Rear Spring Touching Tire

[LowSHO]

I had a rear blowout on the freeway the other day in my '91 MTX. After a tow to a local garage (thank you, AAA!) and putting the car on the garage's lift, it was clear that the strut base had lowered enough to sit on the tire and eat it away like a home apple-peeler.

While I was at work, the garage "fixed" the problem by taking out the Tokicos that have been on the car for 10 years and 70,000 miles and putting new KYB's (I know, I know) on the rear. He said that when he removed the strut on the side that had the blowout, the strut just fell apart, and that the base of the strut had rusted enough to let the spring contact the tire.

I now have the car at home, and it is clear that the side that had the blowout is significantly lower than the other side, more than an inch lower, measuring from the top of the rim to the highest point in the wheel well opening.

I am about to put the car in my garage and jack up the rear. Can anyone tell me what to look for? Has this happened to anyone else? A search here yielded no obvious results.

I am not an experienced mechanic, but I'm no dummy either. I've changed the fuel pump, did my own 60K, and some other step-by-step maintenance with instructions found on the Forum.

But I am afraid that when I jack the car up, I will not see the problem without some help from the experts that hang out here.

 

[SolidState]

contact Tokico. They have a lifetime warranty.

I, for one, have never heard of the spring perch rusting out and a taurus strut...

 

[LowSHO]

I will. But first I have to get the car back on the road. It's my daly driver.

 

[pjtoledo]

contact Tokico. They have a lifetime warranty.

I, for one, have never heard of the spring perch rusting out and a taurus strut...

I have. Major rust on both rear Tokico struts that were only 5 years old. The top of the tube seperated and allowed the insert to come out. I don't mean the cap unscrewed either, the tube rusted thru just below the top collar and broke off.
My problem seemed the start with small stones bouncing up and settling in the top of the spring perches. As the perches flex under normal driving the gap opens slightly and the stones fall farther in the gap. Then the gap closes with the stone in it, and the stone then gouges the protective coating and rust begins.
The front struts did not have any problems. This was on my 95, with the comparatively soft rear springs.


Perry

 

[LowSHO]

Thanks, but why would the new strut result in a sag on the same side?

I haven't jacked my car up yet. I'm waiting for it to get a little warmer later today.

 

[pjtoledo]

Two things determine the ride height. First is the way the strut is installed in the spindle. Is the distance from the spindle to the bottom of the spring the same? The second is the spring, it may be weak or damaged. Better look at a 3rd possibility, the mount at the top of the spring. A thicker or thinner top spring mount will also effect ride height. Different length stabilizer bar links?
Time to jack it up and do some measuring and inspecting.

Perry