raz0r6

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<I NEED HELP>>>>>>>>>>>>

hey whats up ok i got a huge prob. i installed kyb ajx struts and shocks on my car with eibach pro kit

just recently i was hearing some front end noise and i tokk it to a shop

the driver side is really bad so we looked there first and the strut rod is ripping through the rubber strut mount what did i do wrong


i NEED WRITE UPS ON HOW TO INSTALL THE STRUTS

anything any help wanted

please hurry i have prom on may 7th and i need my car help

me please

I NEED HELP

Bone Daddy

First, don't make multiple threads about the same crap, it's a large no-no on any board, not to mention it tends to make people ignore you.

this is your first thread: http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...hreadid=256015

Now, answer my questions in the original thread, and we'll see whats up.

#1 Did you install the struts/mounts/springs?

#2 The top of the strut came through the mount and ripped it?

#3 Does the strut appear to be damaged?

Here is a How-To on the front suspension: http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=6

Injuneer

First..... what year is your car? You are talking about "struts", so that would indicate a 3rd Gen. If you really mean the coil-over shocks in the 4th Gens, your problem is that they didn't replace the upper spring/shock mount. It rusts and rots.

If its a 4th Gen.... I have an online procedure, which includes the complications of QA1 shocks... but you can see most of the steps right there:

http://members.aol.com/InjuneerZZ/HALEibch.htm

Suggestion.... add a "signature" with basic info about your car... year, trans, mods, etc.

Bone Daddy

When I rebuilt my front end, I ordered "struts" and new "strut mounts" and I own a 4th gen. Every where/one that sells factory replacement parts (even GM) calls them struts, so no... third gens are not the only ones with struts. Struts and coilovers like the QA1 are different... I think he is having problems with his normal type struts, not HAL's or QA1's, as he said in the other thread he had KYB's like mine. But he isn't in a hurry to get help anymore either, lol.

raz0r6

1995 v-6 camaro

drivers side strut ripped through the bottom of the mount and the noise was the rod of the strut was hitting the top of the inner metal fender

plus the passanger side strut mount one of the lugs snapped i have a bmr strut tower brace and it was one of the lugs that bolts the strut tower brace down

another thing with the strut tower brace has everyone used washers then the bolts

the thing that kills me is that this is all brand new equipment and it broke and its stress me so much bc i have prom on may 7th and i need my car badly


here is a detailed list of every thing i did on my car this winter

KYB AJX struts and shocks (all 4) and kyb strut mounts

eibach pro kit

front and rear BMR sway bars

LCA relocation braket

tubular BMR Lower control arms poly/poly bushings

BMR adj panrod bar

drilled slotted rotors with hawk brakes

this is everyting i did this past winter

does anyone know why the strut mounts would have ripped or why the strut mount bolt would have snapped off (i didnt over tightin them ether i torqued them to the spec.)


still any help
or ideas on what i should do are welcome

thanks for everyones help in advanced

-Kyle

Bone Daddy

95 v6, same as mine before I frankensteined it...


Only thing I can think of is the added stress from the strut tower brace was too much for what could have been a weak or faulty mount, (although new). Not having washers would have allowed it to be tightened down a bit more, which would have added to the stress. Also it's possible the strut could have been faulty and locked up. I'm just throwing out ideas as most of the stuff you listed is on the rear suspension, not the front. I'd follow the guide, or your own memory, and remove the strut, have it checked out, and buy/install a new mount. But since prom is so close, might wanna remove the STB and see what happens. That way, if it was the STB, youll make it to prom ok, and can add the STB after. Then if it does the same thing, crisis evaded and problem discovered. I do find it odd that the passenger side was the one at fault.

Injuneer

The only cases I have seen of a 4th Gen tearing out the top shock/spring mount is when "aftermarket" pieces have been used. I did my springs/shocks at 50K miles, and bought new GM upper mounts. 30K miles later they are still in good shape, and the car takes some pretty good shots to the fornt suspension on the track. A friend of mine has dropped his 30th SS several times from 4-ft wheelstands, and damaged a lot of parts, but never the stock GM upper spring/shock mounts.

