Good afternoon. This is how our people are structured, that for some reason many of us are ashamed to admit that they don’t know something. Very often I come across the fact that the interlocutor says this ... "oh, yes, I’ve already done this a hundred times ... but how can I unscrew it." Well, what's shameful about that? Everyone is born almost the same...almost in equal conditions. And there is nothing bad that we don’t know something. It's bad when we don't try to learn something new.
I’ve been picking cars quite recently, soon it will be 10 years. And I started from absolute zero. My knowledge was really at the level of a blonde girl.
And I was also embarrassed to show my level of knowledge. And there was really no one to ask. And probably my main teacher was the Internet. Of course, the Internet is such a thing where any opinion must be questioned. It turns out that any information needs to be double-checked. That's not even the point. If there was information, everyone would choose the truth in it for themselves.
As for auto repair, everyone comes to this on their own. For some, knowledge is passed on by their father and they are already tinkering with their car out of inertia, for others it is their financial situation, for others it is their interest. At one time I also took my car to a service center... the most I did was change the air filter. And it seemed to me, oh, how complicated everything is, everyone should mind their own business... only professionals should get into a car, especially a Volvo. But it was the services that made me who I am...their JOBS. One jamb after another... and the last straw was that they didn’t tighten the steering rack when I replaced it. Each of you imagines what the consequences could be...
So, in a sense, I am very grateful to these craftsmen who forced me to take care of my car.
Why am I doing all this... this is to say that at some point, the Internet became the foundation of knowledge for me and I owe it to it. This is why I post here all the necessary and unnecessary photo reports. This is why this video post today will appear...even though I don’t like making videos.
This was a lyrical introduction, and as for the question... for those who will not watch the video, a small text description.
There is such a thing, the upper shock absorber support. Some kind of rubber-metal product. For clarity, I cut it in half.
Signs of shock absorber wear
There are several warning signs that can help you determine when your shock absorbers need replacing. For example: your car, after driving over railroad tracks, speed bumps, or dips in the road, continues to bounce after the fact.
Other signs include unusual noises over bumps, excessive body roll when cornering or when braking, where the front of the car dives forward sharply. Since shock absorbers wear out gradually, you can easily get used to such driving, just as you get used to a longer braking distance when the brake pads wear out.
How to determine shock absorber wear?
One way to check your shock absorbers is to press hard on each corner of your car. And if the car continues to bounce after you let go, then it's time to replace the shock absorbers. However, this test can be quite labor intensive and many SUVs or pickup trucks will not be able to test the shock absorbers this way.
Instead, you should have your shock absorbers inspected on a lift by a qualified mechanic. The mechanic will be able to see if there are any serious leaks (shock absorbers filled with fluid), if the mounts or bushings are worn, and if there is physical damage such as dents.
If you frequently drive on rough, uneven roads that put extra stress on your shock absorbers, you'll likely need to replace them more often than if you drive on a smooth freeway. Also, when transporting heavy loads, shock absorbers wear out faster.
Is it possible to replace only one support?
There are also no exact rules here, and if you want, no one will stop you from replacing only one support, but you can be absolutely sure that you will do double the work. Why? Typically the mileage that the supports can withstand is the same, meaning that if one is crushed or torn, so will the other and you will soon have to replace the support again.
Therefore, experts advise changing them in pairs each time you change the supports (just like shock absorbers).
Signs of wear on the shock absorber strut mount
The main sign of wear on the shock absorber support is a dull impact on the car body when it hits a road bump. To visually verify its malfunction, open the hood and look at the shock absorber. If the rubber support is damaged or simply not in the right place, the support will have to be replaced.
If this is not done in time, then the shock absorber itself may fail along with the support. Therefore, do not delay replacing it for a long time to prevent damage to the car body.
Remember that at the same time as replacing the shock absorbers, the supports must also be replaced. Typically, you will pay almost the same for replacing shock absorbers along with the supports as for replacing the support separately.
Why do you have to replace the upper shock absorber mount?
Typically, the upper supports are relatively durable and do not need to be replaced frequently. But someday such a part will have to be replaced.
