a rusted strut tower

[bowlofturtle]

Friend of mines had a car with some rust issues. One being front strut tower rott, he had to it welded together but didn't think it was a good job.

What would signs of a bad strut tower show you? He says its the struts moving around back and fourth.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Do you mean the mount for the strut tower rusted out?

 

[dishdude]

Dorman makes strut repair kits for some vehicles, but if the strut tower truly is rusted you're on borrowed time or ready for the junkyard today. That's a strutural part of the body that goes beyond a safety issue. Some pictures and type of vehicle would be helpful.

 

[Russ300H]

A dent in your hood when the tower gives way and your strut goes into the hood. The suspension collapses and the tire can contact the fenderwell which will put the car out of control. IT IS DANGEROUS GET IT FIXED PROPERLY.

 

[bowlofturtle]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Do you mean the mount for the strut tower rusted out?



No not the mount.

The tower, like body of the car.

Like this but the repair was done on the front, from the top of the area to the website name? The rust of it shows no signs of rust or weakness.

 

[exranger06]

Is the vehicle in question a Dodge/Chrysler minivan by any chance?

 

[NHGUY]

Originally Posted By: exranger06
Is the vehicle in question a Dodge/Chrysler minivan by any chance?


I was thinking that myself.However I saw a mid 70s Subaru years ago (around 1990) that has both strut towers rusted all apart and both were "hinged" open with the struts and wheels angling outward at the bottom.The car had original cloth braided gas/heater hoses and everything was leaking.I told him all that was wrong and he acted like it was news to him....totally dumbfounded that his stalwart Subaru was destined to fall apart in mere miles.

 

[hsd]

Anybody see the recent Wheeler Dealer episode where Ed repairs a rusted strut tower on a turboed Toyota? Basically he cut a patch from a new strut tower to replace the rusty part on their cars tower. Probably not doable if the tower is too far gone.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: bowlofturtle
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Do you mean the mount for the strut tower rusted out?



No not the mount.

The tower, like body of the car.

Like this but the repair was done on the front, from the top of the area to the website name? The rust of it shows no signs of rust or weakness.


I had my terminology wrong - I always called the strut tower the strut itself.

I had the same thing happen on my Taurus. Sold it for scrap with 75k miles

 

[Donald]

I am not sure I would feel good having arusted strut tower repaired. How many other areas are badly rusted.

Boneyard time.

 

[bowlofturtle]

Just the rear fenders as well. Rear fenders are only cosmetic, so they dont care about that.

I jacked up the side of the wheel to see if there was play, kinda like checking the wheel bearing process. Up and down was good but left and right had some play, not much less then 1/8 inch but i couldnt figure it out. It didn't feel like suspension because i grabbed the tie rod end and no movement there. It looks good but there is some play, what would the signs of say a control arm and or bad balljoint giving this type of movement. The 3 nuts holding the strut are on there nice and tight, no play at all. I grabbed to shock itself and tried to wiggle it and nothing was moving easily but when i grab the wheel/tire and moved it and was showing that 1/8 inch of play.

I explained the car is obviously on borrowed time, which we all agreed easily but i wasn't able to gauge the SAFETY side very well. They said the guy who repaired the tower, said it was "stronger then ever" and the welds on top looks good from my eyes but i never welded and i'm comparing to exhaust welds ive seen.

 

[zzyzzx]

Obligatory rusty strut tower pic:

On my own personal car of the same type pictured above, I had the strut mount rust out and the strut top go through it:

So in my case it seems to me that the strut mount was the waek point causing everything it touched to rust.

 

[meep]

^^^GL Wagon??