Question abot Mk4 strut top hat

[intensem1]

Guys, I recently bought a mk4 golf and have fitted coilovers over the weekend. Have noticed there is a 5mm+ gap between to top hat and the body/strut tower, is this normal? It seems to allow movement and I'm worried over bumps etc it will drop in and out?

Everything is tight, so if there are any tricks please let me know.

Thanks in Advance.

[h100vw]

It's normal Alex, also you need the gap or the top would catch when turning the steering. Have someone go from lock to lock while you watch it.

Gavin

[91eah]

Yep all good - mine is the exact same!!

[intensem1]

So it's normal for these to drop down to the body when the car is on a jack?

[glidn]

well sorry you are all wrongs

only broken mount are like that. there should be no more than 4mm gap at worst case.

I redid my mounts and everything else on my mk3 a few weeks ago.
My one mount was like that. turned out that the top hat of the suspension could still be tightened around 5 or more mm. Reason it did not do so the first time is it slightly touch the shock shaft hence it looked like it was tightened and felt like that.

Eitherway they are not assembled correct/ or are broken, but they should not be like that at all.

[h100vw]

well sorry you are all wrongs

only broken mount are like that. there should be no more than 4mm gap at worst case.

I redid my mounts and everything else on my mk3 a few weeks ago.
My one mount was like that. turned out that the top hat of the suspension could still be tightened around 5 or more mm. Reason it did not do so the first time is it slightly touch the shock shaft hence it looked like it was tightened and felt like that.

Eitherway they are not assembled correct/ or are broken, but they should not be like that at all.

glidn

That's a really bold statement saying we are all wrong mate. Then you mention it was on a MK3 as well! Come on.

Alex, they are like that normally.

Gavin

[Jmac]

Normal for a Mk4 mate no question.

[glidn]

glidn

That's a really bold statement saying we are all wrong mate. Then you mention it was on a MK3 as well! Come on.

Alex, they are like that normally.

Gavin

i know it's a fairly bold statement i made.
But i cannot prove on My GTI anymore sold it two months ago.
Girlfriends GTI has about 2-3mm gap.
Hell even the R32 mounts i replaced too only had 2-3mm GAP.
After about 3 months when they broke again in the R32, due to extremely spirited driving. Seeing the crappy design in them. They appeared as pictured above.

If you leave the car stock suspension mounts last about 12 - 18 months with nice driving.

Lowered and any spirited driving. They end up like that, if you look inside the gap you will notice a vivid crease in the mounts showing that they are past there use by date.

Heck i never ran more than 6months on a set for the front. Due to poor design that VW bestowed upon us.