I'd heard a bit of a squeaking sound the last couple of days from my front suspension. This evening I opened up the hood to look at the top of the suspension, and sure enough: The driver's side looks like this:



I haven't taken anything apart yet since I just noticed this, but it looks like the rubber strut mount has blown out. Before I tear it apart, do I just need to order #19 below?



Thanks in advance.

- Andy

Yep nr19,  check that the nr17 washer hasn't been damaged as well before you order the parts.

Great. Thank you.

Before I tracked down and corrected an issue causing my truck to eat front struts I was replacing them ( struts ) on a yearly basis. I've only had to replace the mounts once though, and they weren't even torn up like that. Must be a really dry climate out there. With the suspension mods we do to our trucks the strut mounts are under more of a load then normal.
I know this sounds OCD'ish, but a few times a year I'll spend a couple hours soaking EVERY piece of rubber trim and all rubber covers, hoses, boots, like on the cv's, AND bushings including the strut bushings with a water based rubber/vinyl treatment to protect them from drying out, and against UV damage. Not only does it extend their life by keeping them flexible, it helps keeps squeaks from happening. I get mine from Adam's Polishes but I'm sure something like it can be found at most auto parts.

Are you jumping, or desert racing with this? If your struts are bottoming or topping out frequently that bushing will have more forces applied on it.  I would also check to see how good the strut is. 
Of course some things fail just to keep us working on our rigs.

Are you jumping, or desert racing with this? If your struts are bottoming or topping out frequently that bushing will have more forces applied on it.  I would also check to see how good the strut is. 
Of course some things fail just to keep us working on our rigs.

Not jumping it, but we have pushed it pretty hard in the sand a few times over some whoops, washboarded areas, and there has been some bottoming out because of it. The new strut mount was only $23 at NAPA, and was easy to replace.

There will be OME struts in the future to replace the stockers with a strut extenders on them.

- Andy

Well I just added that part to my collection of trail parts I will carry.  Better safe than sorry.  Thanks for sharing.

Quote from: BRD HNTR on July 28, 2012, 09:23:17 AM

Are you jumping, or desert racing with this? If your struts are bottoming or topping out frequently that bushing will have more forces applied on it.  I would also check to see how good the strut is. 
Of course some things fail just to keep us working on our rigs.

Not jumping it, but we have pushed it pretty hard in the sand a few times over some whoops, washboarded areas, and there has been some bottoming out because of it. The new strut mount was only $23 at NAPA, and was easy to replace.

There will be OME struts in the future to replace the stockers with a strut extenders on them.

- Andy

If you are bottoming out some, putting strut extenders on will cause more frequent bottoming out.  I suggest that you look into extending your bump stops.

Quote from: Warn Industries on August 02, 2012, 09:11:57 AM

Quote from: BRD HNTR on July 28, 2012, 09:23:17 AM

Are you jumping, or desert racing with this? If your struts are bottoming or topping out frequently that bushing will have more forces applied on it.  I would also check to see how good the strut is. 
Of course some things fail just to keep us working on our rigs.

Not jumping it, but we have pushed it pretty hard in the sand a few times over some whoops, washboarded areas, and there has been some bottoming out because of it. The new strut mount was only $23 at NAPA, and was easy to replace.

There will be OME struts in the future to replace the stockers with a strut extenders on them.

- Andy

If you are bottoming out some, putting strut extenders on will cause more frequent bottoming out.  I suggest that you look into extending your bump stops.

Thanks for the advice on that; I appreciate it. Would you suggest adding a second cut-down set or does someone make longer bumpstops?

My next "big" (read: more expensive) project will be some OME struts. The stock struts are OK still, but I'd rather have the good stuff. Will I still need to extend the bumpstops on those?

 - Andy

Just a thought Andy, but when you go to buy the OME springs for your truck, you ought to consider the OME heavier springs with all the additional weight you are carrying up front.  The extra weight over your front end may have beat on your strut mounts a little harder when off road, hence the separation of the strut mount.   Good thing you caught the ruptured strut mount before too many miles cause they will cause your tire to get chewed up really quick by the amount of additional camber they induce.  I ate up a perfectly good BFG A/T driving 100 miles back from Cincinnati last fall on the interstate. I discovered my strut mount had separated, but had to limp it home anyway to repair it. The strut design on a 2nd gen is slightly different, but the purpose and end effect is the same.  REALLY aggravating.

