I mentioned it in this thread:

http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...d-day-4th.html

Finally I have some pics up of my failed strut mount. I am almost wondering if the strut itself failed first though because the spot with the nut came off.

Anyway in the pics I pushed it down slightly so i could somewhat get my hood at least 6 inches away from closing....

 

Damn. I consider myself warned

 

Um well we can say you have the lowes drop in a 4th now.

 

ouch... that blows.. did this happen while driving...?

 

wow... that looked like... a dissappointment... dam....

 

It did. I hit a dip in the road, car dipped a lot more on the drivers side and kinda wobbled, then I noticed a bulge in my hood right above the shock tower and heard a lot of metal on metal screeching and instantly knew what happened.

 

I almost wonder if it was the AGX that failed and not the mount. Because while at first I thought that side of the car was waay lower, I realized it isn't really too much. And if I put a block of wood on top of that, and push down on it really hard, I can get that metal cylinder to push almost completely back down with no noticeable change in ride height, it just slowly comes back up with a lot of force once I stop pushing on it.


I almost wonder, based off the pics do you think maybe I bottomed out my S.techs and fubared the AGX, or do you think that looks like a strut mount issue? Because I just realized, that part sticking up sticks through the strut mount anyway. That is where the nut usually sticks through. Although I dont know why that nut sheared off the top.


From the dent in the hood it looks like the nut sheared off first then that silver thing smashed into the hood.

 

Modena ... sorry to hear of your trouble mate. Did you have the struts installed, or do them yourself? Only reason I ask is if you had them done at a shop, go back to them, they are liable. It does seem as though the strut failed either way. Hope you can get it fixed quickly and easily.

 

I did them myself, I bought it used from another .orger who cut me an awesome deal on them. I don't think we did anything wrong in the install, it was very straightforward.


One thing though, there are no strut boots. Now if I understand correctly the boot acts as a bump stop correct? Since Tein's are pretty soft if I bottomed out even with the AGX's set to full stiff, could I have caused the strut to do this merely by "bottoming out" without a bump stop?



I'll have to call KYB tomorrow and see if they have any sort of a warranty, but it does appear from what I see that this isn't a strut mount problem, as it appears the strut is still held in place, and the vehicle's ride height is still normal, its just the top part with the nut blew off and that cylinder is sticking up through.

 

wow, so you put the struts on with no boot??? did you at least replace the strut mount with new ones so you can maybe take them back to the dealer or w/e you got them and ask for some cash back?? i did mine with all new everything, mounts, boots, struts, spring isolaters, and that round metal thingy that goes in between. be careful putting her back together.

 

wouldn't the weight of the car hold it in place seeing that if you lift that there is nothing to keep the spring from pushing its way thru the top? I would def be careful man.

 

WOW! I thought that kinda stuff only happens with rally cars during races and the big jumps they do.

 

Yea I'd say not having bump stops could focus all that energy into one concentrated area, thus breaking apart the mount. Its just rubber after all. The strut piston bottomed out inside the strut, not hard with stechs.

 

Definitely will, in fact it was probably a bad idea to push that silver cylinder back down with my hands incase the whole thing punched straight through.

When you say "lift that" do you mean lift the car or what?

 

Yea. You think when we use a strut tamer it holds the spring as we undo the nut. Your assembly could very well separate while lifting.

 

I think come Monday I am going to start redoing my whole front suspension while I am at it.


Here are my plans, let me know what you guys think:

Springs: Keep my S.techs as they aren't really worn or broken or anything

Struts in the rear: Already have Tokico HP blues on them, those struts are still in good shape

Struts up front: Get two brand new KYB AGX's.

Mounts up front: Two new OEM strut mounts

Boots: KYB 1995 Mustang (SB103) I take it the bump stop is integrated in these?

I don't know much about other suspension related things or how to work on them, but even though I don't have a problem, while I have it all apart should I do anything else in the suspension?

I am thinking about balljoints, endlinks, and possibly tie rod ends? I've never worked on that before so I am not sure what all is involved with that, or if it is even worth it since I don't have any problems? This car has 180,000 miles BTW.

Other than all the above, are there any bushings in there anywhere I should check out? Thanks guys

 

i've lost both strut bearings on my 97 (not at the time, about a year apart) but i had clicking/knocking noises when turning that had me looking at things. i got lucky and found the problem before the strut broke through.

 

Ouch that hurts. You musta went into a crater man.

 

Well glad ur in tact....get it fixed ASAP.

 

Oh! I see what you are talking about. Without that nut there is nothing holding the whole assembly up to the upper spring perch. So in theory, if I start jacking my car up, it will just keep going and going and the wheel will stay on the ground past the point at which the spring will become unperched.


In which case, I will have to get another jack or some wood or something under the A-arm to support the wheel, cause I assume at some point the only thing holding it up will be the ball joints, the brake line, and the CV halfshaft.

 

Not really, just stupid roads in Highlands Ranch colorado that are cement and not asphalt and some of the cement blocks sink a wee bit in spots so as you are driving you get dips and whatnot here and there. They are slight enough its hard to see them, but drastic enough to bottom out the suspension. It doesn't help either that the speed limit is 45mph and I was going about 50.