Can I press in Strut bearings ?

[mxsurf]

Hi guys, I went to the Toyota Dealer yesterday and bought two strut mounts for my ’99 Camry (4cyl). I mentioned the common problem about the bearings and that maybe I could just change the bearings because the mount doesn’t need to be changed. He said , No, they are pressed in…so I thought the $88 was a good price and went home. Now the strut is off and I realize that there is no bearings ! That’s another $40 and I’m wondering if they need to be pressed in. What a pain. Anyone know about these bearings or if there are better ones by Sachs, KYB etc. online ? Can I pull out the old bearings and tap in the new ones with a metal pipe or big socket ? Thanks, Mike

[toyomoho]

The bearing would be between the suspension support (bolts to car frame) and the spring upper seat (next to rubber seat/boot). The service manual shows the bearing as a separate part. The Gen 3 parts list shows these items as a single unit. Did you get the complete upper support; is the bearing between the support and seat? You may be able to pull the old support and seat apart to get at the bearing. See if Toyota lists the bearing as a separate part. For a better prospective, go to the TN on-line Toyota service manual.

[mxsurf]

This is funny...Both NAPA and Toyota Dealer said the bearings were pressed in. '99 Camry -4 cyl. Now I got it apart and they are just resting between two parts of the mount. So I guess I'll just buy 2 bearings. I felt them and they don't feel loose at all. Maybe they are fine. I thought sure that it was the source of the rattling - can't find anything else that is loose......? Any thoughts on this ? ....Mike

[toyomoho]

A bad bearing might cause a noise when the steering wheel (strut) is turning. Check the bearing and races (what the bearing rides on) for damage. If the bearings and races look and feel OK, and the struts were not making noise when turned, chances are they are OK. Not sure if you need to grease them, the manual says nothing about this.

Often the rubber bushing that is part of the upper suspension support goes bad, this causes a rattle. Check this bushing for signs of aging, cracking, etc. Bad upper strut bushings are typical noisemakers on the Camry and Avalon for both front and rear struts.