Uhhhh - I'm really not sure about this - yes - upgrading to OME springs to cope with the additional weight is a a good idea, but I don't think that weak springs will cause the strut mount to fail, in fact I think it would be the other way around, but this is assuming there are no strut spacers.

If the springs are weak, the front end sags and on compression you end up on the bump stops - IF - you are running a "coil over" type strut where the bumpstop is on the strut rod, this transfers the load to the strut mount and can damage it - BUT - on these vehicles the bump stop is between the control arm and the frame so the strut mount should not take the hit - unless the strut has been spaced downward to increase the travel, without the bumpstops being adjusted to compensate.

Now if you use longer/heavier springs or coil spacers to lift the vehicle or to compensate for front end load, it is possible that the strut will be extended beyond mid travel with the vehicle at rest, and this can cause the strut to "top out" very easily, and since the strut is acting as the rebound stop, this loads both the strut and the mount.

I was thinking more along the lines of the strut extenders being too long (not matched) for the coil spacer lift.  For example,  extenders I bought from Boondox years ago are about an inch longer than a pair I have from Bits4Vits.  So if the strut fully compresses  before the spring makes contact with the bump stop... the strut mount will continually take the brunt of the impact each time you fully compress the front end.  Probably the same situation brd hunter was referring to, I guess.

I was thinking more along the lines of the strut extenders being too long (not matched) for the coil spacer lift.  For example,  extenders I bought from Boondox years ago are about an inch longer than a pair I have from Bits4Vits.  So if the strut fully compresses  before the spring makes contact with the bump stop... the strut mount will continually take the brunt of the impact each time you fully compress the front end.  Probably the same situation brd hunter was referring to, I guess.

I run 2" spacers on mine but if I was landing hard on the front I would go a little shorter to allow for more compression of the bump stops. I think Bits4Vits spacers are 1 1/2" but Dave Jones was always quite hard on his truck.

The other thing to remember is that when the front wheels come off the ground the suspension is pulling at the top mount so if you're running more preload or harder springs they are going to suffer.

Quote from: BRD HNTR on August 02, 2012, 09:33:34 PM

Quote from: Warn Industries on August 02, 2012, 09:11:57 AM

Quote from: BRD HNTR on July 28, 2012, 09:23:17 AM

Are you jumping, or desert racing with this? If your struts are bottoming or topping out frequently that bushing will have more forces applied on it.  I would also check to see how good the strut is. 
Of course some things fail just to keep us working on our rigs.

Not jumping it, but we have pushed it pretty hard in the sand a few times over some whoops, washboarded areas, and there has been some bottoming out because of it. The new strut mount was only $23 at NAPA, and was easy to replace.

There will be OME struts in the future to replace the stockers with a strut extenders on them.
- Andy

If you are bottoming out some, putting strut extenders on will cause more frequent bottoming out.  I suggest that you look into extending your bump stops.

Thanks for the advice on that; I appreciate it. Would you suggest adding a second cut-down set or does someone make longer bumpstops?

My next "big" (read: more expensive) project will be some OME struts. The stock struts are OK still, but I'd rather have the good stuff. Will I still need to extend the bumpstops on those?

 - Andy

OME struts are longer, so they will give you more drop without moving the top of the strut down (where it could bottom out sooner).  If you put strut extenders on OME struts, you may start getting too much drop and start blowing your CV's.  When that starts happening you will have to drop the diff lower to lessen the angle of the CV's or remove the strut spacers (while this is not what he was talking about I am sure that Newton's third law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.. APPLIES )

Daystar makes good Bumpstops.
Check to make sure the rubber bumpers are still on your stock bumpstops.  And sometimes equipment on 20+ year old equipment fails.

I was thinking more along the lines of the strut extenders being too long (not matched) for the coil spacer lift.  For example,  extenders I bought from Boondox years ago are about an inch longer than a pair I have from Bits4Vits.  So if the strut fully compresses  before the spring makes contact with the bump stop... the strut mount will continually take the brunt of the impact each time you fully compress the front end.  Probably the same situation brd hunter was referring to, I guess.

FYI, I am running the 2" BDS spring lift (no spacers). The kit came with the springs, strut extenders, and longer rear shocks.

- Andy