Hi all,

I put some coilovers on my octy a little while ago, and they have left the top mounts looking like the pic below, with a gap between the vehicle body and the cap. I should imagine, although I can't remember, the standard setup would have looked the same. Can anyone confirm?

Looking at it though, my impression is that the two should be clamped together, since if the vehicle body were to be lifted up from bumps in the road, going over crests, etc, it would allow the strut to drop in the arch and affect the suspension/steering geometry..?

Does anybody know?

Thanks, Andrew..

That looks like a big gap to me. There is normally a gap when the weight of the car is on the wheels but that seems too big.

Did you fit new top mounts or re-use the old ones?

I stuck with the old ones as they seemed pretty solid and the car drove absolutely fine.

That said, the car drives fine now! I just like to understand how it should be, for piece of mind..

Edit: The gap is equal both sides, so if they have worn, they have worn very evenly..

Edited 27 November, 201015 yr by andrew_lumb

The gap will get bigger as the top mountings compress, but yes a gap is normal and fine.

Although a gap is fine as pointed out , I have never seen a gap that big with Coilovers or any other suspension on VRS.

I take it you refitted the bearing and rubber top mount inner "nut" onto strut before you fitted it back into the car. That nut holds the whole strut together prior to offering it up to the car.

Those parts would of needed to be fitted to the coilover. No other nut should be used. Did you use a nut supplied to hold coilover together as that nut is the top hat nut fitted after strut is installed.

If all that is fine then you may have worn rubber top mounts. You can check that by jacking front of car up and trying to pull wheel up into arch. If you get free play then that top mount is duff.

Other than that the car would be safe to drive.

Rgds

Mark.

im with mark, having done this myself (not fitting the inner nut) it does give for a bigger gap (like pictured) once the suspension has settled and is sat on the top mount, its easy enough to take apart and do again if you have the tools.

Edited 28 November, 201015 yr by Oet