Strut mount bearing

[roks]

I am changing the shock absorbers, this bearing dust seal is cracked.

Can i fabricate this or does have to certain spec? Only because I am in the middle of the job and dealer has to order it in.

Can I use cv joint grease to repack the bearings?

Also is the plate moving on this foamy thing taking the weight?

[oldcodger]

Hi,

Don't think is worth while trying to repair a 14 year old bearing !

Usually around this age they often fail totally, paric when you add the pressure of a new shock.

Seems you can buy the compete top mount for around £50 a piece.

The foamy thing , do you mean the Spring Seat Upper as in the diagram below  - think thats a Toyota only part.

The Bump stop and Insulator  can sometimes be bought online.

 

Diagram from US model

[roks]

Thanks oc, the foamy thing is the dust seal, 4th item on your diagram from top.

I got new mounts from ecp,  corteco brand, not entirely happy with the quality, and £127 for 2, I think I  got ripped off. 

The bearing on these are sealed, not exposed like the original. I am now in doubt as I think I still needed to put that dust seal as there is a slight play even after torque it down.

I got the dust cover and lower spring seat previously, kicking myself for not ordering the bearing dust seals at the sme time.

Also the hole for sway bar link is too small, wont got in so I have to find a 12mm drill bit to enlarge it.

[oldcodger]

Hi,

Thats the problem with "pattern" parts or supposed OEM ones, though strange so many claim to be OEM.

Still as I found the other day, when Mr T wants over 4 times to price for their  original part,  eg £76 for a handbrake cable, yet £16 elsewhere,  can you blame folk for buying the cheaper parts.

Those top mounts above from a place called Car Parts in Motion, have bought from them a couple of times ok,  but like anywhere you have to keep an eye on prices as they can vary wildly from month to month.

[roks]

Today hopefully I will tackle the rear, reserved the rear mount kit at ecp 2 for £15 just in case they as bad as the fronts.

[roks]

Well, its done, all 4 corners, just need the alignment checked.

My little eBay impact wrench had a tough time cracking the rear top bolts and one of the bottom, had to resort to me old breaker bar. Its done all other bolts without sweat £40 well spent.

I think the rear springs are bit tired and rusted, possibly due to bottoming out?

Front disc and pads next project...

[oldcodger]

Looks good 🙂   but what does it ride like with the new shocks, likely very different from the old ones  ?

Front pads and discs, piece of cake, just use some penny overnight  on the brake pad mounting bracket bolts  as they can be really tight if never removed before.

I rounded  one on my rears and had to use  bolt remover to get it out, Mr T for new ones, odd thread.

[roks]

Not taken for a proper ride yet, just in the parking lot, certainly felt firmer.

Brakes are OK, all broken lose when replaced the calopers and slide pins.

What the function of this, mine have one of the prongs broken, I'll have to order it in if its a must.

[oldcodger]

Anti Squeal Shim

[roks]

Better order these in then, probably why it making a scratching noise.

[roks]

Got the tracking done, and I can confirm its driving totally different now. When I take off the rear doesnt sag anymore.

Tried speed bumps, there is slight rubber squeek on one side rear, will see if it settles.

[oldcodger]

Hi,

The squeak could be any part of the suspension, not just the struts ?   Think mine also gives such a noise over speed bumps etc; still might  be my old joints  😀

Who shocks did you use., does the ride feel much firmer / harsher ?

You say you had the tracking done, but did that include the camber which is set by the two bottom bolts on the strut ? once you loosen/remove those bolts  you more or less have lost the original position.

 

 

[roks]

Those bolts appeared to fit very snuggly, didn't think of that at the time.

Would that not ne picked up by the machine?

So the rubber squeak has gone, only hear slight 'psst' if I fit the bump hard.

Ride is much firmer but not hard, I used kyb excel-G

[roks]

Just checked the previous print out, camber was 0*48' and 0*35' and now its 1*09' and 1*03'.

Still within spec according to the current print out, wondering if I should take it back.

[oldcodger]

Hi,

Once you loosen those bolts, you will find you can move the axle in and out by quiet a large margin, though easy to not realise it moves when replacing the strut;  sometimes the heavy rust in that area helps guide you back into a correct position.

The Haynes manual, for the 1.6,  shows a front Camber of -31m   - + 45m  and  a rear of  -1deg 28m  - + 30m,    so you are still within spec and surely that machine would have flagged Red if it was out of spec.

Out of interest what was the name of that alignment machine and what did they charge, would like  get mine checked properly but too many places still using manual gauges etc.

 

[roks]

Hi OC,

Hmm I looked in my Haynes, it didn't give any values, just explained what camber, caster and toe was.

I will look at the rust marks when I do the brake in couple of weeks time but I doubt I am going to adjust it as that may mess up the toe.

It was a computerised one with automatic lifts, I think it was called John Bean?

Normally for 2 wheel its £40 but they charged £35 cos I got 2 front tyres.

Regards

[roks]

I tried to adjust the camber, the right side has moved by half a degree but left side doesnt seem to want to move. It appears that there is less movement on the left.

The chap at the garage was kind enough to re align ut for me.

I am not sure if I should file the holes a bit or can I adjust the top mount bolts a bit to see if it would reduce the camber a bit.

[oldcodger]

Hi,

Thought your camber was within spec ?

If you cannot get it to move to the correct value then seems you have to change the bolts as its those that allow you to vary the degree of adjustment.

This page is from a US corolla  manual but expect its very similar to the UK one, though no idea if the part number are uk ones , but it gives you the idea.

Perhaps your local dealer or Kingo can give details of the UK bolts and there ranges.....?

 

[roks]

They were spec but not what it was before the shocks were changed, -ve half degree.

Are 2 bolts supposed to go in the same position as I have mixed up for sure. I might try swapping bolts around.

[oldcodger]

Hi,

Really not sure why you are doing it,   the alignment printout shows that its well within normal tolerances ?   They would not give a margin like that if it wasn't ok.

If you do want to continue, first check the existing bolt heads and see what markings are stamped on them, just swapping over means another align to see if by chance it makes things better or even  worse ?

As that chart shows you need to select the right bolts to allow the appropriate adjustment, bet they are  not cheap either !

 

Seems you can buy a wide ranging set of camber bolts on eBay, though never seen or used any.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Powerflex-PFA100-15-PowerAlign-Camber-Bolt-Kit-15mm-Mercedes-Benz-Toyota/292500717475?fits=Car+Make%3AToyota|Model%3ACorolla|Cars+Year%3A2006|Plat_Gen%3AZZE12_%2C+NDE12_%2C+ZDE12_|Cars+Type%3A1.6+VVT-i|Variant%3AZZE12_%2C+NDE12_%2C+ZDE12_+[2000-2007]+Hatchback&epid=2292951239&hash=item441a66bfa3:g:zS8AAOSwTFhbBYMq

 

If it was me and you are just doing everyday driving I  would leave things as they are.

 

[roks]

Thanks oc, I have been thinking I am putting too much effort into this and should leave it alone.