This usually happens for two reasons:
- As a rule, rubber is present in the shock absorber mounts and over time it wears out and becomes cracked. On the one hand, there is nothing serious about this, but in this state the support reduces the level of noise and vibration while the car is moving much worse.
- Failure of the upper support bearing. And this situation occurs much more often than damage to the rubber element. Moreover, the level of noise and irritation is much greater than from wear of rubber bands.
A sign of wear on the shock absorber strut bearings while driving can be identified by characteristic loud knocking noises, even when driving over slight uneven surfaces. This greatly irritates the driver’s nervous system and makes him want to quickly replace the support.
Verification methods
Checking the condition of the support bearing is not difficult, but the technology depends on the design features of the rack itself.
It is worth noting here that such a check will not give an accurate result; you can verify that the bearing is faulty only after removing it from the car.
But, nevertheless, by performing a number of simple steps you can determine the condition of the upper support.
If we take the VAZ-2110 model, then its support bearing is installed in the support itself.
To check its condition, you should ask an assistant to rock the car in the transverse direction (not too much), while at this time we place our hand on the protruding part of the pillar in the engine compartment.
If the bearing is worn out, play will be felt by hand. Also, in a damaged element, such rocking is usually accompanied by the appearance of third-party sounds - creaks, clicks.
If all this is found during the inspection, it’s time to inspect the support.
On models such as Lada Priora, Lada Kalina, or, for example, Nissan X-Trail, the bearing is not included in the support structure, so it cannot be checked by rocking it. The only sign of wear is the appearance of a knocking sound when driving.
But it is still possible to further verify that the unit is faulty.
To do this, ask an assistant to turn the steering wheel in different directions. At the same time, we put our hand to the spring.
If the bearing is heavily worn, then wedging may appear in it, which will be reflected well into the spring in the form of vibration and mild “shooting”.
Read about the reasons why you hear a knocking sound when turning the steering wheel.
Shock absorber strut support: wear, repair, replacement
It is difficult to imagine the suspension of modern cars without shock absorbers - specialized damping elements. They can be combined, gas or hydraulic. To ensure proper functioning of most components, two supports are required - at the top (body or frame) and at the bottom (axle beams, steering knuckle). Some shock absorbers are equipped with only upper mounts.
Replacing shock absorbers (step by step instructions)
The top part of the shock absorber is installed to the body, the bottom part is installed to the suspension. This fastening method simplifies future replacement. Replacing front suspensions is much more difficult.
With the expansion of automotive production of front-wheel drive vehicles, difficulties arise in replacing the suspension.
There are two replacement methods
Varieties
Parts, the installation of which is carried out with special eyes, are supplemented with silent blocks or rubber bushings necessary for connection with the body and suspension of the car. It is worth noting that the upper support of the shock absorber strut has become most widespread in passenger vehicles.
Based on the type of construction, supports are classified into two types:
The latter are made in the form of a single element made of metal and rubber and are most often used in the front suspension. The main part of the structure is the connection of a rubber cushion with an internal and external steel bowl. Fixation to the body is made by the outer casing, which has several holes for fasteners. The rod is installed in the central part, and in the upper part there is a device for limiting backlash, which is similar to a steel bowl.
Tool kit for replacing shock absorbers
For DIY repairs you must have:
Wrenches included. It has a special design designed to facilitate the work process in a small, confined work space.
The tool consists of a handle as a single unit and a working part, which has a special design. Keys included:
- Carobaceae. Used for screwing fasteners that have a hexagonal shape;
- Caps. Work with cap devices;
- Combined. On one side there is an open-end wrench, and on the other a spanner;
- End A type of wrench used to turn a fastener;
- Adjustable. A universal tool that has adjustments;
- Balloon. Unscrews car wheel mounts.
- Jack. A special mechanism for lifting loads of various volumes, without auxiliary devices;
- Screwdriver Set. For ease of use, some types are produced with a magnetized tip. Handles can be of various modifications;
- A puller is a specialized device that allows you to compress shock absorber springs for repair work;
- Stoppers. An auxiliary tool that supports a car on a jack.
