Rear strut top won't fit on dobinsons low springs

[Ricciardo]

TJ Magna Sedan MY02 Mechanic mate@mazda who's never worked on a magna was installing suspension today (sachs struts + dobsinsons lows from mitsfix & 380 brakes)

He said the lowered springs wouldn't fit properly with the strut tops the rubber mounting on the inside needs to sit flush with the spring but it won't. Does it need to be forced into place or something? I can't think of what would go wrong other than incorrect springs sent. Pretty sure it should fit just fine

Also does someone have a link for rear bump stops i can only find ones for the front

dobinsons lows


vs.

[leadfoot6]

I've had 2 pairs of Dobinson rear springs fitted.

The first were "super low" or equivalent that I put up with for 12 months(purchased by mistake).

The second set were "low", about 1" higher rear ride height than the "super low" set - and just perfect on my car with an atrocious driveway that the a*$(# wipes @ Kiama Municipal Council wont fix.

Both times the springs were installed by Selby Suspension Nowra and both times the install was problem free with a perfect fit.

No bump stops or anything else(other than the new Sachs shocks) were fitted to the rear.

[leadfoot6]

Are you sure the springs that your mechanic installed were not actually a "raised" set?

I can't see your image properly.

Can you take another shot with the old and new side by side/standing upright?

[Ricciardo]

im asking around people say it's weird, should be no dramas.. have no idea what's wrong. Wonder if anyone struggled with it, maybe it has to be forced on or something (despite original spring fitting perfectly with ease)?

part number checks out C43-077V

[leadfoot6]

P.S. If you are interested, I have the set of absolutely perfect condition 12 month old Dobinson "Super Low" rears sitting in the garage unused.

There is nothing wrong with them if you have a smooth, relatively sensibly graded driveway.

My local council, however, has not the brain power to provide me with same.

So, it has cost me more to allow my car to traverse it without scraping, which it now does with VRX style springs.

Let me know if you are interested.

[leadfoot6]

im asking around people say it's weird, should be no dramas.. have no idea what's wrong. Wonder if anyone struggled with it, maybe it has to be forced on or something (despite original spring fitting perfectly with ease)?

part number checks out C43-077V

From memory C43-077v is the part number that I originally ordered, installed, replaced, and is now sitting in my garage.

[leadfoot6]

Confirmed: I just checked my original invoice from the parts supplier.

C43077v was the part number I was supplied with initially.

Based on my experience, you should not have a problem with this part number as far as fitment goes.

[Ricciardo]

maybe it simply needs to be pushed down really hard but idk i didnt see it myself, wondering if others had a similar issue. I asked a mate on FB he says from what he remembers it should fit fine, thinks I'll be fine once the top is bolted on and tensioned under the weight of the car, and rear strut top generally doesn't need replacing.

want to know if it's a manufacturing defect and need a new set before old mate is gonna try it again this weekend (+ fix front-left spring alignment it's sometimes clunky when turning , any easy tips for aligning it properly? The FR seems fine.). might DIY if someone who had same issue can assist

also emailed mitsfix will post any relevant information. and thanks leadfoot brother, but i should be right & don't want to run superlows i have a mountain of a driveway but its fine approaching at an angle haha

[maggie3.5]

Just bolt it together and it will pull into the strut rubber.

The lows are a bit loose in the assembly and you may find that you dont even need a spring compressor to put them BACK TOGETHER again.

(+ fix front-left spring alignment it's sometimes clunky when turning , any easy tips for aligning it properly? The FR seems fine

Mechanic mate@mazda who's never worked on a magna

mmmm....did said mate line up the hole in the lower seat of the strut with the hole in the top spring plate?

if not .and he may have arsed the rhs one ...then this will cause clunking

[Ricciardo]

old mate 1: 'From what I remember it fit fine. I think you ll be fine once you bolt the top on and it is tensioned under the weight of the car. The rear strut top generally doesn’t need replacing'

old mate 2: sales@mitsfix.com Hi,
Being new aftermarket springs into a rubber seat, these will settle as soon as weight is put on them

old mate 3: "Well yeah I was gonna say when he puts the spring over the strut tower and decompresses the spring, it should set it's self into place just from the tension off the spring"

also in regards to misaligned front left: "There's a hole in the top hat and a hole in the bottom and they need to line up with each other, i did the same thing on my first time" -- my mechanic acknowledged he misaligned it, but only the front left, the right side doesn't make any noise so i assumed it's aligned properly

thanks for the help guys i should be right, will have another crack at it this weekend