Happy Friday gentlemen! I hope it has been a good week for everyone, or good enough anyway.

So I went to inspect the wheel bearing on the Arizona car and it turns out that I don’t have slop there but the strut is moving. As the green arrows indicate I have play where the whole Strutt moves back-and-forth slightly.

It’s moving towards the top, rather than the bottom, so I’m assuming there’s something very wrong in the strut itself?

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maybe the insert is loose?

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I agree. Only other option is that the shock requires a centering ring on top of collar.

Just pulled it.

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Thanks for the fast responses. The collar was tight on the housing but look at all that space. No wonder it was flopping around.

Do I just need to find a proper fitting insert to keep it located.

You will need to find the correct top nut. IF they are KYB's the use a special top nut.

Yup that is the wrong collar for that insert
You can correct with a spacer ring but best to get the right collar

Hi Mark. The top nut looked like it fit properly and were tight where the very top part threads of through the fender. The top nut and bushing etc. all were snug and looked correct. I haven’t removed these shocks, they are KYB’s, so what you’re seeing is exactly as it was on the car.

It feels like I’m missing something here / not understanding how this is all supposed to come together. When I swapped out my front struts on the yellow 1973 it all came out went back together without issue.

@914werke - have any?

And thank you for the diagnosis.

So Koni’s have a fatter stem then I suppose?

Sir Tom, I think the insert body OD should exactly fit the top collar ID to hold the insert in the middle of the strut.

Hey! Hope you are doing well.

Yes, looks like that is it and apparently the PO didn’t switch over the correct bits when they installed the KYBs.

DPO's

This is the sort of stuff you would think would be common sense. If the strut moves like that something is wrong. Well, apparently not obvious to all with a wrench at thier disposal.

Good find, and you're on the way to a proper fix.

Certainly looks like it,KYB are weird that way,remember needing a quick fix on my E28 BMW and ordered some and they arrived with one cap nut missing due to damaged packaging,got a refund as the original BMW ones wouldn't work with the insert...still have them,useless really.

Possibly I never bothered to check against the KYB's I just tossed em.
but yes I do have a pair. They are a bit different than the OE style, kinda a stamped steel affair. Ill see if I can post a pic.

You guys nailed - that was the whole issue.

Thanks for the help.

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