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Today one of the most common types of suspension in the world is so-called candle suspension or McPherson suspension. The design of the suspension is fairly simple and reliable. However, this suspension also may be short-lived if riding on bad roads. The most common problem with the suspension is the thrust bearing due to enormous pressure on this part. It is easy to determine thrust bearing failure. You will hear a thud. Unlike the ball joint this component does not suddenly fail. When running over a pit or other uneven surface you will hear this sound. It means that there is a play in the bearing and its interior is hanging behind the strut.

If you want to make sure there is a problem with the bearing, remove the protective plastic caps, press with the finger the upper part of the front strut thrust rod and swing the car. If the bearing is worn, you will hear noise and feel the play. As for the replacement of the bearing, it's a simple operation. In addition, it is the same for almost all front wheel drive cars of different carmakers. The replacement is done as follows. First, you can the rack mount unit together with the steering wheel and brake disc. It is rather difficult to do. But on the other hand, you will not need to do the alignment.

Second, you can disconnect the strut by disconnecting the steering knuckle and disassembling only the upper part with spring and shock absorber. However, in this case you will need to remove the adjusting bolt and thus adjust the car on the test bench. The easiest option for any vehicle owner is to check the car and replace the parts in the garage. The only thing is do not forget to visit our online shop and to buy the part you need. It may be strut bearing, stabilizer or radiator. This will be much more profitable for you and the delivery terms will be shorter.

What you need to know about shock strut mount replacement: lifetime limits, common defects and their signs, tips and recommendations

Service life of the shock strut upper mount and shock absorber bush is about 100,000 operational kilometers according to car operating conditions. It is recommended to check component bearing condition every 20,000 operational kilometers.

Shock absorber strut mount defects are abrasive wear, corrosion, cracking and damages of the strut mount bearing and also loss of elasticity and cracking of the rubber element.

You can notice that the component requires replacement by rattling sound in the suspension which gets stronger when running over road irregularities. Defect of the front shock strut mounts can be detected by delayed car response to steering wheel turning and also worsening of car steerability.

You can precisely estimate condition of the shock strut mount and shock absorber bushes only in service station conditions. For diagnostics of this unit, you need to set the car onto the vibration stand.

Replacement of the shock strut mount is performed at a service station because it requires demounting of a part of suspension and the shock strut itself. Thus, in order to replace the front mount you need to lift the car, demount the wheel, disconnect brake system elements, and then release the steering knuckle from the lower arm and stabilizer link. Then take the shock strut out, compress the springs with the help of a special strut spring compressor, and remove the defective mount. Replacement of the rear mount and the shock absorber bush also requires demounting of passenger compartment elements. After that a new unit with the strut mount bearing is installed; assembling is performed in the reverse order, wheel alignment is done if necessary.

In case of breakdown of shock strut mount elements – bearing or fasteners – it is recommended to install a full repair kit, not replacing them partially.