Front strut replacement - alignment question

[Blink]

I'm putting the front strut assemblies together - all parts are new.

The top mount will only fit one way because the stud holes on the car and the studs on the top mounts are not equidistant - i.e. distance A is greater than distances B & C.






Similarly, the damper will only fit the hub carrier one way because this small bracket has to line up with the slot on the carrier.





Without spring compressors it's impossible to rotate the top mount in relation to the damper - the correct position has to be set while the spring is still compressed. The question is how?

I can't see a way of doing it - apart from making repeated attempts (all of which are guesswork).

[Blink]

For reference, here's the parts diagram.




And here's the original LH strut assembly still in the hub carrier.

[Richard1973]

That is what the strut top bearing is for. You will be able to rotate the strut top with the unit assembled.

[trikey]

Pretty sure I just rotate them when I do them (Either that or ive been lucky and they have all lined up 1st time!)

[Mike Noc]

You and me both Andy.

[It runs]

That top mount should turn quite easily when assembled as mentioned above . I have never had an issue .
If you have assembled it and it's solid the investigate the issue or you will end up with a snapped coil spring ver soon after fitting

[Blink]

Originally Posted by Richard1973

That is what the strut top bearing is for. You will be able to rotate the strut top with the unit assembled.

Originally Posted by trikey

Pretty sure I just rotate them when I do them (Either that or ive been lucky and they have all lined up 1st time!)

Originally Posted by Mike Noc

You and me both Andy.

Originally Posted by It runs

That top mount should turn quite easily when assembled as mentioned above . I have never had an issue .
If you have assembled it and it's solid the investigate the issue or you will end up with a snapped coil spring ver soon after fitting

Thanks all.

Here's the new RH assembly - all the metal parts have been painted.

I think everything is correct assembly-wise.



Top mount & bearing, isolator and spring all look right to me. The nut is torqued to 55Nm as per RAVE and the top washer is the right way up.









The spring end is as close as it'll go to the stop on the cup.



I've tried lying the assembled unit flat on a carpeted floor, sitting on the cup, and rotating the top mount by hand - it won't budge a millimetre.

This orginal one on the other hand can be rotated very easily (albeit with no spring pushing upward on the bearing).



Here's a pic of the new top mounts before I added a coat of paint.



The only thing I can think of is I've inadvertently got some paint in the joint and it's welded the rotating part of the bearing to the non-rotating part.



The only thing I can do is hang one of the new assemblies on the car (held up with 3 nuts) and try rotating the spring & damper by force. If that doesn't work I'll have to get the compressors out and take them apart again - unless anyone can think of a better idea?

[Blink]

Originally Posted by Blink

........ The only thing I can do is hang one of the new assemblies on the car (held up with 3 nuts) and try rotating the spring & damper by force.

I've just tried this with one assembly and the damper & spring started to rotate after a few big heaves clockwise & anti-clockwise. Now I can rotate it through 120 degrees or so using moderate force with two hands on the spring cup and the bottom coil. I wouldn't say it rotates easily though - e.g. I can't rotate it with one hand (and if I took it off the car again I probably wouldn't be able to rotate it at all).

Question: imagine you've hung a brand new assembly from the three top nuts (#11 here), which you've tightened enough to stop the studs moving. How easily should the assembly rotate:

a) Easily, using one hand on the damper tube?
b) Moderately easily, using two hands on the damper tube?
c) Not easily but it will rotate with two hands on the spring cup and bottom coil?
d) A.N. other?

TIA.

[Coups]

I've a feeling that once you line up the strut top to the holes in the inner wing and fit that end you'll be easily able to rotate the bottom of the strut to line up the 'fin' with the slot in the hub carrier. I've done this a few times over the years and have never even considered this to be a problem.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

[Blink]

Originally Posted by Coups

I've a feeling that once you line up the strut top to the holes in the inner wing and fit that end you'll be easily able to rotate the bottom of the strut to line up the 'fin' with the slot in the hub carrier. ....

As per the question in post 8, I've already put the top mount studs into the holes and tightened the 3 nuts. The assembly rotates but it doesn't rotate easily. So in my case the answer is c).

Originally Posted by Blink

Question: imagine you've hung a brand new assembly from the three top nuts (#11 here), which you've tightened enough to stop the studs moving. How easily should the assembly rotate:

a) Easily, using one hand on the damper tube?
b) Moderately easily, using two hands on the damper tube?
c) Not easily but it will rotate with two hands on the spring cup and bottom coil?
d) A.N. other?