3rd set of rear strut mounts in 2 years.. any ideas?

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Dark_Rider2k3
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3rd set of rear strut mounts in 2 years.. any ideas?

Post by Dark_Rider2k3 »

Okay so here is the deal. 2 years ago I redid the suspension on the rear of the car using KYB GR-2 struts, the OEM springs (they were still good), and strutmate strut mounts. The struts broke about 6 months after being on the car (june of '09 to december of '09).. I replaced the strut mounts, which then broke about 6 more months after being on the car (december of '09 to july of '10). Then, around November, the strut mounts broke again. Figuring that it was the strutmate ones which may have been shitty quality, I replaced them with tihs other brand (can't remember the name). Well, it's only April and already the driver's rear has broken...

so my question is why? Does anyone have any ideas as to why? I try to avoid potholes but they are like the plague around here, but even then I wouldn't think it would break less than 6 months after install.

I am at wits end, and while the latest set is under warranty, i'm tired of doing the job....

thanks!
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Re: 3rd set of rear strut mounts in 2 years.. any ideas?

Post by Sleeper6 »

Move out of Pittsburgh! The cobblestone streets and side streets in southside killed my shocks within 4 months, my first set on smooth streets lasted me 80k...
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_-Night-Shade-_
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Re: 3rd set of rear strut mounts in 2 years.. any ideas?

Post by _-Night-Shade-_ »

That's very odd. You're positive you mounted them properly? Give us a more detailed description of how they're breaking - is the strut shooting through the mount or what?
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Dark_Rider2k3
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Re: 3rd set of rear strut mounts in 2 years.. any ideas?

Post by Dark_Rider2k3 »

_-Night-Shade-_ wrote:That's very odd. You're positive you mounted them properly? Give us a more detailed description of how they're breaking - is the strut shooting through the mount or what?
exactly! The strut is shooting through the mount, and starts to clang against the seat belt holder. I'm positive they are mounted properly as well.
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_-Night-Shade-_
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Re: 3rd set of rear strut mounts in 2 years.. any ideas?

Post by _-Night-Shade-_ »

Did you reuse everything when putting on the new mount?

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RedAutobotMX3
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Re: 3rd set of rear strut mounts in 2 years.. any ideas?

Post by RedAutobotMX3 »

I gotta say, i've had to MX-3's from Pennsylvania now and both of them have had the rear mounts rusted out. Pittsburgh's streets and even highways will chew up anything and everything in your suspension, with tires rated for 40K miles getting less than half that. I imagine OP's problem is stemming from crappy quality, I've used KYB to replace mine (which are super cheap off rockauto) and their all still ticking.
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Nd4SpdSe
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Re: 3rd set of rear strut mounts in 2 years.. any ideas?

Post by Nd4SpdSe »

Weird, I've never heard of anyone going through strut mounts, wow. I know I was rough on my car, but never had any problems.
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Re: 3rd set of rear strut mounts in 2 years.. any ideas?

Post by timpronk »

Just had my passenger rear mounting block fail on the weekend. My drivers side one failed in 2008 after hitting a huge pothole on a roadtrip. They were the stock ones that came with my 1992 gs.

I have a spare tokico blue sitting here with a mounting block that is not in great shape but will get me by. Only problem is now I have a rusted camber bolt that wont come out.

Just confirming they do break :-)
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_-Night-Shade-_
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Re: 3rd set of rear strut mounts in 2 years.. any ideas?

Post by _-Night-Shade-_ »

It happens. One of mine went last year due to rust, it was the original one.

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Josh
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Re: 3rd set of rear strut mounts in 2 years.. any ideas?

Post by Josh »

I would undercoat all of the inside of the strut tower as well as the mounts themselves. Pull them out clean them up and some nice thick coats of undercoat or maybe plasti-grip.

or you could say screw it and get aluminum camber plates :wink:
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