SC front monoball shock mount question?

[Ryce Stallings]

I purchased a used front monoball system similar to the ones Elephant Racing sells. I want to confirm that it is necessary to cut (remove ) the rubber bushing from the stock shock mount in order to mount the new parts. I just want to confirm this before I destroy the stock part.

[tobluforu]

The whole idea behind monoballs is to get rid of the so-called slop from the rubber bushing, so I would say yes. I can not tell but it looks like the mono balls are already in the plates that are pictured or are those the old plates? If what I'm seeing is the new/used plates with the monoballs already in them then all you have to do is remove your old plates (keep rubber inserts in them as a back up) and put the new ones right in.

[175K911]

Those appear to be offset upper strut mounts with monoballs in them. Take the old upper strut mounts in their entirety and throw them in a box, then install the new ones. But be sure to get them on the correct side of the car. Being offset, there's a left and a right. Then align and have fun driving with the added precision the new mounts give you.

[crashmy911]

I think the old rubber mount just pushes out once you take out all of the bolts. I think it pushes out through the bottom. Then just put the new one in from the bottom.

[Elombard]

I think you need to take it to a shop, to install the pictured you remove what you have and install those...no rubber removal etc. Makes me nervous that this might be over your head?

[kucharskimb]

This isn't rocket science or a crap shoot.

The 4" x 6" oval pieces you have are the replacement upper strut mounts.

Jack up the front of your car. Loosen the upper shock (strut) nuts (the big 3/4" nuts). With the front tires off the ground and the nuts removed, you should be able to push the shock ends through the mounts and into the fenderwells. Be careful releasing the pressure after compressing the shocks.

Prior to removing the upper strut mounts on your car, mark the locations of the bolt plates inside the front trunk area on the fenderwell sheet metal. The front plate has one bolt through it and the rear two bolts. They are gently curved 1/4" steel. You can mark these plates with a scribe or with tape. If your car still has the original black insulation/sealant, you will have to break this away before loosening any bolts.

With everything marked, you can remove the 3 allen bolts that hold the upper strut mount in place. There will be serrated washers under the bolt heads. It looks like you will need to re-use the bolt plates that are currently in your car, so don't pack them away when you remove them. The strut mounts come out from the fenderwell side.

Install the new mounts in the reverse order. Yours do not look like they are sided left or right, so don't worry. You'll have to hold them side by side and verify this or post a better pic of the two mounts side by side here. Hold each mount in place with one hand from underneath the fender while re-installing the plates, washers and bolts from the upper side. With the bolts hand tight, align the upper plates to your marks you made earlier. Once in the proper location, tighten the bolts to spec, I'm guessing 45ftlbs.

Reinsert the shocks from below. If you can start the threads for the large nuts, go ahead. If they do not protrude, simply start lowering the jack slowly. Either way, when the car is back on the ground, tighten the large nuts.

At this point, you have replaced the old stock rubber units with the new monoball units.

Now it is time to add the strut bar. Slip the collars over the strut mounts, but do not tighten yet. Loosen the jamb nuts on the crossbar. Slip the cross bar rod ends into the collar ears and connect the hardware. When everything is loosely installed and aligned, gently start tightening the crossbar. The crossbar should be trying to pull the tops of the struts toward the center. But, remember, just easy tension right now. When you have taken out the slop, tighten up the collars. Then move to the bar end thru bolts and tighten those. Finally, put a 1/4 turn of tension inward on the crossbar, then set the jamb nuts. Do not crank down on the crossbar (which acts as a turnbuckle). You are simply trying to hold the current position with the crossbar.

If your car needs an alignment, remove the crossbar, this only seems to confuse/piss off alignment personnel.

If you want to read my rants on upper strut mount monoballs, simply search. But you only asked about install...

[Ryce Stallings]

It's good to see so many opinions.

My conclusion is that I need to reuse the stock upper shock mounts because they contain the nuts the new mounts need to bolt to ( I guess you could use washers and nuts but that wouldn't be as strong). In order to do this the stock bushing needs to be removed from the mount. It seems to be either glued in or press fit. The Elephant Racing site has some instructions that show them cutting the middle of the bushing away and the next picture showing the rest removed with only the metal portion of the stock mount remaining. I'm going to remove the stock mount and see if I can press it out before I cut it.

Elombard thanks for the vote of confidence man. I only asked the question to save the bushings. You shouldn't assume that because someone asks a question like this that they aren't capable. I have had my whole car apart. Actualy Porsches are easy to work on because they usually go together only one way correctly and that way is logical and obvious.

kucharskimb thanks for the explanation, very welcome. I'm going to search for your rantings....

[Elombard]

Sorry, last time I suggested a DIY it was a fiasco.

I must be confused by your picture, it looks like the monoballs are already installed in the strut tops i.e. no rubber removal required.

[Ryce Stallings]

Elombard I was just kidding with you.

The stock mounts have the nuts attached to them that the new camber plates fasten to. It was just a matter of cutting the rubber away or not! You need to reuse part of the stock mounts with this type of mount.

[kucharskimb]

Thanks for the compliment. But I gotta tell ya, the big black oval things ARE the upper strut mounts with the spherical bearings already in there. The underneath side of the strut mount has nuts welded into place. That is where the allen bolts in your picture are threaded into. The big nut on top simply holds the strut in place in the strut mount.

Maybe this pic will help.



From what I can tell, if you use the stock mount and try to put the new bearings in there, the collars for the strut bar will not fit the old mounts.

I have to agree with Erik.

If you insist on removing the rubber, unbolt the shock and push it into the fenderwell as described above. Leave the strut mount in place. Take a 2 ft pipe/bar that will fit the ID of the stock strut mount. Usually, you can work the bar towards the front of the car and walk/push out the rubber bushing into the fenderwell. This is easier that drilling, burning, attempting to clamp the mount into a vise, etc. Let the car hold the mount in place.

On the other hand, this is slightly entertaining, so if you end up not needing the old strut mounts after you push/cut the rubber out, let me know. I'll be happy to pay shipping if you are going to throw them away. No, really... I need them for another project.

[Ryce Stallings]

If you saw the bottom of the new top mounts it would be clear. The casting is dished out to fit over the protruding metal portion of the stock mounts.

[Elombard]

Interesting can you grab a picture?

[Ryce Stallings]

If it stops raining I'll install them this weekend and post some pictures.

[Ryce Stallings]

Yes I was wrong again. These are the new mounts. you simple remove the stock ones and replace the whole uppper mount under the fender. See below:


Finished

Stock mount Removed

Monoball on Shock

[rothaus]

Good Syuff !

Where can you buy these, together with the strut bar ?

Thanks

[tobluforu]

I told ya so, now go get it aligned

[Elombard]

phew, I thought I was losing my mind!