Strut wear after Motofab 2.5" level on ORP.

[Troop2865]

Yes, getting the struts back in with ORP and 2.5 inch spacer is a royal pain. I needed a big pry bar and second set of hands.

 

[rsonedecker]

So if I'm following you correctly, The distance from the lower mounting bolt center line to the spring perch is the same, The rod is a little longer and the spring is a little taller? It was PITA squeezing the non ORP assembly back in place with a 2.5" spacer on top. The ORP strut assembly must be a royal PITA to get back in there. I'm guessing the compete strut assy is about 5/8"-3/4" longer than the non ORP version.

https://5thgenrams.com/community/threads/4×4-off-road-package.949/page-4#post-95329

 

[rsonedecker]

Yes, getting the struts back in with ORP and 2.5 inch spacer is a royal pain. I needed a big pry bar and second set of hands.

I keep forgetting to ask this question, but I'm wondering why I'm not seeing the use of spring compressors to keep the strut slightly compressed either when it's removed or when it's put back in. It looks like there's room to slap a set of compressors on the spring while it's compressed (by jacking up the lower control arm a little) which would help give you an inch or two when removing, and the same when putting it back in.

 

[Whiskey_tango]

I keep forgetting to ask this question, but I'm wondering why I'm not seeing the use of spring compressors to keep the strut slightly compressed either when it's removed or when it's put back in. It looks like there's room to slap a set of compressors on the spring while it's compressed (by jacking up the lower control arm a little) which would help give you an inch or two when removing, and the same when putting it back in.

That's not a bad idea. Personally getting the strut back in wasn't terrible. I was able to do it by myself with a strategically placed pry bar. The passenger side was ever so slightly twisted and getting the lower bolt thru was a bit of a pain.

Anyone have an updated ETA on aftermarket struts for 2019?

 

[Troop2865]

I did try to use spring compressors. The way the strut tower is shaped it made it almost impossible to turn the strut assembly to line up the top bolts. I ended up taking the spring compressors off because for me they were a pain. Others may have used them with success.

 

[Whiskey_tango]

I did try to use spring compressors. The way the strut tower is shaped it made it almost impossible to turn the strut assembly to line up the top bolts. I ended up taking the spring compressors off because for me they were a pain. Others may have used them with success.

I see you have the ORP. Have you noticed any wear on your struts from the boots?

 

[Troop2865]

I looked as close as I could just now. It feels like the plastic dust cover rubs on the inside of the strut ( engine side). There is plenty of room on the outside. I cannot see without grabbing a creeper and going under the truck. I will get under the truck when I am at place I can do so. I didn’t look at them before putting the spacer on top. It is hard for me to imagine the spacer would put that kind of pressure on the strut (almost like bending the shock rod). If this is the case I would think it might prematurely wear the seal in the shock portion of the strut.

 

[rsonedecker]

Forgot to point out, on the trucks I was under over the weekend (checking out part numbers), all of them had some type of cant to the dust cover (most of them had the dust cover touching the strut on the inboard side) just like yours, so that's a factory condition, ORP and non-ORP. It's possible that the natural angles of the strut top causes that. It's possible with a lift, that the angle is exasperated enough to cause it to push a little harder against the strut.

As well, I just watched some youtube videos on 2019 front installs, and saw the same thing. When they were in the truck, there was a cant, when they were out, there was no cant.

 

[Whiskey_tango]

Forgot to point out, on the trucks I was under over the weekend (checking out part numbers), all of them had some type of cant to the dust cover (most of them had the dust cover touching the strut on the inboard side) just like yours, so that's a factory condition, ORP and non-ORP. It's possible that the natural angles of the strut top causes that. It's possible with a lift, that the angle is exasperated enough to cause it to push a little harder against the strut.

As well, I just watched some youtube videos on 2019 front installs, and saw the same thing. When they were in the truck, there was a cant, when they were out, there was no cant.

Well that's pretty interesting. Thanks for the info!

 

[rsonedecker]

Well that's pretty interesting. Thanks for the info!

