Strut mount and strut bar and tracking

[markus_74]

hello,

may I have asking this before but I surprise after check my strut mount has a lot of deformation.

from the strut bar hole to the strut mount screw is about 20mm.

can I fix it or it is better that I buy adjustable strut bar?









I have also tracking my car and the result is like this: is it OK? or strut mount deformation can influence the comfort of car ride? or something bad?

[suedenim]

Are you sure your strut towers are deformed?
Have you taken any measurements, say from the centreline of the car to a reference point on each tower?
It could just be a strut brace for a different car.

[Brianmoooore]

Towers moved in fits with the excess negative camber.

[suedenim]

Towers moved in fits with the excess negative camber.

How bad is it then brianmoore? I see the problem, camber isn't adjustable with a std set up. Presumably jigging the front end is required, but would adjustable top mounts correct it?

[Brianmoooore]

Should be 1002.2mm +/- 2mm between the centres of the top of the strut towers. If they are less than that, get a jack between them.
It's only steel, and it will bend!
With the correct strut bar fitted, they won't be moving in again.

[Brianmoooore]

I reckon 20mm in equates to about 1 degree extra negative camber, so 0.5 degree a side.

[markus_74]

which point I should jack it, Brian? on the engine mount chassis? and with or without tire?

[Brianmoooore]

I'd unscrew all the wing fixing screws first of all, to avoid any chance of buckling them.
The jacking needs to be done between the very top of the towers - the ideal tool would be a specially modified strut brace, with a hydraulic ram fitted in the middle of the bar, but failing that, you'll have to shape up some wooden blocks to fit the inside curve of the top of the towers and jack against these. You'll find that it takes much less force than you might think.

[markus_74]

hello, brian

you mean that I should make some special tool like an adjustable strut bar but in the middle of it I put a hidraulic jack? and in the same time I build a wood to fill inside the strut mount?

"but failing that, you'll have to shape up some wooden blocks to fit the inside curve of the top of the towers and jack against these" I'm still have not clear about this, can you please info me

[Brianmoooore]

Wooden blocks to spread the load a bit on the outside of the towers. The towers themselves are strong enough at the top not to distort as long as the pushing load is spread a bit, and the struts still in place will help.
It'll take very little force to push 20mm, but to bend it permanently back into place you'll have to push considerably past 20mm. It's a matter of jack and inspect, jack and inspect, keeping an eye out for things bending that shouldn't.
I have a 10 ton body jack kit for this kind of thing, consisting of a hand pump, a hydraulic ram, and several assorted extension rods and various shaped ends for the rods. It's a tool to be used with great care, but it's surprising how easily things go back to very close to where they should be.

[Jozi]

Could you jack the car up at the centre of the subframe, enough for the wheels to come of the ground? I've heard of guys doing it this way to fit the strut brace.

[markus_74]

hello, brian if I put a hidraulic ram between strut tower does it will force equal both tower so I'm not making risk of over bending the right or left?

[markus_74]

Could you jack the car up at the centre of the subframe, enough for the wheels to come of the ground? I've heard of guys doing it this way to fit the strut brace.

hello, I haven't tried it but will try. thank you

[markus_74]

yesterday finally I can fit my strut brace, not too difficult just jack in the middle of the chassis and with some jacking and use a metal stick to move the strut bar into position.

but I have some question, the right has a small gap between the round of the top strut mount with the strut brace edge, and the left can be precisely install and no gap.

I send the pics and which one is correct?