Failed bearings and bad struts

[Pu241]

Thought this deserved it own thread.
This was taken from another discussion and rather than hijack it and move it off topic, which happens a lot, I thought I'd break it out.

Just last year, a non member was learning from me how to do them. His first try on his own failed. We did them together, and they started failing.
So, even though his struts seemed to pass a bounce test, when we removed them, we found on each one a spot in the travel where they stuck. Replaced the struts, new bearings again, and for the last year, no problems.

In 20 years, every time I have had a problem with bearings, it has been fixed by new struts....well, and new bearings of course

I don't that is your experience, and I would say you have way more experience in this area than I do, but can't seem to understand how bad struts result in failed bearings.
I just can't see the dynamics.

[zoom zoom]

I've ridden in cars with some pretty awful bad struts. They tend to slam you really good when you go over speed bumps and RR tracks. I read the thread and at first I thought it was a little off, but if the struts are bad enough I could see the extra shockload on the bearings tearing them up, since the struts aren't dampening the ride anymore the stress goes to the strut tower and the bearings/knuckles. After the struts go bad the springs only last so long before they're so sloppy loose and wore out (easy to compress) that they just flatten right up.

That's what I had in mind anyway. Right or wrong.

[Pu241]

OK, I could see "shock loads" doing a set of bearing in! Anyone got anything else?
Hell, even hitting a bad pot hole will takeout festiva rear bearings, with or without good struts.

[scitzz]

OK, I could see "shock loads" doing a set of bearing in! Anyone got anything else?
Hell, even hitting a bad pot hole will takeout festiva rear bearings, with or without good struts.

That was exactly what caused my first experience. Sign on 95 in south Carolina said bump when it should have said cliff. Broke down in Richmond, replaced bearings. They were bad again by Florida. Replaced them, went bad again in a couple weeks. Discovered bad struts, replaced them and the bearings, no problems for almost five years. That's when the struts went bad again and chewed up some more bearings.

Running around outside the asylum again with my tappy talky appy

[TorqueEffect]

I know my rear struts are bad, but my rear bearings have been soldiering on.

When I first bought the car the passenger side bearing was toast, and took the spindle with it. Don't know if the driver's side has ever been changed, but I know I never have changed it.

Hell the passenger side has been running without a inner grease seal for about 10-15k miles. Just have never felt motivated enough to buy the seal and actually put it in.

[scitzz]

I know my rear struts are bad, but my rear bearings have been soldiering on.

When I first bought the car the passenger side bearing was toast, and took the spindle with it. Don't know if the driver's side has ever been changed, but I know I never have changed it.

Hell the passenger side has been running without a inner grease seal for about 10-15k miles. Just have never felt motivated enough to buy the seal and actually put it in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VskUOPrkPqM&feature=kp

[Pu241]

I wasn't thinking in terms of punctuated equilibrium states.
Was trying to figure out how bad struts in general lead to failed bearings, just wasn't looking at it right!
Prepping for strut swap for tomorrow night.

[scitzz]

Was trying to figure out how bad struts in general lead to failed bearings, just wasn't looking at it right!
.

Oh. Shock load.



Running around outside the asylum again with my tappy talky appy