat the stud. Turns out the factory part is the same way, although the mount itself is probably more precisely cut (and the studs too).

    I'll probably just end up swapping in the old strut mount and return the new one (but keep the new bearing, they won't be able to tell the difference ha)

    Although it kind of kills me seeing one of the strut towers look asymmetrically newer than the other, but whatever. We'll see how this works out
  • G-E
    G-E
    Junior Member
    • 6320

    #6
    Nothing some alprazolam can't fix hahah
  • i r teh noobz
    i r teh noobz
    Senior Member
    • 1046

    #7
    My strut mount studs fall out as well. Its really annoying. I've contemplated gluing the studs in place.
    5.3 LSx Z31
  • Big Slappy Z
    Big Slappy Z
    Senior Member
    • 237

    #8
    Tried it with super glue. Did not work out....

    =(

    next step, super glue + red loctite? lol
  • G-E
    G-E
    Junior Member
    • 6320

    #9
    Bubblegum and ducktape?
  • visco
    visco
    Member
    • 63

    #10
    Had the same issue with new mounts and the studs not staying in place. If you can get the nut started on the threads, you should be able to grap the top of the stud and hold it while you tighten the nut onto the body. Worked for me. I cant remember exactly how I did it without messing up the threads (pliers/wrench), been in place for 6 months. torque it and it wont move. The difficult part was getting the mount studs through the body without them falling out. that's where I used JB weld to tack them in place so I could pass them through the body mount holes. fun fun
  • i r teh noobz
    i r teh noobz
    Senior Member
    • 1046

    #11
    If you have an impact you can just zap them a few times after you get the nuts started. No damage to the threads that way. They will still fall out later if you ever have to loosen the nuts.

    JB Kwik will be my glue of choice when I have to pull my strut bar agan. Sets up in 4 minutes and cures in a few hours.

    My mounts are also MasterPro brand.
    5.3 LSx Z31
  • Big Slappy Z
    Big Slappy Z
    Senior Member
    • 237

    #12
    I first tried to screw the nuts down so torquing them would grab the studs into place, but I couldn't get them to the bottom without having it spin. I didn't want to mess up the threads so I tried grabbing the bottom, gluing, doing everything to no avail. I ended up returning it and getting my money back. I kept the new bearing and gave them the old one though. =D