Strut mount binding - what to do???

[JHZR2]

Car is a 2004 Saab 9-3. One of the strut mounts/bearings is binding when I turn the wheel, and I can feel and hear this in the spring.

The car has around 72k miles on it, and hasnt gotten a ton of use the last few years besides long road trips. I love the car, it rides and drives well and efficiently, and I dont have any plans to get rid of it.

So... One way or another I need to fix this, as I dont want a handling or safety issue. Question is, with that mileage and age, do I just replace the mount? Do I replace both mounts though one is OK? Should I replace the struts too? The springs were replaced a few years back due to a saab recall where some were not properly surface finished and could fail and break.

Currently on there are Sachs OE struts. They are twin tube (I always like Bilsteins personally). Bilsteins are a little more than twice as expensive... not sure theyre worth it. Is there a good test for modern struts? The car doesnt bounce or ride funny... But some say that 60-70k is all one gets out of typical shocks and struts...

Also, if I should replace them, I can get KYB, Monroe, Sachs and Bilstein. Recommendations? Not sure if the autozone Sachs are the same as OE.

If I do the fronts, should I do the rears as a matter of course?

How tough is this job to do, i.e. replace a strut? What is the typical time commitment for a vehicle on jackstands in the driveway? Vague question I know, and it is skill dependent... But just typically, how long has it taken you to do this job?

Thanks!

 

[michaelluscher]

You'll need spring compressors. Or to remove the strut/spring as a unit w/o taking the mount off, and take it to a shop with a proper spring compressor, and have them use the new mount/bearing when they put it back together.

Check Rockauto for parts and prices.

 

[The Critic]

It varies by car, but I can do a set of fronts in about 3 hours.

If the shocks are performing fine, I would leave them alone and just replace the mounts. New, lower-quality parts are not always the answer. I wouldn't be surprised if the Sachs shocks in your car now work better than new KYBs.

 

[spasm3]

I can replace struts in about 2 hours. But i've done it a few times.I have my own spring compressors. Only use the ones that have 2 fingers holding the spring. There were some rental ones out there 10 years ago that could slip off and thats a lot of stored energy!! For the labor time, i would replace the strut bearings and the struts. I don't know whats good for a saab. I have used monroe and kyb. The kyb imho tend to be stiffer. I'm about to redo my sons saturn, engine and suspension. I'm going with monroe.I have not seen bilsteins for my saturn. I would go ahead and do the rears, since you will need and alignment afterwwards.
My spring compressors look like these, oil the threads.

 

[JHZR2]

If I were to buy a spring compressor, it would be one suitable for the springs on my old MB diesels, and those compressors seem to be much more HD. Optimally though Id rent from AZ/AAP... so long as they are reasonably safe.

Am I reading it right that if I remove the mount and the strut assembly all together, the spring stays compressed and it an be decompressed off the car? Is that safer or less safe?

Ive never really paid attention to suspension parts like this before, and my cars that Ive worked on had shocks all around so I never had to remove springs. Not opposed to learning and DIY/doing it right... Seems like there is a lot of $ to be saved in doing that.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
It varies by car, but I can do a set of fronts in about 3 hours.

If the shocks are performing fine, I would leave them alone and just replace the mounts. New, lower-quality parts are not always the answer. I wouldn't be surprised if the Sachs shocks in your car now work better than new KYBs.


If I replaced, Id either use OE Saab, Sachs or Bilsteins. So quality would notionally be the same or higher.

Question is if there is a means of testing modern struts. If they arent leaking and dont fail the bounce test, could they still be bad? I thought I read that the bounce test was irrelevant for modern shocks or at least some types of shocks...

 

[spasm3]

Remove the spring and strut as an assembly. i remove them all and then change the struts and bearings on each. Seems faster than take one off, compress reinstall etc. only compress the spring enough that the spring is no longer holding the bearing say 1/4 inch clearance. Just make sure the spring is seated properly in the bottom of the strut as you decompress the springs. I also tighten the mounting bolts again with the car off the jack stands. ( the mounting bolts, not the center strut bolts.) You can save a good bit of the labor costs. Just remember the alignment is going to be off, you want to go straight to the alignment shop afterwards. I have gotten it close using a pen laser and marking a spot on the concrete before taking the strut off, but its still not good enough.

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2

Question is if there is a means of testing modern struts. If they arent leaking and dont fail the bounce test, could they still be bad? I thought I read that the bounce test was irrelevant for modern shocks or at least some types of shocks...


For the time and effort, putting struts with 72k on them back on the car is just not worth the work. If they are good now, will they be in another 10k miles? I know of no real way to test them.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: JHZR2

Question is if there is a means of testing modern struts. If they arent leaking and dont fail the bounce test, could they still be bad? I thought I read that the bounce test was irrelevant for modern shocks or at least some types of shocks...


For the time and effort, putting struts with 72k on them back on the car is just not worth the work. If they are good now, will they be in another 10k miles? I know of no real way to test them.


Ok, so... Bilstein monotube gas or Sachs twin tube???

Bilstein is about 2x in price, but fwiw, I have them on my 82 MB and 91 BMW, as well as my 98 Chevy truck, and like them for all those apps.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: JHZR2

Question is if there is a means of testing modern struts. If they arent leaking and dont fail the bounce test, could they still be bad? I thought I read that the bounce test was irrelevant for modern shocks or at least some types of shocks...


For the time and effort, putting struts with 72k on them back on the car is just not worth the work. If they are good now, will they be in another 10k miles? I know of no real way to test them.


Struts can last a long time, if the car is driven carefully. This is one strut that would be at stake here. Most aftermarket parts are of questionable quality. New parts is not always a prudent move.

Pep Boys will swap the spring, mount, boot, etc for you on each strut assembly for you for $20/ea. I had them do it for the Previa. I would call ahead of time and confirm that they still offer this service.