Have you noticed if it has gotten worse? It seems to have gotten really bad really quick (over a few days, right?), I would think you'd notice additional wear very quickly.

 

[Whiskey_tango]

Have you noticed if it has gotten worse? It seems to have gotten really bad really quick (over a few days, right?), I would think you'd notice additional wear very quickly.

I'll check later today when it's light out.

Oh, and I suppose that the Daystar may not be the answer after all if the stock condition is a canted boot.

 

[Whiskey_tango]

Have you noticed if it has gotten worse? It seems to have gotten really bad really quick (over a few days, right?), I would think you'd notice additional wear very quickly.

Now there is a solid band of bare metal. Last pic I took there were still streaks of paint mixed in. However the "grooves" don't feel very pronounced.

 

[rsonedecker]

Now there is a solid band of bare metal. Last pic I took there were still streaks of paint mixed in. However the "grooves" don't feel very pronounced.

Yeah, I see that. I'm wondering if all you need to do it jack it up, reach in there with a knife, and score the boot about 1" vertical on the left and right side of the wear to alleviate the pressure enough to stop the wear.

 

[VaderRebel]

Thought I had an oil leak, turned out to be a guests Toyota... while I was under the truck looking for all the reported possible leaks and issues (I know, total hypocrite, but curiosity had to kill the cat) I inspected my front struts since I have the Motofab 2.5" spacer and RL UCA's. I can report there is no rub marks or the extreme camber of the strut as OP has shown. This of course is not on an ORG truck, my Rebel has the Bilstein struts.

Don't know of any other Rebel owners on the site that have chimed in... could be just "lucky ol'me".

 

[Troop2865]

I helped a buddy put the 2.5 Motofab spacers on his 2019 classic last weekend. No rub before and rub after. I know with the new spacer installed it can only go in one way. I may have missed someone else’s post on this, but I wonder what would happen putting the struts on the opposite side. Would this change anything?

It seems that when the spacers were machined, they might be just a fraction off. It takes some leverage to get the bottom lined up to reinstall the bolt. I wonder if this little bit of twist is what is causing a side load on the shock and the dust cover touching.

 

[rsonedecker]

I would think what's causing the side load is the extended length of the unit causing slightly steeper angles to the plane of the upper shock mount area. The shock-to-top plate angles are probably generally 90' in normal, but when lengthened causing lift, the shock is probably canted inward slightly because the lower arm is lower in relation, but the top plate (and boot) still wants to maintain the 90' relationship. See my sucky drawing.

 

[rsonedecker]

One thing I also note in both of the OP's pictures in this thread is how off-center the shock body is inside that coil spring. I've crawled under a few trucks to get part numbers lately, and watched my share of videos, and I don't recall ever seeing anything where the shock wasn't pretty much dead center. But in both the pics here, the coil is pretty close to the shock body on one side compared to the other. Curious.

 

[Troop2865]

Yea. I wonder what a call to Motofab might do. You would think this so nothing new to them. Makes you wonder if they could make the spacer with a slight angle if that might correct things.

 

[rsonedecker]

For a small lift, I don't think this is anything to worry about and probably happens in most lifts where you don't relocate the lower control arm. Since the shock is attached to only the middle of the top plate, there's room for the angles to be a little off. But definitely something to dissuade you from too much lift. When I put my stuff together, I plan to trim the boot a bit and smooth the end out - there's a good 2" that the boot extends over the shock body so there's some room to remove material. Also, I think if you slit the boot on both sides maybe 1" up from the bottom or so, that might relieve enough pressure to stop the wear (but might cause the boot to eventually crack).

I don't think they'd want to make angled top-hats because just imagine if someone put it in backwards.

 

[Whiskey_tango]

One thing I also note in both of the OP's pictures in this thread is how off-center the shock body is inside that coil spring. I've crawled under a few trucks to get part numbers lately, and watched my share of videos, and I don't recall ever seeing anything where the shock wasn't pretty much dead center. But in both the pics here, the coil is pretty close to the shock body on one side compared to the other. Curious.

It's kind of an optical illusion. Looking at the shock/spring in person it appears to be close to centered.