Rust does seem to be an occurring theme with Whiteline products. Maybe it's because they are Australian and rust isn't an issue there?

 

True but they have a large customer base in the UK

 

Funnily enough, I think my replacement Whiteline ones from last year are already failing.

 

That's crazy. When I spoke to Alyn at AS a few months back he said he has another top mount available now with a canted bearing which I may try, but I suspect I'll bite the bullet and go for his modified lower arms to match the S202 spec and fit Group N top mounts which at least come with decent bearings!

 

Yes, the rubber is torn again after less than a year, so no doubt the bearing has failed. Unfortunately, the Group N option on the hatch is the incredibly expensive pillowball sti mounts, at over £500 a mount.
I don't think I will use Whiteline strut mounts again, even if they do offer to replace the replacements, given the disruption and cost of changing them, but that means losing the additional camber they give.

 

That may be the case, but so are Superpro; fundamentally Whiteline make poorly specced products cheaply.

 

Though you've hit the nail on the head about the rust, I think. It's a maritime environment down here.

 

I don't have dust caps on my top mounts due to the adjusters. Is it worth applying some grease or similar to prevent water ingress?

 

I will smother it if they give me another set! Thing is that I don't really want to invest the time in fitting a product that has the life span of a consumable item.
Virtually all pillowball mounts only fit coilovers, leaving oem, Pedders, Sti, and Racecomp Engineering in Quebec as options.

 

The Pedders look a better design with the sealed bearings but only time will tell.

 

Drill a hoie in the centre of the top mount dust cap? If you get it the right hole diameter you can spin the dust cap on using the projecting threads.
Does the additional height of the Pedders top mount clear the Koni adjusters?
I'd be wary adding an additional barrier of grease with shielded bearings, as differing greases can liquefy in combination.
The oem/group n top mount bearings are sealed at the base and open at the top.

 

What about this on the shielded lower bearing on assembly? Seems suitably inert.
https://www.lanoguard.co.uk/products...ease-lanoguard

 

Koni adjusters extend above the mounts. Don't have dust caps and doubt they would be much use if not completely sealed.

 

I just took a flat screwdriver and punched the centre of the cap with it and a dead blow hammer. It punched through the rubber so that the adjuster stub can poke through but remains sealed pretty well.

 

I might order some more although I think from memory I chucked them as they were too small in diameter for the Whiteline mounts.
.
I could probably take some measurements and find some pipe fittings from a DIY store.

 

Assuming Pedders use the oem dust cap?:
https://www.importcarparts.co.uk/par...y=&searchPart=
What about?
Screw on a flanged nut (flange side up) or half-height nut (with washer) to the correct height to fully engage the dust cap into the top mount? Add silicon to the flange/washer face and around threads.
Hole in the centre of dust cap.
Screw on another flanged nut/half-height nut and washer to clamp the dust cap?

Koni - M12 1.25 pitch nut

 

It's a £15 gambit. Pretty certain Whiteline was too big. Thinking of finding a plumbing plastic end cap or similar and cutting it to length, then fitting it externally over the hole, rather than internally.

 

For example https://www.vital-parts.co.uk/12---2...eter-316-p.asp

 

Everyone complains about this, the only Whiteline product I have is a RARB I bought new- before fitting I painted multiple coats of lacquer on it and it still looks good even though my car is a daily.

Obviously I shouldn't have to do that though!

 

This is strange i had the KCA335 top mounts fitted at litchfields years ago with a number of trackdays thrown in for good measure and mine are still pretty much intact. That without ever having the dust cap ever fitted either?






Agree with the WL ARB finishes, its terrible. Looked at mine and they need restoring, but as i'm removing them to fit Prodrive / STI items its not a big issue.

 

I'm still getting an occasional suspension ping on full lock...

 

Here's the ones WL replaced a year ago. I'm waiting to hear back; they said they had an issue some time ago, and asked if I had coilovers or excessive castor.

 

Mine look like that - I emailed whiteline about it a year ago (it's barely turned a wheel since) and they said it was only cosmetic. I have my doubts about this but I'm just going to sack them off when I get a chance rather than bother with the hassle of replacement again.

 

I've got to admit that their customer service has been excellent, they got back to me today, asking my geo setup , out of interest, agreeing it shouldn't happen so quickly, and asking where I want a new set sent.
Mine have definitely failed, because the hatch specC is normally so sharp, and it now has lost its sharpness up front, at the same time as the tears appearing. Thing is that I need to move on from this cycle of replacement.

 

Oh totally, I'm very much not criticising the guys at WLUK, they did say that if there was any noticeable performance deterioration they'd look to get them swapped out.

Alyn at AS when I was asking about the the S202 mod mentioned that he has some other offset top mounts available which have the bearing relocated on a different plane, rather than being flat to the mounting surface as the WL's are. This has to help prevent some of the issues the WL's have been suffering for years. Might be worth giving him a shout if you're willing to lay down some cash? Probably wouldn't cost that much if you get the WL's replaced and sell them straight off.

 

I'm a month away from getting my tein coilovers fitted.

Should I get oem top mounts or pedders?

who sells the oem for the cheapest price as let's be honest there's no point paying more than needed?

Is it worth packing them out with white grease before install to prolong their lives?

Oh and I want to replace the rears & bump stops while everything is out. Oem again?

 

You've got a newage? If so you've got reasonably priced Grp N oem mounts available, or oem. Icp sell all the bits. I'd jump at the Grp N, only the hatch ones would be 1k imported!!

 

I've had a credit note from UK Whiteline, which is fine after having 2 sets. They offered another replacement, but for the time being I'm going back to oem.

I think I know the answer to this next question; last time I replaced the top mounts it was like for like, and I marked all the strut bolt positions prior, so alignments were maintained. Presumably, going back to oem, I'll have to guess the camber and go for another alignment? Or is there a rough method for doing it as near as possible? Thanks.

 

Yes a hawkeye. I'm happy to go oem and is it worth greasing before install?

 

If going for max camber, then it's quite easy to tell when turning the camber bolts that you are about to drop off the lobe.

Or get a camber gauge. But again, I think they are only good for max camber. I don't think you could ever accurately get a specific degree of camber with them - your drive would need to be perfectly flat for a start and then the car isn't level if you behave it jacked up and the suspension isn't under the correct load etc. Having said that, it's what I have used to set max camber.

Obviously you won't get near your current settings with the standard mounts - that was the whole point of the offset ones. So I guess you'd go max anyway?