Ground Control - Strut Bearings

[Logan]

I have an 03 MSP, still running the stock front bar, am not very low, and am about to replace my strut bearings for the third time this summer.
I talked to the guys at Ground Control, and they suggest the strut bearings are being destroyed due to too much load on them.
They thought maybe I'm too low, which I don't think is true. Or that maybe I'm bottoming out, which I also don't think is true.
350lb/in front springs, I would say I'm adjusted just about in the middle of the sleeve, I actually rose the car about half an inch the last time I replaced the bearings in hopes of improved suspension geometry.

Have any of you guys on Ground Controls had to replace your strut bearings?
Fortuneately, they are only $16 (CAD) each.

 

[MikeBlueP5]

not on my p5. I have approx 20k miles on my car with the ground controls almost as low as they will go. the plastic bearings do make noise, but i havent replaced them yet. Knock on wood. I might do it sometime and make sure they are greased up. that is one thing. do you travel down dirt roads/or on gravel quite often? Little rocks and sand get up in there and it will wear on the plastic

 

[Logan]

I can't remember the last time I wasn't on pavement.
I greased them up really good the last time I replaced them.
The passenger side one is so bad right now that I reached in and pulled a chunk off.
It clunks really loud, it's the metal spring hat contacting the stock upper mount.

 

[melicha8]

Those things are pieces of s***. I had GC's and the damn upper strut bearing wore out in the middle all the time. After a while I had like half a mm of play in the bearing

 

[MazdaManic5]

grease them up real good and no squeeking. I have yet to have to replace them. They are a bad part anyway. The bearing that is. Do you still have the bump stops in?

 

[Logan]

Yes, full stock length MSP bumpstops.

I think I was too low on the GC's and the bumpstops were the spring, instead of the spring.