Do I need new strut mounts?

[bpilati]

I also replaced all the bushings, bearings, u-joints, etc. in my '73 with OEM rubber, including the strut mounts. I'm the original owner and the car is as smooth as when I bought it 39 years ago this month. You're on the right path so just wait until you can afford doing the suspension the right way.

I also added Dynamat sound/vibration/heat insulation throughout the entire interior, which made a huge difference. It was time consuming but well worth it.

Peter

Did you paint everything before installing Dynamat?

[johnbell47]

I did not paint. I did'nt see any need to, the car is rust free. I believe i would touch up any areas that had any rust or bare metal though if I were you. I used quietmat instead of Dynamat. It did help a bunch, but the high density foam pad I put under the headliner and rear carpet did more for noise. I used camper pad that I got from Walmart, cheap!

[johnbell47]

Just an update. I ordered new struts, KYB standard from Rock Auto. New Strut mounts, 118.00 shipping and all from Nissan parts zone. I ordered the urethane spaces from motosports. I pulled this thing down today and found that I did indeed have the spacers..only thing is one was 3-m glued into the strut mount, the other side was glued to the inside of the spring cap. I never would've thought that would work, but it all fits..I'm putting it back together by the diagram. I didn;t believe this so I showed it to my wife. I wonder if this will make any difference?? I thought i remembered that the struts that were in there were made in Venezeaula and they are..Amybody know what they are??

[johnbell47]

New Kyb struts in with new strut mounts and the spacer...My wife says I done good. Car is very smooth now, no more rattles or shakes from the back, now for the front. I am going to go ahead and put new strut mounts in there too..Expensive but I believe they are worth it.

[Zed Head]

Curious, did you compare the old strut mounts to the new? I picked up some new spacers also (from Courtesy Nissan, the rubber ones) and found that the old ones had taken a pretty serious set over time, along with the strut mounts. One side was higher than the other, so I ended up with the two sides in the back at different heights because they had got "mis-clocked' when I put them back in, in the past.

Anyway, the new softer rubber strut mounts probably absorb shock and vibration better than the old 30-40 year old rubber of the old ones. Good idea if you have the cash. Mine still have a set to them but I matched high sides when I re-installed them so my back end is level now.

Attached few pictures of what I found in my car. Really not bad but had an effect. Mounts are still rock hard.

Interesting stuff, I didn't even know those spacers were there and didn't realize how much set the old mounts and spacers had taken.

[johnbell47]

No I did not compare the mounts, the spacers looked just like your old ones, mashed. The rubber on the new mounts was softer to the touch. I really don't know exactly which component made the most difference, but the washers were mashed, the old mounts were hard and the old shocks were stiffer, they had more resistance to being pushed in. Anyway, I will compare on the front and let you know what the difference is. I do know that the wife is happy and that is good. She drives a new Avalon and she knows what smooth is!!

[johnbell47]

I did the front today with new mounts, Kyb struts, etc. I compared the new strut mounts thusly, I turned them upside down on my drill press table and set the drill down on the inside of the mount against the metal. I marked the scale and then checked the new mount. The new mount is 3/16 of an inch taller than the old. I then put a fish weighing scale on the end of the drill press handle and pulled down 1/16 inch more than just resting on the mount I then noted the weight it took to compress the mount 1/16 inch. It took about 10 pounds to compress the new mount, and somewhere over 20 to compress the old. Definately hard as a rock! Therefore, I have now answered my own question. Change the mounts! They are hard, they are compressed and your car will ride like mine does. Like New!