is it safe? or have I just sentences myself to certain death?

**phil_woods** · Sunday 24th January 2010, 15:11

Hello people, once again I am in need of some advice.

I have had a clunking noise over bumps for the past few weeks, it sounded like it was coming from the top of the strut.

Today I have just stripped down the offside front strut.

My damper worked as it should, the springs are new so I checked the mounts.
The bottom mount had a metal tube inside it which looked like it used to be bonded to the rubber, this fell out when I took it off lol.

So I am certain I need a new bottom mount, I cant keep the car off the road as I need it all the time so I have done an emergency phil woods style quick fix.

I wrapped the metal tube with insulation tape and knocked it back in, it was really tight so Im hoping it won't move but I know the amount of force a spring can put out.

Its all back together again and the noise has gone but I want to know off you knowledgable people.

What are the chances of my spring shooting through my bonnet???
Is the car safe for a few days gentle use until I get a new mount?

Thanks as always people for the inputs, hopefully Ill still be alive to read any replies lol

**cherry1809** · Sunday 24th January 2010, 15:21

Both sides of mine have sort of, Well, Rusted. LOL.
Been okay for aaaages. Think they've totally gone now as the front seems a bit lower.... So it's not all bad.

**phil_woods** · Sunday 24th January 2010, 15:49

thanks for that mate, it makes me feel a bit better. I am just a bit worried as I carry my kids in the car and I dont get paid until wednesday lol
Thanks again though

**cherry1809** · Sunday 24th January 2010, 21:00

If it was the top mount then maybe I'd do something, But I can't see the springs going anywhere from the lower mount. Might get a bit a bit grindy when you turn though.

**phil_woods** · Sunday 24th January 2010, 21:05

thanks again mr datsun!

**nobananas** · Sunday 24th January 2010, 21:34

The spring won't go anywhere (it would have to get through the strut tower !) but the top of the shock absorber is I believe retained by the metal sleeve so it may be possible for the shock top to break free and stick up through the top mount.

**phil_woods** · Sunday 24th January 2010, 21:43

oh!

erm, hmmmm

am i right in thinking that the shock is stiffer decompressing and when compressing it is quite easy to go down. by this i mean the damper when standing up always goes to its smallest length, so im hoping that there wouldnt be much force to push through, the damper would hopefully just compress.....am i right or wrong???

**Dangerous Dave** · Sunday 24th January 2010, 22:59

Nah, I'm guessing that the metal sleeve has been loose for some time (since it dropped out when you took it apart), so if anything were going to happen it would have done by now, and what kind of idiot designs a suspension system where all the force is taken by a metal sleeve bonded to a rubber mount (with the forces travelling along the sleeve and not side-to-side), its unlikely this is the case. Isn't there a plate underneath the rubber mount that spreads the weight?

It'll be fine mate, at least until the new parts arrive. And as you know, it doesn't take long to drop a strut and change the bits over.

**Dangerous Dave** · Sunday 24th January 2010, 23:04

In fact, here you go, number 6 on this diagram spreads the weight. Don't worry about it.

HTH

Bomb

**phil_woods** · Sunday 24th January 2010, 23:26

brilliant diagram mate, thanks for that. I dont recall seeing number 6 when I stripped it down lol!
It was probably stuck on the bottom mount, either that or thats why the mount has broken lol.
thanks again though, that will help me in the future

number 6 was there in fact, it is attached to the bump stops!

**cherry1809** · Monday 25th January 2010, 17:45

Number 7 is the bit thats gone on mine.

**phil_woods** · Thursday 28th January 2010, 21:23

well I have today ordered my upper spring mounts from pfv a tidy price of £17 each.

Give it a couple of days and I should dodge death lol

**mexybhouy** · Sunday 31st January 2010, 23:04

Just done mine, O/S front today, it's the spring retaining mount! the bush that's bonded to the rubber had separated, making a knocking noise and when the bonnet was open and you lean on it, it protruded above the strut tower much more than the other side!
Replaced it with genuine Volvo part as the pattern ones are crap and don't last very long! hope you done the same??
I was concerned that the top of the damper would hit the bonnet if i hit a hard enough bump, but the rest of the mount stops this happening unless the whole rubber mount completely fails!

**phil_woods** · Monday 1st February 2010, 05:41

Hi mate I still haven't done mine yet, the wife bought a new dog the other day and I haven't had a minute to myself. Yours has gone in exactly the same way mine has gone however I just bought the replacements from PFV so mine are probably patents. Oh well if they last a few months I'll be happy enough.

**p fandango** · Monday 1st February 2010, 09:01

Originally Posted by phil_woods

well I have today ordered my upper spring mounts from pfv a tidy price of £17 each.

i've seen that PFV do uprated top mounts now, but there £45

**phil_woods** · Monday 1st February 2010, 18:51

Yeah I seen that pedro but I couldn't stomach paying that especially as I am fitting new mounts next month too. I have just replaced both sides today after work and the difference in the steering is amazing. My tracking is out now though