Camber Top Plates - Spring noise when turning!

[andrew_baran]

I bought a set of these to work with my GAZ coilovers.

http://silverproject.pl/camber-plates-drift-p-38.html

They have a pillowball in the centre, but seemingly no bearing, like the stock item. When I tighten the top nut against them, the shock absorber does not turn with the strut leg, and neither does the top spring cup. This is causing a springing noise when i turn at slow speeds.

The website (in broken English) describes them as a direct replacement for the stock item. What am I doing wrong?!!

Do the pillowball mounts just need some serious cleaning and greasing? Is something missing or faulty? I've got no idea.

[DanThe]

They are not clamped onto the strut correctly if you are getting spring noise, 90% of cheap top mounts need custom spacers machining to get them to fit right.
Fit them without the springs first and make sure there is plenty of movement on the bearing, I bet you will have practically zero.

I removed a set that looked the same as those from a car early this year, the bearing had fell out the mount, they were more like £40 though from what the chap was telling me

[Digit]

I modified the strut towers for the plates to sit ontop of the towers then found a suitable bearing from my local bearing services to get rid of the noise. Done my head in to start with!

[Prey]

get a pair of needle roller bearings to sit in between the spring and the top cap - i got told by a guy who rallied mk2 escorts its common with this type of topmount apparently. thats what ive done with mine and i have the same topmounts - no issues now - steering is lovely and smooth.

these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AXK-Needle-Ro ... 0807794153

the 6085 ones, 9.90 each

[andrew_baran]

That's an interesting solution. I was more worried about the fact the outer strut leg and spring was rotating, yet the centre shock insert was not - that surely isn't good for the shock absorber?!

[Prey]

i cant see that it would hurt seeing as the piston is constantly moving up and down on the seals, so a small rotation (it only moves a few degrees, not like it spins round and round) shouldn't kill things.

[DanThe]

That's an interesting solution. I was more worried about the fact the outer strut leg and spring was rotating, yet the centre shock insert was not - that surely isn't good for the shock absorber?!

Its not, therefore fix the main bearing and your sorted, fixing around the problem isnt really the best way to go

[andrew_baran]

No, I agree. This weekend, if I get a chance, I'll take apart one of the mounts in a hope to get the bearing spinning. But I think it might be a "buy cheap buy twice" situation, and I should just upgrade...

[Prey]

you won't, i think you'd need to have the mount modified to take a different bearing - although then you still very well may find it's the same situation.

i came to the conclusion that due to the angle of my topmounts it doesn't matter what bearing i used it would bind with how it's loaded - if you run standard camber/castor then it would probably be fine. but if you're doing that then why bother with the topmounts anyway.

the many many people that do this must be wrong then, as well as the oem coilovers that come like this as standard - do some reading, or maybe even try it and see if it works.

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=needle+bearings+coilovers

[DanThe]

Wrong or right, there is no reason why the spring needs to move, the only movement should be on the top mount bearing, if your getting binding then you either dont have enough clearance or the bearing is shite, I had to use spacers between the bearing and spring top to get my coilovers to clear, not much effort involved at all but it comes down to what sleeves/spacers you get supplied with the top mounts really.

I use cheapy ebay E36 mounts

[M1ke30]

Wrong or right, there is no reason why the spring needs to move, the only movement should be on the top mount bearing, if your getting binding then you either dont have enough clearance or the bearing is shite, I had to use spacers between the bearing and spring top to get my coilovers to clear, not much effort involved at all but it comes down to what sleeves/spacers you get supplied with the top mounts really.

I use cheapy ebay E36 mounts

Just a quick question, do e36 top mounts fit an e30? I've just got some ProSport coilovers, just trying to find top mounts.

[DanThe]

Apart from the studs being in the wrong place the size is perfect

[M1ke30]

Apart from the studs being in the wrong place the size is perfect

Haha, can't be bothered with that. Lol ill just use ones for the e30. Lol

[harry_p]

Lots of aftermarket topmounts use very tight spherical bearings, and as the springs are usually flat bottomed its often easier for those to spin than the bearing.

The oem caps are shaped to the spring, so the spring itself can't spin, and a standard rotating bearing which only needs to be able to twist as its mounted in rubber which will allow slight angular movement.

I'm not saying its right, but its very common and doesn't seem to cause any longterm harm.

The HSDs on my e36 ping and twang and sound horrible during low speed manouvering but are fine in normal use.

[DanThe]

Maybe the springs are too loose, but yes I know what you mean. Plenty out there will be making noises due to fouling