Strut top bearing issues XC70 - Help?

monkeh · Jun 28th, 2022, 22:24

Some help would be appreciated.
After just replacing the shock absorbers, lower arms, and strut top mounts, I have now got a horrible grinding on suspension travel. Almost like looseness. but no play.

My thoughts are - I have not tightened up the strut top bearings enough.
I've been taught and also watched a few videos, including the Norwegian video to "Tighten them up so the bearing doesn't drag or fluffs"

Does that mean, Tighten it up to the stop and allow the bearing to still spin?
Or tighten it up to whatever feels right. (Which I think I have done)

I am going to re-visit this on Friday and try and tighten the tops up to stop, backing up a bit.

Is this right?

v70norge · Jun 28th, 2022, 23:03

You can not tighten up the strut top bearings, they supports the weigt of the car against the springs. You have to tighten the 3 bolts on the top mount to torque spec, and thighten top nut on strut to torque spec. It is important that the bearing is aligned up properly whit the shock and top mount.

monkeh · Jun 29th, 2022, 00:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by v70norge

You can not tighten up the strut top bearings, they supports the weigt of the car against the springs. You have to tighten the 3 bolts on the top mount to torque spec, and thighten top nut on strut to torque spec. It is important that the bearing is aligned up properly whit the shock and top mount.

I have a lift kit installed, the 3 strut top nuts are tightened to spec. (Which isn't much on these cars, surprisingly)

I made sure that the bearing was aligned. By the looks of it, I may have not tightened up the top nut.

I checked lock to lock by moving the car out of the garage, just to make sure I had things tightened and tightened up while the car was on its own weight. It was the pothole test that I didn't do after the work. Parked it up and thought it'd be ready for use.

I will check the tightness of the top nuts tomorrow, Hopefully I can sneak the socket in through the top without having to drop the strut- AGAIN!

monkeh · Jun 29th, 2022, 00:51

After watching an Alan Howatt video, I've seen him just pneumatic gun the strut top bolt up. Maybe that's where I crapped out.

monkeh · Jun 29th, 2022, 22:27

Sorted it,
I seem to need to take a few more MTFU pills.
After seeing how Alan Howatt does it, I just applied the ugga dugga to the top nut until it came to rest, Which was about 10 good spins on each nut!
Noise, gone. However, I had forgotten to tighten the damned dust shield! NEW noise!

Jun 28th, 2022, 22:24	#1
monkeh Pain in the backside Last Online: Today 02:26 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Newport	Strut top bearing issues XC70 - Help? Some help would be appreciated. After just replacing the shock absorbers, lower arms, and strut top mounts, I have now got a horrible grinding on suspension travel. Almost like looseness. but no play. My thoughts are - I have not tightened up the strut top bearings enough. I've been taught and also watched a few videos, including the Norwegian video to "Tighten them up so the bearing doesn't drag or fluffs" Does that mean, Tighten it up to the stop and allow the bearing to still spin? Or tighten it up to whatever feels right. (Which I think I have done) I am going to re-visit this on Friday and try and tighten the tops up to stop, backing up a bit. Is this right? __________________ 'Designed by a computer, built by a robot, and driven by a f***ing nutter' '09 XC70 SE - 2" lift, D5 225bhp, poverty spec.

Jun 29th, 2022, 00:51	#4
monkeh Pain in the backside Last Online: Today 02:26 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Newport	After watching an Alan Howatt video, I've seen him just pneumatic gun the strut top bolt up. Maybe that's where I crapped out. __________________ 'Designed by a computer, built by a robot, and driven by a f***ing nutter' '09 XC70 SE - 2" lift, D5 225bhp, poverty spec.

Jun 29th, 2022, 22:27	#5
monkeh Pain in the backside Last Online: Today 02:26 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Newport	Sorted it, I seem to need to take a few more MTFU pills. After seeing how Alan Howatt does it, I just applied the ugga dugga to the top nut until it came to rest, Which was about 10 good spins on each nut! Noise, gone. However, I had forgotten to tighten the damned dust shield! NEW noise! __________________ 'Designed by a computer, built by a robot, and driven by a f***ing nutter' '09 XC70 SE - 2" lift, D5 225bhp, poverty spec.

Jun 28th, 2022, 23:03	#2
v70norge New Member Last Online: Apr 11th, 2024 18:10 Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Norway	You can not tighten up the strut top bearings, they supports the weigt of the car against the springs. You have to tighten the 3 bolts on the top mount to torque spec, and thighten top nut on strut to torque spec. It is important that the bearing is aligned up properly whit the shock and top mount.

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