Installation options
There are two main types of stem mounting: through a bearing and using a sleeve. Bushings in budget options are made of aluminum and act as a sliding bearing. Expensive bearings use more complex bearings that have an angular contact design. The main purpose of the bearing is to ensure easy rotation of the shock absorber curtain. It is also worth noting the existence of parts with forced rotation of the rod.
The support of the shock absorber struts of a non-separable type can be equipped with a thicket to hold the spring or have a simplified design. In the latter version, the support bowl is fixed on a support or mounted on a rod. In another version, it is complemented by a rubber cushion with a recess for spring coils. Access to an installed support of this type is possible only from the wheel arch. This is due to the fact that the part most often experiences loads coming from below, and to ensure greater reliability, emphasis is needed on the body part. In this case, the bolts do not turn, since they are tightly connected to the outer casing. There are locking nuts in the trunk or under the hood.
What does a shock absorber strut support consist of?
The front or rear support, depending on the make of the car, is equipped with a plastic cap designed to prevent damage to the rod nut. It is fixed using latches or friction, located in the hole of the rebound limiter. The design of composite products is less complex, and most often they can be found in the rear suspension. They have three main parts: a steel spacer bushing, a lower and an upper rubber bushing. Also, the rear shock absorber strut support has an additional element in the form of a rubber compression buffer used to rest against the lower bushing.
The spacer rubber bushing is included in the design of the silent block installed in the hole in the body part. The rod is mounted in the support, the compression buffer is attached to the lower bushing using a washer, and the entire product is installed on the rod.
The important role of MacPherson struts
But MacPherson struts have another important function - they also serve as steering knuckles. That is, the stand with the wheel hub attached to it can rotate around an axis, which allows the drive wheels to be steered.
Naturally, where there is rotation, a bearing is used; in the case of this type of suspension, a support bearing.
To figure out where the support bearing is installed, let's briefly look at the car suspension structure.
Its main components are:
- Shock absorber.
- Frame.
- Spring.
- Support.
All these elements are assembled into a single whole, which provides the possibility of compressing and decompressing the spring and moving the shock absorber rod in the body (which is what the suspension is actually for, since vibrations are damped during these movements).
To ensure all this, the rack is assembled like this: a shock absorber is installed in the body and all this is installed in a spring.
To support the spring from below, a cup is used, attached to the body (welded to it).
To ensure that the spring is pressed, another cup is installed at the top, which rests against the support.
The spring extension limiter is the shock absorber rod, a limit switch that passes through the support and is secured with a nut.
Additionally, the support not only acts as a stop for the spring, it also provides the upper fastening of the strut to the body (it is attached to it with levers from below).
Shock absorber strut support: possible damage
Many car owners are not aware of the existence of a part until it becomes unusable. Despite this, the quality of steering and suspension properties directly depend on it. Due to the reliability of the part, the comfort of driving the car increases, the correct functioning of the suspension is ensured and the resulting noise is reduced - all this is possible only in the absence of beating, vibrations and play, which are prevented by the support of the shock absorber struts.
Due to constant loads, the part gradually becomes unusable, the fit of the metal body to the rubber cushion deteriorates, as a result of which the quality of the suspension decreases and a dull knock occurs. The VAZ shock absorber loses its former functionality and contributes to the wear of other parts. Damage to steel bushings and bearings causes no less damage.
Extending the life of bearings and shock absorbers
The main enemy of the front shock absorber support is potholes and bumps. It is not possible to go around each one, but it is quite possible to reduce the speed and smoothly overcome it. The support, like the shock absorber, is afraid of sudden movements and impacts. The stronger the recoil from the wheel “jumping” from the hole, the stronger the reaction of the rod and support.
Cleaning and washing the engine compartment from fallen leaves and dirt will prevent the drainage systems from becoming clogged, thereby protecting the supports from contamination from the outside, and the glasses from an additional source of corrosion. Periodic washing of shock absorbers, especially in winter, from adhering snow mixed with salt and reagents, also helps preserve metal and rubber elements from premature destruction.
