For some reason, I have a gap between the rubber bumper & metal washer at the top of my struts. I checked my other 914 and the washers are installed in the other direction (facing down...no gap there). The washers in the below pics were installed this way when I got the car.

Regardless, even if I turn the washers over, the gap will remain...(you can move the rubber bumpers up/down about 1/4").

Are those new A/M bushings?

No. All stock stuff. I took the struts off, rebuilt, re-installed. I can't remember if the gap was there before I did the rebuild. I was careful re-installing everything as I found it.

Before:



After:

you got the rubber that goes on the other side?

Andy

Yeah, there's a rubber cup that sits on top of the strut where it goes up into the body.

Are the bottom side rubber bumpers flipped upside down? The top ones certainly are.

-Mike

Not sure which side is "up". I re-assembled everything how it came apart, so I'm basing my knowledge on the last person who had them apart. I also recall looking at an exploded parts diagram to double-check and everything seemed to match.

I looked at my other 914 and the rubber you see in the pic is in the same position, except the washers are flipped around the other way, in effect "trapping" the rubber against the body mount (and there's no gap...it's a tight fit).

Sorry... I'm an idiot, your upper ring joint appears to be installed the same way mine are (skinny side up).

On my lower ring joint, the top of it fits right into the body opening.

Which way is your washer? Cup up or cup down?

Washer is cup up.

-Mike

Hmm...right back where I started. I thought about throwing a few washers in there, but I hate to do things half-azzed. It bugs me when I can't figure something out...

Are you missing the step washer on the bottom of the stack?

Umm...dunno. It's been a few months since I had this apart. I'll double-check next time I'm at my shop. The bottom cupped washer looks familiar. The one sitting on top of that is an unknown.

Here's the diagram I used when putting everything back together. This diagram shows 1 washer at the bottom rubber and your pic above shows two washers...still not sure how one washer is going to close a 1/4" gap.

http://autoatlanta.com/model/porsche-914-parts/502-00.htm

Should be 2 washers. A big thin one and the step washer which is critical. It is 3/8 thick. The washer has a step that matches the step in the piston rod show in the photo.

I'll have to look. I don't remember the 2nd washer...thank you.