In the middle of rebuilding my front struts with new bellows, bumpers, bushings and upper shock mounts.
In my haste, I didn't make a note of the orientation of the parts and was curious if there was a specific placement of the spring with the paint marks? The lower cup tab is correct and the new shock mount is fine, it's just the rotation of the spring and also if there is a requirement that the shock is flipped one way or the other?
The funny part is that all the pictures show the right side strut which is the one I haven't removed yet - lol. It does look in the same orientation as yours though.
Hopefully, I can track down similar pics of the drivers side strut as that is the one I have had apart so far.
Looking down at the spring from above, there is definitely a slant towards one side so I am fairly certain it should be oriented in some position.
In my haste, I didn't make a note of the orientation of the parts and was curious if there was a specific placement of the spring with the paint marks? The lower cup tab is correct and the new shock mount is fine, it's just the rotation of the spring and also if there is a requirement that the shock is flipped one way or the other?
Which "side" you use for the shock doesn't matter, but it helps to have the lower bushing mount oriented so the bolt will go in easily. Rotate the top mount to match the 3 holes in the direction giving the best alignment for the lower mount/hole.
As for the coil spring, it should line up with the angled spacer that fits in the cup. The end of the spring should butt up against the ridge or lip on the spacer. If you look at the link rothwell provided, you will see this spacer as the thin white piece the spring sits on.
Which "side" you use for the shock doesn't matter, but it helps to have the lower bushing mount oriented so the bolt will go in easily. Rotate the top mount to match the 3 holes in the direction giving the best alignment for the lower mount/hole.
As for the coil spring, it should line up with the angled spacer that fits in the cup. The end of the spring should butt up against the ridge or lip on the spacer. If you look at the link rothwell provided, you will see this spacer as the thin white piece the spring sits on.
Both sides mount the same.
Thanks,
I got all that but the cup and spring, when not under load, are free to rotate around the strut / mount assembly. It's this orientation I am curious about.
A simple photo of a driver side strut mounted to the car should tell me what I am curious about. When looking at the driver side strut, mounted, where do the vertical paint marks orient themselves on the spring? Do they point towards the front, rear, straight out, where?
On the passenger side, they point more or less towards the rear. Should the driver side paint marks also point towards the rear or towards the front? I assume front if the struts are swap-able from left to right.
I imagine the paint markings are applied at the spring manufacture stage of production long before assembly and the orientation of those marks is meaningless.
I imagine the paint markings are applied at the spring manufacture stage of production long before assembly and the orientation of those marks is meaningless.
+1 One set of coils I used did not even have markings.
Can someone explain or demonstrate how the bumper and bellows (gaiter) go together on the front strut. I am replacing strut mounts with a pair of Welsh mounts and the strut bumpers were pretty much gone, have new ones on order.
The JEPC shows the front spring components like this:
JTIS doesn't specify any specific rotational orientation for the springs in the reassembly section, but notes:
1 NOTE:
To ease fitting apply a suitable lubricant to the spring assister and gaiter.
NOTE:
Make sure the gaiter assembly is seated securely and squarely into the upper mounting.
Assemble the upper mounting.
1 Insert the spring assister fully into the gaiter.
2 Insert the gaiter into upper mounting location.
The gaiters on mine were resting on the top of the spring assister (9 above), so I used some RTV to help secure them in the cups on the underside of the upper bushings.
