How to identify dead top mounts.

[coolrado 0]

The question seems to come up on here quite often of how to tell if your topmounts are dead.

 

If they look like this It's a good bet that they are FUBAR.

climatronic wiring-Golf from May 01.pdfDSC_0275.JPG[/attachment:1ftxkoqc]

those where genuine top mounts with about 15k miles on them, so it seems the coilovers really do accelerate the wear.

 

New or good ones should look something like this.

2.8l 24v Climatronic system.pdfDSC_0270.JPG[/attachment:1ftxkoqc]

 

It's a bit clearer with them removed.

DSC_0278.JPG[/attachment:1ftxkoqc]

[Supercharged 2]

Good pics mate, your right about coilovers but those G60 mounts seem to fair better that the VR6 type - I went thru a genuine pair of those in a year and the bearings just fell apart... it a combination or low, stiff suspension and our crap roads

[coolrado 0]

Yeah the bearings where completely shot on those, could feel the slack in them every time you went over a dip or bump in the road.

 

Got the MOT on tuesday, so I needed to get a few bits done before then, but it's no fun doing these things outside when its so cold there is ice forming on my socket set :lol:

 

My back is now killing me though :(

[boost monkey 0]

surely you can do top mounts inside? just take the whole strut into the warmth :D

 

might be worth adding a note saying that the top brass plates are supposed to sit proud, else some nooblet will come along (as has happened before) seen that picture with the description "dead" and poo themselves.

[coolrado 0]

surely you can do top mounts inside? just take the whole strut into the warmth :D

 

might be worth adding a note saying that the top brass plates are supposed to sit proud, else some nooblet will come along (as has happened before) seen that picture with the description "dead" and poo themselves.

 

There is no need to remove the suspension when doing the top mounts, just remove both top nuts, top plates and the slot nuts and then jack the front of the car up and put it on some tall axle stands, the suspension then drops down far enough to just remove the top mounts and put the new ones on, only takes 20 minutes per side.

 

It was the lying on my back on the freezing ground to strip and re-paint the brake lines that was the worst bit :shaking:

 

There is a note above each picture explaining what the knackered or good ones should look like, the top plate is yellow zinc passivate coated steel by the way.

[boost monkey 0]

wow, the suspension must be in MASSIVE droop doing it that way. you sure that doesn't cause excessive wear to wishbone bushes or things like track rod knuckle joints where they connect to the rack? There can't be much space to remove the mounts until the suspension has dropped significantly I would have thought? top of the turrets are pretty narrow.

 

sounds ideal though, and I guess that's how garages do it anyways so perhaps it makes sense.

[coolrado 0]

I'm running coilies and poly bushes on mine so the struts are a fair bit shorter, so you dont have to drop them too far, but you can do the same with standard suspension by just using a set of spring compressors to pull the top of the suspension down a bit while you swap the top mounts over, you do need the top plates on both sides removed though otherwise the roll bar will hold it up.

 

I just lightly pushed the tyre down with my knee while holding the top mount up then shifted the top of the suspension to one side, then drop the top mount out, cleaned the cup and put the new top mount in.

[Yandards 0]

I'm running coilies and poly bushes on mine so the struts are a fair bit shorter, so you dont have to drop them too far, but you can do the same with standard suspension by just using a set of spring compressors to pull the top of the suspension down a bit while you swap the top mounts over, you do need the top plates on both sides removed though otherwise the roll bar will hold it up.

 

I just lightly pushed the tyre down with my knee while holding the top mount up then shifted the top of the suspension to one side, then drop the top mount out, cleaned the cup and put the new top mount in.

 

I would think that you can't do this without dropping the suspension off unless you are running coilovers, mind you as you will need to do the top mounts every couple of years if you are doing coilovers it makes sense!! :)

[coolrado 0]

As I mentioned above, it can be done with standard suspension you just need to use spring compressors to pull the top of the suspension down a bit, you may also need to push the damper rod down a bit as they extend uner their own pressure, I did it twice on mine before i had the coilovers.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Did you notice if the nearside one was more fooked than the offside? I always find that's the case with mine! Probably because 90% of the bumps and holes are usually kerb side.

