Tein Pillow Mounts Serviceable?

[belize1334]

I'm having the same clunking noises that were reported in this thread about Hot-Bits.

I'm using Bilstein struts w/ DIY coil-overs and the problem I'm having is that the spherical bearing articulates nicely but it doesn't spin very easily. As such, when I turn the wheel the spherical bearing doesn't rotate very much and instead the strut piston rotates as does the spring perch. But since the spring itself is fixed with the strut, I get a popping sound as the spring slips on the upper perch. It only happens on the drivers side and I was VERY careful to install in such a way that the bearing is properly shimmed and there is no load on the housing (which might cause the strut/perch to bind and shear).

I spoke to Tein and they said that I have to send it in and they'll do it for $60 per side. But, I expected them to say something like that and I'm wondering if it isn't possible to have it done locally by a competent machinist. Has anybody pulled these apart? Can they be disassembled and serviced?

 

[turbowop]

$60 per side sounds pretty reasonable to me, considering that they don't need to be serviced very often. Hell, I've had mine since '01 and still no issues with the pillow balls. Then again, my car gets little mileage throughout the year.

Not that this answers your question, but personally, I'd just send them in to Tein.

 

[belize1334]

I may well do that. I just want to explore my options.

 

[mooserage]

I agree with mark, you are paying for the quality and knowledge that goes along with designing the original product, I would go with tein if it were me. But, good luck either way!
-shamus

 

[GreenGSX]

I would at least take it apart and get some measurements off the bearing. I have RRE caster/camber plates and when I rebuilt them I just found an aurora bearing that fit. Called RRE and they gave me the part number and a new set of torrington bearings for free. The bearing was $35.

Try these click and click