Replacing supports
The algorithm for dismantling supports is approximately the same for all cars. First you need to unscrew the lower mounting point and remove the nuts securing the part to the body. The coils of the spring are compressed by a special coupler, which allows the support to be released. All that remains is to remove the stem nut. The new upper shock absorber strut mount is installed by performing all the steps in reverse order.
The parts do not require special maintenance and work for a long time. Despite this, it is necessary to periodically check their condition to ensure safe operation and increase the service life of the vehicle's chassis.
This is interesting: Repair and operation of VAZ 21214
Symptoms of a problem
Noise coming from under the trunk or hood is the main sign of a breakdown. Most often it appears when driving on a dirt road or poor-quality asphalt. Not only damaged parts must be replaced, but also those with deformation or sufficient wear. The best option would be to replace it before characteristic noise occurs, for example, when the VAZ shock absorber itself is installed.
You can make sure that the shock absorbers need to be replaced by pressing firmly on all corners of the car. The machine should not bounce after pressing; otherwise, it is recommended to immediately work on the supports. But this method is not suitable for all cars; for example, for SUVs, hand effort will not be enough. The way out of the situation is to contact a car service center. Professionals will be able to determine the degree of wear, identify the presence of mechanical damage and leaks.
The regularity of replacement depends not only on the mileage, but also on the load on the car, the quality of the roads and the make of the car itself. The support of the shock absorber struts wears out faster with frequent transportation of heavy loads and careless driving.
Support bearing mechanism design
In fact, the weight of the front of the car (including the engine) rests on this unit. When the front wheels turn, the bearing experiences lateral loads, which accelerates its wear.
Important! Operation of faulty supports can lead to damage to shock absorber struts and steering.
A typical arrangement of support bearings can be seen in the diagram:
Diagram of support elements
Even a minor malfunction or critical wear of a bearing immediately affects the operation of the suspension and steering.
How to replace the front strut support bearing
If the support bearing wears out or is destroyed, it must be completely replaced, since it can no longer be repaired. Replacing support bearings (strut supports) in two main ways:
- dismantling the entire rack along with the levers and other elements attached to it (after replacing the bearing there is no need to do a wheel alignment);
- Using special devices (strut nut remover, spring ties), first the strut is disconnected from the steering cam, and then the rest of the necessary elements (the more common method).
In this case, after removal and reinstallation, it may be necessary to perform an alignment. We also recommend reading the article about what an axle shaft is in a car. From this article you will learn about the purpose of car axle shafts, as well as what malfunctions can occur with this part, signs of problems with axle shafts, etc.
Checking serviceability: do-it-yourself diagnostics
A more detailed check can be done using the assistant:
- Open the hood and have a helper turn the steering wheel (if you have power steering, start the engine). When you place your hand on the support, you will feel impacts and clicks. The fault can be more accurately determined using a car stethoscope.
If you don’t have a car stethoscope, a regular medical stethoscope will do. - Rock the car from side to side with the help of a partner. A faulty support will make knocking noises.
Replacing the front strut support and bearing
The work is carried out in a garage. The presence of a pit or lift is not necessary.
What tools are needed to replace
- Socket wrench with curved handle.
- Special head for disassembling racks.
Select a head after consulting with a consultant, all tools are different - Long head (candle).
- Special key for the rod.
- The usual kit is a ratchet with a set of heads to match the size of the fastener.
- Torque wrench.
- Tie for strut springs.
How to withdraw and change
- First, we completely dismantle the rack. First of all, you need to unscrew the upper shock absorber rod using two keys.
A special key can also be used for dismantling - The lower part of the rack is removed in the traditional way or simply removed from the support bowl. To do this, the car is raised with a jack. Then the support is removed.
- If the support bearing is faulty, it makes sense to inspect the entire shock absorber assembly.
If damage to any of the elements is visible, it requires replacement - After dismantling the rack with support, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the seat from dirt and check the mechanism for corrosion damage. Then you need to clean the metal from corrosion (if any), treat it with a rust converter and paint it.
- The old support, especially if damaged, cannot be repaired, so it is replaced with a new one.
Evaluate the performance of the unit; perhaps it can be partially repaired - Then the rack is assembled without removing the spring ties, and the updated unit is installed in place.
