[Z28GTOSSMike]

Does anyone else's strut mounts have this gap between the rubber piece and the metal center piece? Looks to me like it has failed. I jacked up the car and when unloaded the gap goes away. Put a crow bar under the wheel while jacked up and I can move the center piece of the mount approx. 1/4 inch while lifting the wheel. Seems kind of early for them to go bad. Of course my mileage is at 35,950 but just past the 36 month period.

[Alpha1BC]

That center piece is just a cap and can be pulled off to access the nut that holds the strut in the top mount. The movement you're seeing on it's own isn't an indication that the mount is failing, you'd want to listen for rattles/noises and feel for the front suspension being loose while driving as well. If there's none of that, you're seeing the normal motion of the rubber being loaded/unloaded by the spring at max rebound travel.

[Z28GTOSSMike]

Originally Posted by Alpha1BC

That center piece is just a cap and can be pulled off to access the nut that holds the strut in the top mount. The movement you're seeing on it's own isn't an indication that the mount is failing, you'd want to listen for rattles/noises and feel for the front suspension being loose while driving as well. If there's none of that, you're seeing the normal motion of the rubber being loaded/unloaded by the spring at max rebound travel.

I have been hearing a strange "Thud" noise when going over low speed bumps which is what got me looking in the first place. I did remove the plastic center cap which is separate from the metal piece just to see if the nut looked like it had backed off and it looked fine. Just seems like a full 1/4 inch of play before the spring even comes into play is way too much. I can understand the normal flex of a rubber bushing but this appears to be the entire center piece that attaches to the strut itself is moving inside of the rubber piece like it has come loose. Just wondering if anyone else's looked like mine.

[Z28GTOSSMike]

So the dealer said the play in the mount is normal. I would still like to see a picture of the strut mounts on another fairly new SS to confirm for myself. Just seems strange to me that there is that much play in them.

[Alpha1BC]

Originally Posted by Z28GTOSSMike

I have been hearing a strange "Thud" noise when going over low speed bumps which is what got me looking in the first place. I did remove the plastic center cap which is separate from the metal piece just to see if the nut looked like it had backed off and it looked fine. Just seems like a full 1/4 inch of play before the spring even comes into play is way too much. I can understand the normal flex of a rubber bushing but this appears to be the entire center piece that attaches to the strut itself is moving inside of the rubber piece like it has come loose. Just wondering if anyone else's looked like mine.

Gotcha, yes in this case the metal cone is part of the inner core of the bushing. That gap looks normal to me and will move when the vehicle is lifted because it's reacting all of the spring preload keeping the strut attached to the car, and then will return to normal when placed on the ground or when the wheel is lifted with a crowbar. I could see that bushing being soft enough to allow that gap to be entirely taken up but I've never checked to know for sure. Do both sides do it? If they both so it, I bet it's normal and the noise you're hearing is coming from something else. Chances of failing both mounts for a car as new as yours is very close to 0.

[Alpha1BC]

Originally Posted by Z28GTOSSMike

So the dealer said the play in the mount is normal. I would still like to see a picture of the strut mounts on another fairly new SS to confirm for myself. Just seems strange to me that there is that much play in them.

Reason they move so much is they're only designed to react damper force which is significantly lower than spring force for the majority of driving conditions. Helps with ride over small imperfections in the road by absorbing energy from vertical vibrations, but still lets the damper engage when there's enough damper motion to bottom out the metal cone (like when hitting bigger bumps or when the body pitches/rolls quickly).

[Z28GTOSSMike]

Originally Posted by Alpha1BC

Gotcha, yes in this case the metal cone is part of the inner core of the bushing. That gap looks normal to me and will move when the vehicle is lifted because it's reacting all of the spring preload keeping the strut attached to the car, and then will return to normal when placed on the ground or when the wheel is lifted with a crowbar. I could see that bushing being soft enough to allow that gap to be entirely taken up but I've never checked to know for sure. Do both sides do it? If they both so it, I bet it's normal and the noise you're hearing is coming from something else. Chances of failing both mounts for a car as new as yours is very close to 0.

Thanks for the replies. You are correct. Both sides do look the same which I too thought would have been rather unlikely. I looked a little harder on this forum and found several pictures of other cars and they all look like mine with approx. the same amount of gap. Guess the search continues. Thanks again for your help.