Has anyone had a drama fitting struts to factory tops

[Dave Scott]

I've got a late model 1998 4 door sportz and I'm trying to fit the DMS struts to the strut top on the rear but it doesn't fit.

The strut top from the top down has the 3 fixings spot welded to the triangular plate which is formed with a boss to guide the factory spring, then an upside down cup to locate the bump stop rubber. Inside this steel part is a rubber bush with the steel washer bonded inside.

The problem I have is the boss that locates the factory spring is too large in diameter and the DMS spring won't sit over the top.

I rang DMS who tell me they are not meant to and I need to buy a NolTec strut top. I rang Greg from GSL who believes his fitted Ok.

Has anyone else had these issues and if so what did you do.

Thanks
Dave

[HMCA]

I'm not sure if we are talking about the same thing but the strut top has 2 plates that are spot welded together with 3 spot welds. The plate on the lower side is the bit thats the problem? Yes

For the MCA struts we removed this lower plate so that the Alloy housing that the spring sits up against that Murray supplied sits flat against the top half strut mount.

We use Eibach springs incase they are different to DMS stuff

Cheers Mick

[kelvin]

I had no troubles fitting DMS to my '99 2 door. I'm at Bracken Ridge. I've got a standard X3 rear strut here if you want to see it. Maybe there's a 2 door - 4 door difference?

[Dave Scott]

Hi Kelvin

Would you do me a favour and measure the part of the strut top that the spring slides over. It will measure somewhere around 70mm across the round section.

Thanks
Dave

[Latho]

I'm still not 100% sure what you're talking about dave... What do you mean the part of the strut top that the spring slides over? I'm probably dumb but I can't picture what you're talking about...

[Dave Scott]

I hope the image comes through.

The blue spring will not fit over the black strut top boss. It needs to do this to seat properly.

Dave

[Dave Scott]

This is how it should seat when installed but the black strut top is to big in diameter for the spring to slide over. It should have a little clearence but it is about 3mm oversize.

Dave

[HMCA]

This is how it should seat when installed but the black strut top is to big in diameter for the spring to slide over. It should have a little clearence but it is about 3mm oversize.

Dave

MCA is different, please disreguard my input

[ae86trueno]

shouldnt there be an alloy spring cap the spring sits into which sits below the top mount,

ours did ???

[Latho]

Yeah there was! We had a look before they went out... i'm sure of it... Dave there should be the black alloy top hat to go on top of the spring. There's no contact between the spring and the original rubber tops. The alloy top hat makes direct contact with the strut top beaing in the front, and just the metal in the back.

[Dave Scott]

If I fit the alloy top the spring will be 2" from the origional spring seat, is this right ?

Dave

[kelvin]

U must eXcus uS, were onlY xL drivvers. SEAms 2 KNumb th BrAne.
But Now I understand. I just went and checked mine. It's on the car and a bit hard to see, but there is definitly an alloy seat on top of the spring before the factory top, and yes, leaves about a 2".

[Latho]

^ What he said!

[Dave Scott]

Thanks all, it just doesn't look right. I'll put them in tomorrow.

Dave