Last year I had the struts replaced on my 88. I noticed lately that the plastic spiral boot that covers the upper part of the piston, that area right up to the underside of the part of the car where the strut attaches, that plastic boot is crumbled and falling apart.. is it too soon for that to happen on a garaged car?

Also, there is a big rubber like washer, or isolator of some sort at the top of the strut piston on one side of the car, but flopping up and down and out of the hole it belongs in on the other. What is that, and do I need to re-attach it? or is it part of the strut assembly and needs to be replaced with a new strut?
This picture shows the strut without the isolater washer, the second shows the strut with it. ( it's orange colored)

tinypic.com/nl1oya.jpg

http://i41.tinypic.com/f9l949.jpg




Thanks, Matt

 

a couple of years ago, when my pads disintegrated after a triple digit run and a subsequent stop, I noticed the same in my '88 as I was changing out the pads and rotors.

I ripped out the crumbling rubber and never looked back.

I dont drive the car in dirt so I dont really need the "protection" for the chromed shaft.


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