This bundle does the same thing as the aftermarket urethane strut mount kits, except correctly and for a lot less money! Correctly in that VW put a lot of thought...
This bundle does the same thing as the aftermarket urethane strut mount kits, except correctly and for a lot less money!
Correctly in that VW put a lot of thought into exactly how compliant this mounting system needs to be to keep the rest of the lower control arm (LCA) system from failing over time. This mounting point is one of three points that makes up the LCA system. The strut rod that these mounts are responsible for fastening to the body are not designed to handle lots of bending loads: just compression and tension. Vanagons have a relatively high amount of wheel travel compared to most road-going vehicles, and VW spent a lot of time coming up with just the right amount of stiffness to achieve suspension stability while allowing the rod to rotate freely. The aftermarket urethane mounts we have seen on the market are way stiffer, which transmits bending loads to the strut, which in turn could cause it to fatigue and fail over time.
Bottom line: This is part of your Vanagon that simply does not need to be improved. It works great just they way it is. Spend your money elsewhere!
