hello, I have a sound around the back right strut mount. I took off the trim and then saw that I possibly have a broken strut mount. however, i saw some bent metal and im wondering if I have structural damage to my car. what can I do to my 2003 protege5... https://photos.app.goo.gl/xhKSRLc9RVrjqdmr9
Rattling noise around strut
- Thread starter yungP5
- Start date
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- 2008.5 MS3
Looks to me like the strut towers rusted and the metal has torn away.
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- 2008.5 MS3
well I don't know for sure but probably yes.
There might be an aftermarket strut tower cap you can get, the old tower would have to be cut out and a replacement welded in but it wouldn't be cheap.
There might be an aftermarket strut tower cap you can get, the old tower would have to be cut out and a replacement welded in but it wouldn't be cheap.
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- CX9 Sig CX5 Sig
The top hat/suspension support looks to still be there where the 3 big bolts are and while rusted doesn't look to be shifting from the bottom pic. Have you tried tightening the top center nut? Looks like your top center nut is hitting against that bent metal, but you have to figure out what causes it to lean into the bent metal. I had something similar happen, but it was the top center nut had loosen causing the strut to lean into the metal outlet. Jack the car up and tighten the top center bolt as much as you can before the strut rod starts to turn when tightening, which it will. At that point take it off the jack and see if strut is more centered. If it is, tighten the top bolt to spec or until the strut rod starts to turn as well.
Im thinking that the strut mount/ upper part of the strut rusted away and caused the tilting but im not sure
The exact same thing happened to my car.
It is completely fixable.
It was just the top of my strut that rusted.
The body of the car where it attaches was fine.
www.mazdas247.com
It is completely fixable.
It was just the top of my strut that rusted.
The body of the car where it attaches was fine.
PCB's Unbuild Thread
I carried on with trying to remove the head. I got all the head bolts out and thought I could just lift it out but realized the exhaust is connected to it and needed to come off. (I didn't bother reading the instructions. Maybe I'll do that now. lol)
My car needed no welding, just new struts and "upper spring seat" I think they call it.
You can get quick struts and it's all assembled. You just install them and you don't have to swap springs to a new strut and buy all the individual parts.
I didn't need a spring compressor.
I just pushed it down by hand and got the thread started.
I don't know if that was because my springs are all old and sagging though?
I don't remember why I didn't buy quick struts but I think they only had one side available at the time?
Do both sides while you're at it so the car remains balanced and the other side is probably gonna break soon too.
I just pushed it down by hand and got the thread started.
I don't know if that was because my springs are all old and sagging though?
I don't remember why I didn't buy quick struts but I think they only had one side available at the time?
Do both sides while you're at it so the car remains balanced and the other side is probably gonna break soon too.
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- CX9 Sig CX5 Sig
You should always use the compressor tool when removing springs. If the spring still has life there will be lots of tension that will shoot the top hat right back at you. This tool prevents that and helps with installing if you don’t buy preassembled.
The tool to rent is $55 at Autozone and you get all your money back when you return it
My strut was already blown through so I just removed the spring and tried it on my new strut to see if it would go.
I barely had to push down at all to get the nut threaded.
Some guys install it on their car then lower the car to compress the spring but that's a bit dangerous.
There was no compression on mine.
I barely had to push down at all to get the nut threaded.
Some guys install it on their car then lower the car to compress the spring but that's a bit dangerous.
There was no compression on mine.
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I see what your saying. All good...Actually, you could just replace both strut mounts if you wanted to do it as cheaply as possible.
Or even just the broken strut mount.
(but the other side is bound to rust out soon too.)
The mount includes the metal mount and I think you need to reuse the rubber between the mount and spring?
Or even just the broken strut mount.
(but the other side is bound to rust out soon too.)
The mount includes the metal mount and I think you need to reuse the rubber between the mount and spring?
yeah thats what I was asking. If there was a part that went in between the strut mount and the spring. So Im assuming that there is something that connects them? I thought the strut mount just went on top of the spring?? I dont think my car can salvage the rubber that connects the two pieces. Do you know what the rubber piece is called? I thought the mount would come with the rubber, or does the back struts not come with the rubber piece?
