HEHEHEH, I found a super-slick way to seal the solid strut mounts underside that wont add any cost
02-06-2005, 09:31 AM
#1
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
HEHEHEH, I found a super-slick way to seal the solid strut mounts underside that wont add any cost
to my mounts. Ok, well maybe 25 cents each. I cant imagine how/why I didnt think of it before yesterday. Very slick and elegant no-brainer solution that just dawned on me outta the blue.
A sealed bearing for our application was/is very very important to me on these for several reasons. One is that this bearing is far too precise, expensive and high-end to be considered a routine replacement item every year or two. This bearing is what separates the men from the boys on choosing a solid strut mount. Its a no-compromise bearing that "should" outlive the car its put in. Its fully half the cost of the entire machined strut mount and you've seen the quality and machining required to produce those. Besides, no one else is sealing their bearings against the elements and water mixed with debris, salt, silica and abrasives being finely atomized and tossed about in our fender wells when driving on wet or dusty roads. This solution will keep the bearing dry and debris-free forever.
Sorry for all the enthusiasm but its hard to contain my excitement about this facet of the solid mounts that I just knew was gonna have to do more machine work to accomodate such a feature but figured there's no way I would run without them. Now to find such a simple, cheap solution really does make my week!
I'm also considering leaving these raw aluminum to further reduce my cost. 6061 is nowhere near as bad as 7075 aluminum for corrosion and if I bead-blast em then paint em or bead-blast for additional "tooth" and let people paint them any color they want they should live forever even in a beach-front locale. But I'm also considering other, less expensive finishes for added protection. But truth is I may be just "guilding the lily" and not providing any real service or value as far as finish is concerned. Powder coating runs about as much as anodizing on a "per-unit" basis and it too may prove to be only for personal preference for a specific color choice than any real enhanced longevity.
But a least they will be true "sealed units" now with no worries related to pre-mature bearing failure due to bearing contamination. And that pleases me maybe more than anything else in this entire project! No one else offers "sealed bearing" solid strut mounts and I'm huge proponent of "one-upping" everyone else on EVERYTHING I do 'cept when I can 4 or 5-up em like I've done on these! ;-)
A sealed bearing for our application was/is very very important to me on these for several reasons. One is that this bearing is far too precise, expensive and high-end to be considered a routine replacement item every year or two. This bearing is what separates the men from the boys on choosing a solid strut mount. Its a no-compromise bearing that "should" outlive the car its put in. Its fully half the cost of the entire machined strut mount and you've seen the quality and machining required to produce those. Besides, no one else is sealing their bearings against the elements and water mixed with debris, salt, silica and abrasives being finely atomized and tossed about in our fender wells when driving on wet or dusty roads. This solution will keep the bearing dry and debris-free forever.
Sorry for all the enthusiasm but its hard to contain my excitement about this facet of the solid mounts that I just knew was gonna have to do more machine work to accomodate such a feature but figured there's no way I would run without them. Now to find such a simple, cheap solution really does make my week!
I'm also considering leaving these raw aluminum to further reduce my cost. 6061 is nowhere near as bad as 7075 aluminum for corrosion and if I bead-blast em then paint em or bead-blast for additional "tooth" and let people paint them any color they want they should live forever even in a beach-front locale. But I'm also considering other, less expensive finishes for added protection. But truth is I may be just "guilding the lily" and not providing any real service or value as far as finish is concerned. Powder coating runs about as much as anodizing on a "per-unit" basis and it too may prove to be only for personal preference for a specific color choice than any real enhanced longevity.
But a least they will be true "sealed units" now with no worries related to pre-mature bearing failure due to bearing contamination. And that pleases me maybe more than anything else in this entire project! No one else offers "sealed bearing" solid strut mounts and I'm huge proponent of "one-upping" everyone else on EVERYTHING I do 'cept when I can 4 or 5-up em like I've done on these! ;-)
02-06-2005, 09:48 AM
#3
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
no, but I'll show you towards the end of the week or early the week after....
I had to order these after I made the first ones by hand. But GAWD its so simple/bullet-proof I'm amazed it took so long to think of it. And doubly amazed no one else has thought of it before... especially those who make solid strut mounts.
Its ridiculously simple!
Its ridiculously simple!
02-06-2005, 10:00 AM
#6
AudiWorld Super User
Thread Starter
sure but if you nail it with your first guess I'm gonna be pissed! ;-)
especially since it took me over a month to hit me. But admittedly I was looking too "deep", too complex. The answer ended up being stupidly simple.
But go ahead, knock yerself out. I'll tell ya if ya get it right.
But go ahead, knock yerself out. I'll tell ya if ya get it right.