What is this Metal piece (on my rear struts)

[Dark_Rider2k3]

When I bought my KYB GSR-2 sturts, I also bought a new boot/cover assembly, and new rear strut mounts.

I did not install them but my dads friend did (very trustworthy). I am asking you all about it b/c he's been sick and I really haven't talked to him in a few weeks.

It bugs me because it rattles when I hit bumps, and the rattling is on my nerves.

Any idea what it is and what it's used for?

[infiniGTR]

It probly rattles since there aren't any nuts on those studs for the strut mounts!

[onlytrueromeo]

LOL yeah...you need the nuts there...

[ElectricEnergy]

ho-ly-crap.

Put some nuts on there before you crash your car.

I'm also interested in the gold colored part. I have no idea what its function is.

[Limegreen mx-3]

did u do anything before u took that pic because there are suppose to be 2 size 14mm nuts on these studs..

and i don't see then along with other members on here

[atlantamx3]

Your nuts are missing!

[mx3autozam]

oh my...thats why it rattles.

[RS_OBD'oh_2]

It's only there to put the black dust cover over. The 17mm nut on top should have something like 90lbs or torque on it and there should be a lock washer inbetween as well. It should not move. Unless everyone else is correct, and the 14mm nuts were not just taken off for the pics.

[neutral]

Yah, to fix the rattling (and for safety) definitely need to grow a pair of 14mm nuts and put em on those exposed stud threads. They're what holds the strut mounts to the car body.

[wytbishop]

I did not install them but my dads friend did (very trustworthy).

...ummm....really???

[Dark_Rider2k3]

LOL the nuts seem to be the big topic haha..

yeah they were taken off for the pic.

The reason?

We had to mount the seat belt directly to that spot. We tried to do it the way it''s supposed to, but the bolt was not big enough for us to do it that way.

If i'm correct, it's supposed to go nut, seat belt, and then nut, but when we did that, it did not work (there was no room to screw in the next bolt)

I hope i'm being clear, and maybe you all have a suggestion.

but yeah, that middle piece is the thing that rattles.

[onlytrueromeo]

If the bolts are not long enough, your strut seat is not mounted properly. I believe that piece of metal aligns the strut correctly, and also allows you to properly torque the nut on top down. (You put that in a vice on the two flat sides, then tighten it) I would recommend pulling the strut out and re seating the spring, making sure everything is in 1 piece. If the bolts still aren't long enough you must have a different/wrong mount. Make sure your mount is not broken (the rubber).

[Dark_Rider2k3]

That's the best pic I had of us installing the struts.

Both bolts are the same size when mounted, and we have both sides mounted the same.

If they were bolted incorrectly, though, wouldn't the lower bolts not be connected right (the bolts that are on the lower 1/2 of the strut)?

I checked the strut mount, and it's fine. If you didn't know, it was also purchased new.

[onlytrueromeo]

Do you happen to have the old strut mount to check to see if the post lengths are the same?

[Dark_Rider2k3]

Do you happen to have the old strut mount to check to see if the post lengths are the same?

When I took the struts off, the old mount literally crumbled LOL

I can try to see if I still have it, but I replaced my struts back in November. So honestly, i'm highly doubting it..

but that's where i'm almost 100% sure the problem was.

BTW, These struts were from Advance Auto if that makes a difference (cuz when we mounted them up, Rick (dads friend) looks @ me and says "you got these from advance didn't you?" and when I sad yeah, he just laughed and said "I knew it.. ")