Front Suspension Inserts

[MarkTwo]

Your posting has got me thinking as our Stag has developed a knocking noise from the front nearside corner. Perhaps its the damper insert moving within the strut. Did you have to remove the coil spring before you were able to detect the movement in the damper stem?

Bruce, I was not sure exactly where the noise was coming from and took the car to a local friendly Ford garage where there are often interesting cars in for service. They test drove it and were pretty sure it was the front strut. I could not detect any movement issues with the front strut fitted to the car. I did check the torque of some of the nuts and all were fine. They offered to replace the complete front strut, but I took it out yesterday and at first could not see the issue. However there was very slight sideways movement of the damper in the strut. Only by putting the original adaptor in place, which sits deeper into the strut was I able to stop the sideways movement. I reassembled dry and the noise has gone. I may have to do the same with the other side at some point. I can hear some faint noises, although it could be the steering rack, as you can feel it through the steering wheel. All is running well again. It is surprising that the minimal movement made so much noise on the road!

Mark

[Marco Polo]

I think if they get filled with a fluid of any type, in the UK at least, there is a chance that the fluid may appear as a leak which at MOT time will be fuel for failure.... I reckon that unless you are doing some serious track work or off road (in a Stag!!!!!!???????????? ) they will be fine dry...

The struts were originally filled with oil with a piston/plunger type damper, why would filling the void between insert cartridge and strut cause a leak? I would have thought removing any moisture laden air with an oil would be a better option regardless of how hard the strut has to work?
regards,
Raoul

[Rubce]

Bruce,

Check your drag struts are tight. Mine developed a knocking from one side soon after I bought it. Took me ages to discover that whoever fitted the poly bushes hadn't torqued the drag struts to the body and they were loose. Tightened them up and the knock disappeared.

Hi Dave

Thanks for the tip.I will check that first.

Regards

Bruce

[73stagman]

The struts were originally filled with oil with a piston/plunger type damper, why would filling the void between insert cartridge and strut cause a leak? I would have thought removing any moisture laden air with an oil would be a better option regardless of how hard the strut has to work?
regards,
Raoul

Because the originals used the outer case as the true outer of the shock absorber and so an oil leak could mean a strut failure. With the strut inserts the outer case is just that, The shock absorber oil is all in the strut insert inside the original outer and so if you fill the outer with oil you will almost certainly get a leak because you disturb the top insert seal which would not really be a shock absorber leak or failure but would look like one to a MOT tester... he would fail it I guarantee it!

On my strut inserts the new top nut is only a clamp.. it doesn't seal against the strut insert as such and so any oil would just come out anyway.. it would absorb any moisture in the air and create an oily emulsion.... if some corrosion protection is required then coat them with waxoyl or similar before they get inserted.. they wont need any more cooling than the originals...

[Marco Polo]

Because the originals used the outer case as the true outer of the shock absorber and so an oil leak could mean a strut failure. With the strut inserts the outer case is just that, The shock absorber oil is all in the strut insert inside the original outer and so if you fill the outer with oil you will almost certainly get a leak because you disturb the top insert seal which would not really be a shock absorber leak or failure but would look like one to a MOT tester... he would fail it I guarantee it!

On my strut inserts the new top nut is only a clamp.. it doesn't seal against the strut insert as such and so any oil would just come out anyway.. it would absorb any moisture in the air and create an oily emulsion.... if some corrosion protection is required then coat them with waxoyl or similar before they get inserted.. they wont need any more cooling than the originals...

I haven't had a leak from mine in the past 6 years, filled with ATF. The best, (most fun), local roads are mountain ranges with lots of hairpin bends. So the suspension works hard, I've never had a problem. I'm sure you do more driving than cruising the flatlands of Barrow in Furness, if you are going to go to the effort of filling with waxoyl, why not use a cheaper more viscous alternative?
regards,
Raoul