The flat, plastic-housed "bearing" that sandwhiches between the steel upper coil spring cap and the rubber strut mount. I keep finding that mine have shifted in place and will allow the coil spring to rub the body, the inside of the shock tower when the wheel is turned. It also causes the car to pull to one side of the road, and tire wear. Anyhow, I have just noticed the 3rd bearing that I've replaced is also ruined. This is happening on left and right sides for the car, after 300-3000 miles. I've killed genuine Motorcraft and KYB parts so far. I'm tightening the mount on with an impact gun. I know that's a no-no, but the internal hex rounded off promptly the first time I tried to use a strut tool socket to remove/install them. And the struts seem to tolerate it, and be in fine shape otherwise.
The springs are original, control arm and bushings are stock. The strut is a Bilstein HD B6, pn 35-051398. Stock replacement for all '00-'04 Foci
Here you can see how contorted the strut assembly is after removal from the car:
Here is a shot from below the mount, you can see the cap where the bearing shifted out of place:
Here is the crushed bearing with a new one beside it:
Any ideas?
The springs are original, control arm and bushings are stock. The strut is a Bilstein HD B6, pn 35-051398. Stock replacement for all '00-'04 Foci
Here you can see how contorted the strut assembly is after removal from the car:
Here is a shot from below the mount, you can see the cap where the bearing shifted out of place:
Here is the crushed bearing with a new one beside it:
Any ideas?