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My '80 has VBP adjustable struts. I made the discovery that whoever put them on last didn't bother to use reducer washers, they just had the bolt going through the inner sleeve and the resulting slop - I assume - was causing a rattle that got me to look at the rear end in the first place. What I'm wondering about is the shape of the bracket walls - that bend you can see in the photo. Both sides look like this. I don't know what the bracket looked like when it was new, whether this is how it's supposed to look or was this distortion caused when they put the struts in missing the reducer washers - they neglected to put them in on both sides. Don't know for sure if this is a VBP bracket or the stock bracket. The paint on it looks pretty solid for 40 years old, my guess is it isn't the original bracket.
Does this look normal? To address some comments, the washer you see is one of the reducer washers. Wondering if there's supposed to be another washer between the bushing and bracket wall besides the reducer washer? The shop manual which of course is based on stock non-adjustable struts shows only the reducer washer inside the bracket walls.
Thanks!
Last edited by brassplyer; Jan 1, 2020 at 02:37 PM.
I'm guessing the right side of the bracket was damaged before the adjustable rod was installed so the last owner added one washer to take up the space.
I don't remember the manufacturer of the one I have but it has the adjustable struts. My bracket is a perfect U shape with no distortion or extra bends. It looks to me like your end is bent. The washer between the strut and the bracket probably shouldn't be there. If the bracket was bent that may be the reason the washer was put it, to fill the gap. Here are a few pics of mine. And yes I know the lock nut is loose, we are still in the middle of the restoration. Hope this helps.
Last edited by Johnnycyclone; Jan 1, 2020 at 01:45 PM.
I don't remember the manufacturer of the one I have but it has the adjustable struts. My bracket is a perfect U shape with no distortion or extra bends. It looks to me like your end is bent. The washer between the strut and the bracket probably shouldn't be there.
Thanks for the pics! The washer is one of the reducer washers - on mine the bolt on the inboard side is a smaller diameter than the bushing mount bolt/shock mount on the outboard side so it requires reducer washers - whoever slapped it together previously didn't put reducer washers in, which leaves slop between the bushing sleeve and the bolt.
Last edited by brassplyer; Jan 1, 2020 at 02:43 PM.
Does this strut rod bracket look normal?