 

[david_ES2]

New struts and shock mount bearing at a minimum, ive had good luck with the oreilly master pro strut mounts they come with the complete strut mount rotating plate with the studs and bearing.

special attention to indexing the top hat, strut mount and strut are necessary to allow the assembly to rotate smoothly or binding may occur. A far too common mistake.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: david_ES2
special attention to indexing the top hat, strut mount and strut are necessary to allow the assembly to rotate smoothly or binding may occur. A far too common mistake.


OK good info. Ive not done this job before, so Ill have to learn the specifics to do this. Youre saying that certain parts need to be aligned a certain way to ensure that they rotate properly?

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2

If I do the fronts, should I do the rears as a matter of course?

How tough is this job to do, i.e. replace a strut? What is the typical time commitment for a vehicle on jackstands in the driveway? Vague question I know, and it is skill dependent... But just typically, how long has it taken you to do this job?

Thanks!



I've done a struts on a couple different cars and it was actually quite easy as long as you have spring compressors. I had picked up a set on Amazon before I did my first set (which was about 4-5 years ago).

It took me perhaps 3 hours to do all 4 on each vehicle-including the mounts (and I didn't hurry). I think for ride quality you'd want to do all 4, at least I did. I sprayed the element-exposed fasteners a couple days ahead of time with PB Blaster and they came right off. It really wasn't any more difficult than a set of old fashioned shocks.

It's also hard to change the springs unless you have a nice big vice to hold it in. With the strut/spring assembly in the vice I used the air impact to pop the nut off the top. If I didn't have access to a big vice and air impact I'd probably opt for purchasing the complete spring/strut instead of the strut only and moving the springs.

The only real problem I had was on the Elantra-there's a stabilizer bar at the bottom of each rear strut that simply wouldn't come off the strut. I had to cut it and purchase new ones, but they were only $20 for the set so I wasn't too concerned.

 

[ronbo]

As for the bounce test not being valid anymore. I read shocks have 3 valves and it depends on what the bump is hit to activate the valve. The bounce test activates the valve for large bumps and it gets used the least, so it works fine. The small valve gets used the most and it is the one that wears.

Myself I would do both front mounts and the rubber bellows at a minimum since you'll need a wheel alignment.

 

[pbm]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: JHZR2

Question is if there is a means of testing modern struts. If they arent leaking and dont fail the bounce test, could they still be bad? I thought I read that the bounce test was irrelevant for modern shocks or at least some types of shocks...


For the time and effort, putting struts with 72k on them back on the car is just not worth the work. If they are good now, will they be in another 10k miles? I know of no real way to test them.


I agree...labor costs just as much as the new parts so I'd replace the struts and mounts while I was at it. The Northeast, with all it's potholes (despite high taxes) is very tough on suspension parts.
I had good luck with KYB struts but TERRIBLE luck with KYB mount bearings. (I had to replace several which made a ratcheting sound before going with Monroe's which were just OK).
There weren't a lot of mounts available for the Saturn Ion so I was limited in my choices.
The Monroe's were made in Taiwan while the (junky) KYB's were made in Thailand for what it's worth.

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
If I were to buy a spring compressor, it would be one suitable for the springs on my old MB diesels, and those compressors seem to be much more HD. Optimally though Id rent from AZ/AAP... so long as they are reasonably safe.

Am I reading it right that if I remove the mount and the strut assembly all together, the spring stays compressed and it an be decompressed off the car? Is that safer or less safe?

Ive never really paid attention to suspension parts like this before, and my cars that Ive worked on had shocks all around so I never had to remove springs. Not opposed to learning and DIY/doing it right... Seems like there is a lot of $ to be saved in doing that.


There are no compressors that will do both struts and old MB cars. I use Klann compressors on the MB, the cost a bit more but these springs are short and very stiff, using anything less than high quality is downright dangerous.

For struts you need a longer compressor like the Klan KL-0005 (i have these) but the MB needs a short set (i can get the number) or the very expensive KL-0025-1K.
The Universals cost about $200 a set but the quality is really top shelf.

This is the short universal that works with the W123. PM when or if you are interested.

http://www.stahlgruber.de/Kataloge/werkzeug/index.php?sb=152121

The longer set that works with struts.

http://www.stahlgruber.de/Kataloge/werkzeug/index.php?sb=111348

I would go with the Bilstein struts, the Sachs is not bad but not the same quality as the OEM.

 

[zzyzzx]

I would seriously consider replacing the struts at the same time. But before I did that, I would try to lube the strut bearings. Since you have nothing to lose at this point, hit them with some spray lube (lithium lube IIRC) then drive the car for a few weeks to see if the grease works into the strut bearings good (may take a while in this weather).

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Trav

I would go with the Bilstein struts, the Sachs is not bad but not the same quality as the OEM.




Thanks for all the info. As for Sachs, the oe struts on my car are marked as Sachs manufactured. Do you think Sachs brand struts are not as good as or Saab struts made by Sachs? Different spec?

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
I would seriously consider replacing the struts at the same time. But before I did that, I would try to lube the strut bearings. Since you have nothing to lose at this point, hit them with some spray lube (lithium lube IIRC) then drive the car for a few weeks to see if the grease works into the strut bearings good (may take a while in this weather).


Hmmm. Very logical but never considered. Need to have a look. Wonder if I can get grease in there without removing the strut.

Mostly concerned with the safety aspect, since I'm very pleased with the cars ride and handling.

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Wonder if I can get grease in there without removing the strut.


Yes! Just do some internet searching on it. I used lithium lube from a spray can. Other people used different methods. Several people did report what I experience which is that it seems to take a while (weeks) for the grease to get where it really needs to be, so don't expect immediate results.