Is it also possible they omitted the "dog biscuit" inserts that go into the top of the spring/shock mounts to distribute the loads - bottom row, 2nd part from right:

http://members.aol.com/InjuneerZZ/im...otos/shk08.jpg

Not to belabor the point, but there is no "strut" on a 4th Gen. It is a coil over shock and has a distinctly different function than a true strut. Many dealers refer to "strut tower braces" and such... they are simply incorrect. Some simple graphics to help you understand the differences:

Strut style suspension

Unequal A-arm suspension

The QA1/HAL is no different than the stock shock, except the bottom seat height is adjustable. Both are "coil-overs".

http://members.aol.com/InjuneerZZ/im...otos/shk01.jpg

raz0r6

so where do i get a dog bone?

bone daddy did you use the KYB strut mounts and did they come with this "dog Bone"

and if it is the strut tower brace that is makeing it rip am i screwed out of my money for the brace

it helps out so much with corvering its not even funny.

i want to keep the strut tower brace

what happend on the passanger side is that the strut mount lug snapped and on the driver side is where the rod ripped through the mount

im so upset that this happend and cant believe that im the only one ever to have this problem.

hit me back guys

-kyle

trackbird

The STB is not the cause of your problems. So, eliminate that from your concerns. I've never seen, nor can I think of a way that an STB can cause the problems you describe. It has to be a mount or assembly problem.

Bone Daddy

Ah, well I go by GM names when I describe parts. Anyway, no big deal, I have my side you have yours. I also disagree on STB's not causing problems. I have experienced them first hand. It's "aftermarket" remember, and those fail?


razor6: Yep I bought new inserts/biscuits or whatever you want to call them for mine, but KYB doesn't sell them. I bought mine at Advance when I bought the mounts and struts, but I had one hell of a time getting them. In fact, it was a blind guess to even find the things. I'd save myself some trouble and buy them at the dealership. (if you want new that is)

trackbird

It supports a part of the car that is not supposed to move anyway and makes it move less. I'm not sure how anyone would think that can cause problems with a shock mount. If it caused the bolts to be too short and the mount came loose and was twisted under the car or something, I may be able to see that. But it is it all installed properly, there is no way it could cause a shock mount to fail.

My thoughts.

trackbird

I suspect it was overtorqued (or otherwise stressed) somewhere along the line, or had a nick in it that caused a stress crack in the bolt. There has to be an explanation.

As for STB's. I'm running front springs that are 648 in lbs with Koni DA's. If anybody is putting a "load" on the front shock mounts/STB area, it's me. I autocross on race tires on top of that. My rear springs are 258 in lbs also with Koni DA's. If I'm not breaking things, you certainly shouldn't be. This is why I say the STB can't be causing your problems (short of faulty installation/hardware).

Again, my thoughts.

Bone daddy, what did your STB do?

Bone Daddy

Trackbird: Could be, or he didn't add the inserts and that did it. I've gotten bad parts of the shelf plenty of times... So that's why the 2 pennies on the upper mount. I'm like you though I think it was the above, or an installation error of some kind. I just threw the possiblity of the STB being involved because of my, and my club members experiences with them. I had a 3rd gen with a STB and the difference was great, the car felt stiffer, and cornered better. But after I put it on I wore out front struts 3x faster. I even noticed stress cracks on my inner fender. I replaced the shocks and removed the bar, and the shock problem went away. Before the bar I didn't have to mess with the struts at all. After, I needed new shocks about every 4 months! I've heard similar experiences to mine from several people. One member had one side snap his top mount bolts during a bump and it flew up and damaged his hood. But like you said, some of these cars had aftermarket shocks and mounts. So that may be a factor. I plan on getting a STB for my 4th gen when it's ready, but I'm going to watch it very carefully.

raz0r6: What's the status on the car? Have you fixed it yet? Did you use the dog bones when you put the "struts" back in?

raz0r6

ok this is the deal im getting two brand new struts just to make sure and KYb is gonna take an extra 5 days to get the mounts so im going to a higher priced mount (Monroe) well there is a 20.00 dollar differece and there OEM so im thinking it will come with this (DOGBONE) and im have a local very well trusted shop do the install for about 150.00

is that sound like a good price


o yea and need all your guys opinon im gonna still keep my STB on because i love what it does for my car but ill keep my eye on it so that i ll notice if a bolt ever snaps on me again but i have a question on where or not i should use washers for the STB should i just put the bar on then bolt it down? why im asking is because i had washers on before and it broke so I dunno what i should do this time

opinions

so any way im getting all the parts on monday at noon and have ing them installed right so my camaro will be out on the road at around 4 pm in South Bend IN causeing hell around town

o yea and what kills me is i have to see my car sit and ive seen so many other camaro and trans ams and firebirds out on the road looking so good. and i cant drive mine and i have to drive my dads 98 ranger to work and school

o well

CAMAROS F***** RULE

All F- Bodys Rule

hit me back

trackbird

I've always used the washers, no problem.