colenzae

Front strut upper mount with the three bolts doesn't want to mount. I have the upper spring seat installed so the arrows point toward the wheel but it seems it wants to be 180 degrees around. Has anyone installed these and ran into the same issue?? I turned the strut about 45 degrees and got the bolts to line up but now the strut mount is facing the back of the car

salimshah

During dis assembly, you are supposed to mark the pieces and their orientation.

Study the hub and the top and position the seat appropriately. Also the left seat and the right seat are most likely different parts.

Salim

colenzae

Thanks for your help but thats a little like telling a lung cancer patient that they shouldn't have smoked.
I need a solution. I have used and am following a Haynes manual, I have done struts before but not on this vehicle, and the parts are in fact the same for both sides save for the strut itself.

Has anyone done struts on this vehicle and provide me some constructive advice??

salimshah

The second sentence is the advice. I can understand the frustration* but how can some one sitting across the net tell you what what needs to be rotated by how many degrees.

If you have both sides disassembled then you have chance of getting the left part mixed with the right.

If not then you can study the un-assembled side and do the figuring.

* been there and done that ,, , had the cv joint fall apart on me and had to go through couple of possibilities to get it it right.

Salim

ps: When things dont work out, one has to question the assumptions ,,, 180degrees out, is a strong indicator of left and right side mixup.

JAB

I did my suspension several years ago and do not recall having the problem you describe; sorry.

hypervish

Not much people on the forum can do about this.

This is user error.

2KHarrier

My money is that he got L & R mixed up.. It may require disassembly of the strut and redoing the upper mount with the correct side... This is a quality thread, as I'm getting ready to tackle my struts this weekend... Woo Hoo!

salimshah

The ear/clamp on the strut points to the direction of the wheel. The seat has a mark which should point towards the wheel. Match the suspension support has the 3 bolts and when things are all oriented properly the the triangle formed by the bolts the vertex points towards the engine and base is towards the wheel. When things are aligned right the spring seats properly at both ends and the clamp below and the top 3 bolts all will align.

Tip: Invest in Sharpie Oil based fine point Orange color. I picked mine at art store.

Salim

colenzae

Ok....for the last time...the two sides are identical except for the strut itself.
I bought the parts from Sewell and they have confirmed this.

Salim.....yes I have the top seat aligned so the arrows face the wheel as illustrated in the Haynes manual I am following.

I have yet to reassemble the opposite side strut assembly. Perhaps I will take photos as I do and post them here for comments.

I thank everyone for their assistance.

salimshah

Is the triangle formed by the bolts the way I have in my reply? 2 bolts should be parallel to the clamp and the third bolt, diametrically opposite. What I am referring to is that the crown (top structure) is assembled to fit.

Salim

colenzae

Ok. Trying to attach two photos on the first completed strut assembly to this thread.
All comments are welcome.

AKBimmer

as long as your left and rights are correct (I've not done a Lexus yet so I cant say they are the same) I would loosen up the top nut a smidge and rotate the bottom around until it lines up. I had that problem on the wife's MDX strut replacement, that top mount is just a bearing it rotates.

Just put the spring clamp back on suck it down some to release the tention off the top mount, loosen the nut a little until the pressure is off the top mount and rotate the whole assembly until it is lined up properly. Retighten the nut let the compressor off and go.

JAB

If you go to RockAuto.com and shop for front strut mounts they make it clear - the mounts are DIFFERENT right vs. left. This conflicts with what the original poster claims in post # 3 above.

salimshah

I agree .. it seems the top is off by 15 degrees. See the spring is seated properly and you may have to relieve the tension and then adjust.

Salim

colenzae

That's why I didn't order the parts from a third party parts dealer. THE TWO SIDES ARE IDENTICAL EXPEPT FOR THE STRUTS THEMSELVES. CONFIRMED BY LEXUS DEALER I BOUGHT THE PARTS FROM.

Have a nice day......