Broken strut mount? Or something else?

[jsnyng]

I got to go run my car last weekend at autocross for the first time since all of my suspension upgrades in the off-season. I'm starting to think I may have broken a Steeda HD strut mount, but I freely admit I don't know much about this stuff.

Take a look at the pics, and tell me what you think it might be before I start tearing everything down when it warms up outside.

Passenger side (not broken). Notice how the strut is centered in the opening and the yellow top of the Koni is running parallel to the strut tower brace.


Passenger side by jsnyng, on Flickr

Driver side (possibly broken) Notice how the strut is NOT centered in the opening and the yellow top of the Koni is NOT parallel to the strut tower brace. Prior to my first run on Sunday, both of them were identical. Also notice the paint that has come off on the outside of the opening. It's like the top of the strut is able to move side to side as if it is popping in and out of the opening. The four nuts on top of the strut are still tight.


Driver's side by jsnyng, on Flickr

Anybody else have any ideas of what else it may be? I don't want to just start pulling parts off the car without having some plan of attack.

 

[GeorgeInNePa]

It looks like the strut nut loosened up, the lock washer doesn't look flat.

 

[JEWC_Motorsports]

It looks like the strut nut loosened up, the lock washer doesn't look flat.

And you can see more threads on the passenger side than the driver. Its possible that it loosened up and may have damaged the mount.

 

[jsnyng]

It looks like the strut nut loosened up, the lock washer doesn't look flat.

It looks that way, but when I put a socket on it the nut was on there pretty tightly. I should have some time this afternoon to get it figured out. I just wanted opinions from those with more experience on the suspension side of things to tell me if it looked like I should be looking at something different as the issue.

 

[jsnyng]

And you can see more threads on the passenger side than the driver. Its possible that it loosened up and may have damaged the mount.

Wow, I do see that now. I guess I'll get everything tightened back up and take it in for an alignment. I hate these unexpected $50-$100 repairs.

 

[jsnyng]

It was not a broken strut mount. We took the strut out and the nut on top of the strut had definitely backed off about 4 threads. The spring also was not seated properly on the perch, so I fixed that. Luckily when I took it to get the alignment checked, it was still in spec. Thanks to those who helped.

 

[GeorgeInNePa]

Double nut/jam nut that bitch.

 

[jodadejss06gt]

Those things are a slight bia. Its not too hard to eye ball the alignment tabs on the strut mounts(little windwos with the triangles of the struts). I actually had my car within factory spec when I took it in to get the alignment. Glad you figured it out and didn't get hurt in the process or damage a wheel or anything like that.