[s-cars] My baby has been scarred - Upper Strut Mount FAILURE!!!!!

[Paul Gailus]

Mark,

Sorry to hear about your problem.
You might want to take off the failed strut mount in order to verify
that there is an inverted metal cup on top of the strut piston shaft.
This is needed to spread out the compression loads on the strut mount:
http://www.audifans.com/pipermail/s-car-list/2002-December/008957.html

If the metal cup is present, then it's likely that a defect in the strut
mount
or the strut insert caused the problem.

Paul


----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Pollan <mark.pollan at mci.com>
To: S-Cars (E-mail) <s-car-list at audifans.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 15, 2003 1:11 PM
Subject: [s-cars] My baby has been scarred - Upper Strut Mount FAILURE!!!!!


> Hi all:
>
> Looking for some sympathy and some guidance/advice.  Went out today to get
> my haircut, driving at a leisurely pace.  Hit a few large washboard bumps
> along the way and heard an unpleasant but not gut-wrenching knocking from
> the front right.  Figured I'd have a looksee for any loose nuts/bolts upon
> returning home.  Had about 10 miles to travel so...
>
> On the way home some more washboard bumps and a VERY unpleasant clunk.
> Slowed WAY down (2 miles to travel at this point in time), got her home,
> lifted the hood, and much to my chagrin the right upper strut mount was
> toast.  The bonded rubber bushing separated completely from the plate.  No
> biggie I figured, got another car, will order the part and put it on this
> week.  However...I then noticed the upper strut nut punched a nice size
> dimple in my fairly pristine hood - F@#K!!
>
> I have not yet jacked up the front end to have a closer look at the strut
> assembly to see if something else gave out causing this to happen.
>
> Questions/advice:
>
> 1. Has this happened to anybody else out there?  These were brand new
mounts
> I installed when I changed to Bilstein/Eibach back in May of '03.  Seems a
> tad premature for this to occur.
> 2. Do you recon I have any recourse by claiming manufacturing defect for
> something of this nature?
> 3. Anybody have a recommendation for a good body shop in the DC area?
I'll
> probably wait until Spring for the repair but...
>
> Thanks as always for your indulgence.  Oh, and go check your strut mounts
> for any signs of failure/rubber cracking/separating.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Mark
> '95.5 S6 with a nipple on the hood.
>
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