3800 Pot-Hole Damage *Pics*

[PANDA]

If you remember this thread....
http://www.thechicagogarage.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12056

My dad took a closer look at the damage and looked inside the trunk. He thinks I blew out the strut mount, I also sent the pics to Bob, and he thinks the same thing. I thought I had a shock issue before, but I never looked inside the trunk. I guess this all make sence now.

Driver side

Pass side

Click to read more...

 

[DanJ]

That would appear to be a problem.

 

[AlwaysVTEC]

idot will take care of that (illinois department of transportaion) call them , they will send you a claim form. or you can file it under insurance and your insurance company will go after them.

 

[Ron Vogel]

That is definately the strut mount. Strut may be ok, and it's not that hard to fix. Rear strut mounts are directional, so make sure to buy the correct side. It's too bad I had a few of these up until about 2 months ago when I cleaned a bunch of stuff out of the garage.

 

[PANDA]

I assume I need to remove the whole shock assembly and decompress the spring to fix this?

 

[Ron Vogel]

I assume I need to remove the whole shock assembly and decompress the spring to fix this?

Nope. If you can get the collar off the top of the strut it should be pretty easy. The top of the strut has a hex key slot (look at the front struts). Use the hex key to hold it, and remove the nut at the top of the strut. Once it's off, the collar that popped out of the strut mount should come off. Loosen the 3 bolts that hold on the strut mount, then jack the back of the car up (dissconnect sway bar when car is on the ground first.)

The strut plate should be able to come off once the car is jacked up. Put the new plate in, then reverse the process. It should work this way, but worse case is the strut has to be taken off if it won't come down far enough
(which is only 2 more bolts anyway)

I would remove that wheel, but the brakes can stay on.

 

[bikrboy128]

any damage to the hood?

 

[PANDA]

Its the rear shock...

 

[SaturdaysGS]

STRUT.

 

[bikrboy128]

Its the rear shock...

ah, i see. i didnt see that part of the post.

 

[E]

you really need to do something about that.

 

[Bob Kazamakis]

i like that rust around the tower.....

 

[cacicgtp7]

now you can air bag the suspension lol

 

[moviebuff]

woops

 

[32vMonte]

damn never seen anything like that. Is that tire tucked into the wheel well? The car is held up by all spring on that side and bump stop.

 

[M@]

I'm assuming these were not stock springs or struts?

That shouldn't happen unless the metal cap was left off the bellows, i.e. when struts or springs were replaced.

 

[PANDA]

I'm assuming these were not stock springs or struts?

That shouldn't happen unless the metal cap was left off the bellows, i.e. when struts or springs were replaced.

They are KYB's and stock low mileage springs. They were done about 10K miles ago, the strut mounts probably 10K before that.

 

[andcbii]

You fix this yet?

 

[M@]

They are KYB's and stock low mileage springs. They were done about 10K miles ago, the strut mounts probably 10K before that.

Check to see if the stock Accordion/Bellows type boot thingy was put back on the strut to protect the strut shaft. If this is gone (and you can see the shiny stainless shaft of the strut) then that's your problem. The metal caps that sit on top of the bellows would prevent this from happening. Without them, the shaft can push through the strut mount.

 

[Ron Vogel]

I swapped it out tonight, and that's a good call, because it was missing.

Mike, I can swap one in if you want sometime. I actually have a few of these on the shelf!

 

[PANDA]

Check to see if the stock Accordion/Bellows type boot thingy was put back on the strut to protect the strut shaft. If this is gone (and you can see the shiny stainless shaft of the strut) then that's your problem. The metal caps that sit on top of the bellows would prevent this from happening. Without them, the shaft can push through the strut mount.

I will get a pic for you. So your saying the person who did my suspension did the install wrong thats why I had this problem?

 

[Ron Vogel]

It is still because you hit a pothole, but it probably wouldn't have poked through with the cup in there.

 

[M@]

I swapped it out tonight, and that's a good call, because it was missing.

Mike, I can swap one in if you want sometime. I actually have a few of these on the shelf!

I've never actually seen this happen on the rears until now, but I've seen many a car have this happen on the fronts because the metal cups were left off.

No harm in putting them back on, save for a quarter pound of weight.

 

[skeezer]

i want to see what the damage would be if we drove panda's head over a pot hole

 

[02BlueGT]

i want to see what the damage would be if we drove panda's head over a pot hole

Isn't that illegal, i thought he was a endangered species?