Struts Again?

[svx_commuter]

I had a wheel alignment today and the guy says I need a new driver front strut. Yes I saw the fluid coming out of it I tell him and he say that the car feels weak on that side in the bumps. Well this stuts is not a year old!!! I had a similar problem with the front passenger and Subaru replaced the part for free I did the labor.

I am thinking about drilling a hole, filling it up and then plugging it. That way I can add more fluid when it leaks out again.

I am having a hard time believing that I keep getting bad struts from Subaru but the fluid is there on the outside of the tube.

Ho wdoes the fluid get out? The fluid must foam like crazy to get to the seal at the top.

[MoreIBNR]

John - Wow, is that ever bad luck. I can't believe it's bad already!! The only place the fluid can come out is through the seal. Subaru must have gotten a bad batch. Make them make good on it!!

Let me know if you need any help.

[svx_commuter]

I have been thinking about this. The old tires had some vibration that went away with the new tires. The strut did not seem as bad as it is now with the new wheel alignment and and new tires. I guess the vibration from the old tires hid the problem with the bad strut.

I am also thinking that the strut lost its oil because of the vibration from the tire. This is the only thing I can think of that would foam up the the oil and make it come of that seal.

I am going to look into just adding oil to the shock.

[MoreIBNR]

Why do you think the oil foamed up? I would think there would be anti-foaming agents if they were needed.

How are you planning to get the oil in? And KEEP it in?

I still think you have a defective seal and Subaru should replace it.

[svx_commuter]

I have a strut that I cut apart and it works similar to an old hand well pump. There is the plunger that actually pumps the fluid. The plunger is also a check valve. When the strut is extending the fluid is pulled from the bottom of the strut can thru another check valve in the bottom of the inside can. The insdie can is the liner that seals to the plunger and the plunger is attached to the strut shaft.

As the strut shaft goes up and down the fluid is pumped to the top of the liner where it spills over back to the bottom of the strut.

As the piston moves up, it pulls fluid from the bottom of the liner/can. It is a closed system with a fixed volume.

I think it has to foam up, under vbration, to make a volume change. Otherwise there is no way for the fluid to reach the seal. The fluid could also cavitate and turn to vapor increasing the volume.

I agree that I should have the part replaced and I will do that. I think for now I am going to use tha last strut I had in there as it appears to be pretty good and I really need to get fix this. It is very bad. The better wheel alignment has made it much worse.

As far as putting the oil back in, I was thinking about drilling a radial hole into the top metal part that holds the seal thru the can wall, it would be below the seal section, tapping the hole for a set screw to plug the hle and using teflon tape on the threads. Two holes would be needs, one to fill and one to vent.

[svx_commuter]

The guy that did the alignment says he will put in the strut and check the alignment for $45 dollars. Sounds like a deal to me. I will have it done tomorrow.

[MoreIBNR]

$45??? What a deal!!

I don't however, see how having the wheels out of alignment would cause the struts to have to work so hard that it would cause a problem with the strut.

[svx_commuter]

I talked with the guy yesterday and he agreed that the bad wheel alignment must have covered up the problem with the strut. The wheel alignment did not cause the strut to go bad, it just made it appear not as bad.

I am going to see if I can get a credit or a refund on the bad strut from Liberty Subaru.