Fitting taper bearings to front strut top mounts

[Stagdad]

I was looking at buying some roller top mounts but due to the weak pound no one has them over here so I thought I might have a go and make myself some .Been sizing up the bearings and now know why they are so expensive:shock:

http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/adv...;x=12&y=12

So thats £150 just for the bearings.

Maybe cheaper bearings could be used but these are a good fit on the strut shafts and the only option coming up for that size.

Anyone done something similar?

Cheers Steve

[dasadrew]

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Any reason why you would use a pair of taper roller bearings? On the old Escort they are either single ball roller races or spherical bearings.

[les M]

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Steve

It's on one of my "many too do list's" but not very high on the priorities at the moment. But I think at that price for the bearings I would be looking at a cheaper bearing that is similar and make up inserts as required. Best of luck if you go for it.

Les.

[new to this]

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Stagdad wrote:

I was looking at buying some roller top mounts but due to the weak pound no one has them over here so I thought I might have a go and make myself some .Been sizing up the bearings and now know why they are so expensive:shock:

http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/adv...;x=12&y=12

So thats £150 just for the bearings.

Maybe cheaper bearings could be used but these are a good fit on the strut shafts and the only option coming up for that size.

Anyone done something similar?

Cheers Steve

steve

I thinkmonarchs already sell them

Dave

[Andy Rundell]

imported post

new to this wrote:

Stagdad wrote:

I was looking at buying some roller top mounts but due to the weak pound no one has them over here so I thought I might have a go and make myself some .Been sizing up the bearings and now know why they are so expensive:shock:

http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/adv...;x=12&y=12

So thats £150 just for the bearings.

Maybe cheaper bearings could be used but these are a good fit on the strut shafts and the only option coming up for that size.

Anyone done something similar?

Cheers Steve

steve

I thinkmonarchs already sell them

Dave

I think Steve has been in contact with Monarch and Chris Witor, but their costs are much higher than they used to be given the poor exchange rates to Oz. He's after an alternative, lower-cost option.

..............Andy

[Stagdad]

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dasadrew wrote:

Any reason why you would use a pair of taper roller bearings? On the old Escort they are either single ball roller races or spherical bearings.

Not really Drew,only that the ones already done had taper bearings.I was thinking of ball races but was unsure of the side load capability of them,I'll have to read up on them,It would bebetter to fit races with dust shields fitted I guess.

Cheers Steve

[Stagdad]

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les M wrote:

Steve

It's on one of my "many too do list's" but not very high on the priorities at the moment. But I think at that price for the bearings I would be looking at a cheaper bearing that is similar and make up inserts as required. Best of luck if you go for it.

Les.

Yes Les i did think that a much cheaper bearing could be used with a hollow top hat shaped sleeve to reduce the bore size to the required Size.

Cheers Steve

[Stagdad]

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Andy Rundell wrote:

new to this wrote:

Stagdad wrote:

I was looking at buying some roller top mounts but due to the weak pound no one has them over here so I thought I might have a go and make myself some .Been sizing up the bearings and now know why they are so expensive:shock:

http://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/adv...;x=12&y=12

So thats £150 just for the bearings.

Maybe cheaper bearings could be used but these are a good fit on the strut shafts and the only option coming up for that size.

Anyone done something similar?

Cheers Steve

steve

I thinkmonarchs already sell them

Dave

I think Steve has been in contact with Monarch and Chris Witor, but their costs are much higher than they used to be given the poor exchange rates to Oz. He's after an alternative, lower-cost option.

..............Andy

Thats right Andy ,Monarch haven't got any due to the weak pound and they only sold the odd set so not worth it.

Cheers Steve

[TimShoubridge]

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What are they in Oz? How much and where would you get them from?

[dasadrew]

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Stagdad wrote:

dasadrew wrote:

Any reason why you would use a pair of taper roller bearings? On the old Escort they are either single ball roller races or spherical bearings.

Not really Drew,only that the ones already done had taper bearings.I was thinking of ball races but was unsure of the side load capability of them,I'll have to read up on them,It would bebetter to fit races with dust shields fitted I guess.

Cheers Steve

Don't know if we're talking at crossed purposes here, but the RTM's I kmow and love are simply there to stop the turning of the strut wind up the top bush. It makes the steering a lot lighter if you have no PAS. Also useful for extremely accurate suspension geometry but now we're into hair-splitting areas.

The bearing doesn't have to rotate at any speed or get hot. The vertical loads it receives are also damped, as the road bumps travel via oil to the strut piston which connnects to the RTM. I took an RTM apart from an old Escort because the rubber had perished and I was inquisitive. The bearing race was pretty shot (ex-rally car) but the full function was still there.

The Escort RTM bearings are fairly meaty - about 2.5" diameter and yes, they are shielded bearings. The trick is that they are encased in a hard rubber moulding, although some aftermarket ones are removable.

Being as the Stag has PAS, what is the actual reason why they are propagated for Stag? (except like for Tony Hart's racing Stag)

Drew

[jleyton]

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Yeah, I was wondering about that. I've had mine in bits as part of my suspension refurb and it all looks pretty simple and I can't see that there are massive gains to be made by changing to a taper roller bearing - or am I missing something?

My refurb is coming along ok but I'm just waiting to get some damper oil as I'm going to reuse the original non sealed inserts as they look in such good condition. No points for spotting the wrong drag link fitted at the moment

Cheers

Julian

[Stagdad]

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dasadrew wrote:

Being as the Stag has PAS, what is the actual reason why they are propagated for Stag? (except like for Tony Hart's racing Stag)

Drew

There's probably no great gain over the original setup only that they can dry out andthe inner bush can seized in the outer which can makesome noise when turning as it lets go. One of the pair I have just stripped down was totally seized and had to be drifted out.

I guess its not a huge job to take them off every few years and grease them up.

Cheers Steve

[Stagdad]

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TimShoubridge wrote:

What are they in Oz? How much and where would you get them from?

Tim ,they must be made over there but as there is a surcharge on your old unit I believe the old units are reworked to take the new bearings.I don't think it's a case of buying them off the shelf.

Cheers Steve

[DJT]

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Stagdad wrote:

There's probably no great gain over the original setup only that they can dry out andthe inner bush can seized in the outer which can makesome noise when turning as it lets go. One of the pair I have just stripped down was totally seized and had to be drifted out.

That is why there is a rubber bung in the top of the strut tower. Pop this out every few months and dribble some oil around the nut. This finds its way down and lubricates the bearing.

In fact the rubber bungs have a hole in them, so if you have an oil can with a spoutjust squeeze some in the hole.

Re-engineering thetop mounts with roller bearingsseems so OTT to me. :?

A couple of weeks ago I replaced the top mounts (and brake discs/pads) on a Seat Cordoba for my future Son-in-Law. These mounts are the same as for a Golf and seemed very under-engineered compared with the OE Stag set-up

Dave

[Stagdad]

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DJT wrote:

Stagdad wrote:

There's probably no great gain over the original setup only that they can dry out andthe inner bush can seized in the outer which can makesome noise when turning as it lets go. One of the pair I have just stripped down was totally seized and had to be drifted out.

That is why there is a rubber bung in the top of the strut tower. Pop this out every few months and dribble some oil around the nut. This finds its way down and lubricates the bearing.

Dave

Ahh good Idea Dave,I think you are right ,It's not worth the effortto fit bearings.On a side note I notice that what appear to be remanufactured top mounts seem to split between the rubber and the steel centre sleeve, where as what looks like original ones that I have look fine so I know which ones I'll be reusing after fitting new bushes.

Cheers Steve