Front Spring/Strut Issue
 

When you turn the steering wheel, somebody please confirm that the top nut should also freely turn? Mine binds (after new inserts) which I think is the top perch interfering with the rubber bits and causes the spring to twist inside the top perch. Then I get a clunk when the front wheels flex over bumps... I think I may have assembled something in the wrong order (I didn't forget the spacers). Any comments? I might have to buy camber plates to get away from the rubber nonsense in the stock top bearing carriers so they don't bind.

The whole strut assembly should turn. But the spring should stay static (with the assembly).

The spring will only fit one way correctly in the perch. Maybe the perch needs to be turned?

The nut on top must be tight (okay, it does turn with the assembly). Best to use an impact wrench to tighten this (otherwise it may come loose).

The correct order of the parts is in the diagram below. Is this the way you assembled the strut?

From Clarks: Strut Removal and Replacement

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/.../4-02-00-5.jpg

The whole assembly should be clamped tight with the top nut. It should be tight enough so that the assembly is homogeneous and the spring should be firmly clamped so it cannot move. I think I can finally see it - I have probably not got the perch properly aligned so when the rubber support bushing binds a bit (it supports the weight of the car) it prevents the top perch from turning and the spring moves in the assembly and goes 'clunk!' I need to align the spring in the perches before I tighten the top nut and I need to figure out if the slight binding is normal and as

the top rubber thing is intended to insulate some of the suspension sounds - how much binding is normal?

I'm tempted to replace the stock stuff with aftermarket to lose the rubber but I wonder how much worse the ride would be? Track only?

Thanks for the reply!

My son put adjustable Koni's (ride height and dampning) with heavier springs and solid bushings on his 951.

It's a great setup for the track but rides like a race car - you feel every little bump, every pebble. I've also heard solid bushings are rough on the strut tower.

Unless your main emphasis is gonna be on the track, I'd stick with the stock bushings.

Which top rubber thingy is bonding?

Here's my son's setup:

http://www.mikepellegrini.com/Photos...s/DSC_2405.JPG

I had a frozen front strut. Bought Sachs/Boge replacement struts on ebay and had a local auto shop move the springs, bumpers and mounts (which were good shape) to the new struts. My compressor wasn't powerfull enough to run an air gun at speed to remove/tighten the top nut. Autozone loaned me a set of spring compressors which I left on until the strut was reinstalled. It shortenend the length of the total strut making it easier to install by myself. Porsche shop said to drive the car for a few days (to settle everything in) before bringing it in for alignment check and specifically making sure the camber was right.