consistent top mount failure

[dippy4000]

my top mounts keep failing, next week will be the 3rd change in 12 months( in which its done less than 2000 miles). Could anyone think of a cause for this? They are changed at a VAG specialist so i iknow there not the problem.

Also would changing to LCR top mounts be better or another type? (running spax rsx, fullly poly bushed etc)

Any advise would be great, getting a bit tired of it really, car will have to go if it keeps up

 

[DPJ]

What reason does the VAG specialist offer? How are they failing?

 

[m0rk]

They're either supplying poor quality parts, or fitting them wrong.

Everyone else does 60k out of a set

 

[dippy4000]

They have no idea,evrything else as it should be (everything new and replaced) they are very good and replace the top mounts for free under there warranty but im thinking rather than running the risk of yet another faliure is there anything a little tuffer.
Its so bad on the nearside i can move the wheel by hand.

 

[m0rk]

Sounds like they've lost something when reassembling the first time, and now don't know what they're missing.

 

[dippy4000]

They're either supplying poor quality parts, or fitting them wrong.

Everyone else does 60k out of a set

600 miles out of the last ones, (dont drive it often), supplied and fitted by AMD so i wouldn't have thought they would be wrongly fitted or poor parts.

 

[m0rk]

Dude, they must have...... at 600 miles they are not right at all.

 

[dippy4000]

ok thanks, so they dont need to be uprated, just fitted correctly. Its back in tomorrow morning, i find it better to go with an opinion than blind

 

[DPJ]

Dude, they must have...... at 600 miles they are not right at all.

Absolutely --- what he said ^^^^^

 

[Graham89]

600 miles? That's only a tank and a half of fuel!!

 

[adam cupra 20vt]

If a garage had changed my top mounts twice and after only 600 miles they failed again theres no way I'd let them do it a 3rd time.........wouldn't let them loose on my wheel barrow

Surely garage should look at the source of the problem rather then just keep changing them?......common sense says they last longer then 600miles.

 

[8bit]

Surely garage should look at the source of the problem rather then just keep changing them?......common sense says they last longer then 600miles.

Should, yes, but there are probably plenty of garages quite happy for people to keep coming back with the same problem again and again, and keep fixing it and keep charging them for it. That said, the OP said the garage in question was AMD so you'd expect better from them.

 

[adam cupra 20vt]

Should, yes, but there are probably plenty of garages quite happy for people to keep coming back with the same problem again and again, and keep fixing it and keep charging them for it. That said, the OP said the garage in question was AMD so you'd expect better from them.

There not charging him they do it for free under warranty?

Either way the cause of the problem needs investigating, can't go changing top mounts every 3-4 weeks.

 

[8bit]

There not charging him they do it for free under warranty?

Either way the cause of the problem needs investigating, can't go changing top mounts every 3-4 weeks.

Oops, missed that bit - fair point but agree on your second bit, you'd hope they'd do a bit more investigation to get to the cause of the issue.

 

[techie]

Trying to think what could be missing. You only have the top mount, the bearing under it and a shouldered nut that goes on top of it all.

What are the symptoms? If you dont get the bearing sat right on top of the damper it will knock.

 

[andycupra]

you may have play in your suspension shock/strut.
New top mount reduces play massively, but over time it will return.

Its common and easy to ignore/miss possible issues such as this.

 

[dippy4000]

600 miles? That's only a tank and a half of fuel!!

2 tanks in my case I dont drive it very often, go for a "spirited drive" every now and again, drive the van most of the time for work.

you may have play in your suspension shock/strut.
New top mount reduces play massively, but over time it will return.

That is exactly what it is, Ive had the spax rsx, fully polly bushed, new subframe,wishbones,arb,droplinks,track rods, top mounts twice, ball joints, front hubs all in the last 9 months. seems to be beyond every one. the only thing not been changed is the cv joints but have changed the gaters.

Been in today, need 3 new wheel bearings, tracking again ( been 4 wheel tracked 3 times in 12 months) been told top mounts ok yet the strut still making a noise and moving under a good pull and push. funny though, its the only wheel that dont need a bearing. I give up