Tip: Before dismantling, mark the position of all fastening nuts and the rod with a marker to maintain the castor angle.
The ties are not removed until the end of the work
- After securing the strut to the lower control arm, carefully lift the assembly using a jack. It is better to perform this operation with an assistant. One mechanic lifts the jack, and the second makes sure that the mounting studs on the support are aligned.
- You can do the opposite - raise the car body, leaving the suspension with the wheel on the ground. Then install and secure the support. Then slowly lower the jack, while simultaneously centering the shock absorber rod in the support seat. This installation allows for a more natural placement of the assembly in the socket.
- After the final shrinkage of the rod in the hole of the support, tighten the fastening nuts. When indicating tightening torque values in the instructions, use a torque wrench.
- Don’t forget to remove the strut spring tie after securing all the elements. Upon completion of the repair, before driving on public roads, it is necessary to conduct a test drive on an empty road: this way you need to check the functionality of the steering and the absence of extraneous noise in the suspension.
Important tips for replacement and operation
Tip 1
Should I change one prop or both? Pair replacement is performed as reinsurance. This method is acceptable for a new car that is under warranty. In other cases, replacement of a worn-out spare part is carried out upon detection of a malfunction.
Tip 2
Is it necessary to do a wheel alignment? If, when disassembling parts, levers, struts, and other suspension elements were dismantled, checking the installation of angular indicators is necessary. If the replacement, for example, on a VAZ car was carried out without dismantling the strut, then a wheel alignment is not required.
Tip 3
Before performing work, prepare new spare parts and special tools: spring pullers, torque wrench, set of sockets. Before starting repairs, you need to buy spare parts. If you have any doubts about self-repair, contact a car service center.
Replacing a bearing with a separate element
If the support itself is in order, and the fault concerns only the bearing, it can be replaced separately. To do this, remove the rack with the support (the process is described above) and deal with it separately.
Having disassembled the support (the design is different for everyone, but the principle is approximately the same), we inspect the bearing. As a rule, the balls are worn unevenly, there are burrs on the holder, and the seals are damaged.
It is possible that the problem can be solved with little blood
Although journal bearings can usually be disassembled and individual components can be accessed, there is no point in repairing them.
It is hardly profitable to tinker with the component parts of the support bearing, trying to repair them
Firstly, the bearing itself separately from the support is not that expensive.
Secondly, this is a critical unit, so replacing balls or seals using a makeshift method will not lead to anything good. Therefore, it is a clear replacement.
Whether to change bearings in pairs or not - there is no consensus. Typically, paired replacements are made more due to reinsurance. Experienced service station workers determine this need based on the general condition of the car’s suspension. It also happens that it is not practical to change the second bearing - why throw away a well-functioning part?
How to carry out work on an Opel Astra (video)
What is the price of the support?
These items are consumables and their price is not at all high. Usually it ranges from $10 to $20. For a pair of supports.
The most common mistakes that drivers make when changing supports:
They Underestimate the Importance Many drivers believe that mounts are tiny rubber consumables that don't make much difference to shock absorber performance. So they don't pay attention to changes in driving comfort, and when they hear knocking, squeaking or rattling noises, they attribute the sounds to anything other than worn or torn mounts. They can only come to their senses when the shock absorbers sharply reduce their effectiveness and problems with the car's suspension increase.
Replace only one of the supports Replacing only one of the supports, to put it mildly, is not a very thoughtful and completely illogical act. Why?
Well, first of all, shock absorber mounts are sold in pairs in all stores. This means there is a good reason for the sale. Secondly, the price of a pair of supports is so low that it is not worth buying a pair and installing only one support. And thirdly, as mentioned, the supports have the same lifespan, meaning that when one wears out, so does the other, and it's a good idea to replace both at the same time. Shock Absorbers and Related Components Are Overlooked When Changing Pads As mentioned, special attention should always be paid to shock absorbers and their components when replacing mounts, whether they have been replaced soon or not. Because it is quite possible, even with a recent replacement of the element, that it has worn out prematurely, and if it is not replaced, this entire procedure of replacing the mount will be useless, since very soon the car will have to be re-repaired to replace the worn shock absorber components.