 

As Supercharged says, the VR6 top mounts (Genuine) don't last at all..... probably about 3k on mine, which is about the same lifespan as the spherical bearings in my solid TMs.

 

Interestingly, the VR6 bearing is the same one used on MK4s, R32s etc....but they seem to last a hell of a lot longer :scratch:

 

I'm sure Bonrath used to do uprated bearings / TMs? I'll try and find some....

[coolrado 0]

Yeah, off side was definately more worn, but i put that down to the bloody speed ramps at the bottom of our road, they are very badly positioned so i almost always have to go over them with the off side wheels.

 

It went straight through the MOT yesterday without any advisories, although they couldn't get it on the rollers for the brake test as it was too low, so he had to use a g-meter stuck to the windscreen :lol:

[pete_griff 0]

Did you notice if the nearside one was more fooked than the offside? I always find that's the case with mine! Probably because 90% of the bumps and holes are usually kerb side.

 

As Supercharged says, the VR6 top mounts (Genuine) don't last at all..... probably about 3k on mine, which is about the same lifespan as the spherical bearings in my solid TMs.

 

Interestingly, the VR6 bearing is the same one used on MK4s, R32s etc....but they seem to last a hell of a lot longer :scratch:

 

I'm sure Bonrath used to do uprated bearings / TMs? I'll try and find some....

 

bonrath do indeed still make uprated top mounts (recently bought some myself from regal autosport for about £75 delivered)

they don't make the uprated bearings though apparently - i did make a point of asking regal and was told that they don't...

 

would standard VAG bearings last any longer with nicer top mounts? - the bonrath ones are not loads harder than the VAG jobbies, but they do seem much more solid overall (if that makes sense...) :)

[Kempy 0]

Dead or Alive mounts :shrug: :shrug: please help me

[weetos 0]

Dead or Alive mounts :shrug: :shrug: please help me

well dead

[Kempy 0]

I've not done that many miles really, dunno how they got that bad

[Kempy 0]

whats the proper name for the top mount is it, strut bearing? trying to find it on my bently manual

[weetos 0]

whats the proper name for the top mount is it, strut bearing? trying to find it on my bently manual

page 40.9

[Kempy 0]

I dunno if they are as bad as they look in that pic...Is it the rubber mount thats had it?

[weetos 0]

i'd say they get soft and wear with friction comes complete as a kit anyhow bout £15 per side

[Kempy 0]

thats not to bad, I bought new bump stops when I fitted them but didnt think about anything else. Is it the same with coilovers? do they fit the same at the top, like a shock? cheers for your help bud anyway

[weetos 0]

exactly the same mate

[Slimg60 0]

My top mounts look like the "knackered" pictures, however they have been on the car a week and done less than 200 miles. They were genuine VW parts and fitted by a local garage. There are no knocks or bangs coming from the front end, unlike the last mounts. Will they sit higher as my car is lowered so much or are these new ones actually badgered? :shrug:

[dr_mat 0]

It strikes me that the top mount is almost certain to compress a little during use over time, and someone ought to check the factory service guide to decide just how much compression is "too much" before writing off hundreds of the things.

Plus the top plate moves a *lot* as the steering angle changes, so make sure the wheels are exactly straight ahead when you're comparing.

 

Though I have to say that replacement parts on these bloody cars really don't last well. I do less than 3k miles per year yet I still seem to be replacing suspension components repeatedly every five years or so. They just don't make 'em like they used to ..

[Supercharged 2]

Though I have to say that replacement parts on these bloody cars really don't last well. I do less than 3k miles per year yet I still seem to be replacing suspension components repeatedly every five years or so. They just don't make 'em like they used to ..

 

It's the roads they don't make like they used to Matt!

 

Genuine top mounts are the only ones that last on Corrado's but even then the bearings can need changing as they are only plastic - happens on newer cars too.

 

The other thing to consider is equal wear of parts meaning you really need to renew all the suspension components at once to get the most life out of the new parts.

[dr_mat 0]

What plastic bearings? I've put two sets of top mount bearings in my VR in the last five years (just because they were off, not because they'd failed), and they were all metal.