Possible problem with top hat?

cambodianricer · 07-04-2009, 04:03 AM

So right, i was adjusting my height on my Pro-S, I noticed that the spring was stuck up on the shock. So I pulled the spring down and all of these metal balls come out!!! I have no idea wtf it is... So what should I do?

Btw, this is on my front right side.

Metal Balls:

I think its #14 Bearing back

please help meeeeee!

Zeuceone · 07-04-2009, 04:04 AM

hahahah

cambodianricer · 07-04-2009, 04:05 AM

thanks for the help

07mugencivic · 07-04-2009, 04:06 AM

you have too many balls

Zeuceone · 07-04-2009, 04:06 AM

why would you pull on it? the spring is held by the top hat. remove the strut and put all the bearings back in it.

cambodianricer · 07-04-2009, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeuceone

why would you pull on it? the spring is held by the top hat. remove the strut and put all the bearings back in it.

so what if i cant find all of the balls?

Siem Reap · 07-04-2009, 04:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeuceone

why would you pull on it? the spring is held by the top hat. remove the strut and put all the bearings back in it.

Good luck man, definitely invest in a magnet, you don't want to lose those. I dropped my car on skunk2's and those damn little balls went everywhere.

Zeuceone · 07-04-2009, 04:09 AM

should still work if its only a couple.

cambodianricer · 07-04-2009, 04:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siem Reap

Good luck man, definitely invest in a magnet, you don't want to lose those. I dropped my car on skunk2's and those damn little balls went everywhere.

so what was your solution?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeuceone

should still work if its only a couple.

so just take apart the shock and stuff and try to put the balls back into their place in the bearing thingy?

Siem Reap · 07-04-2009, 04:17 AM

Pull the shock/strut tower out, compress the spring, remove the tophat and VERY CAREFULLY remove the cover for the ball bearings and place them back in. I can't stress enough the VERY CAREFULLY part. If you aren't, those little fawkers will go everywhere.

cambodianricer · 07-04-2009, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Siem Reap

Pull the shock/strut tower out, compress the spring, remove the tophat and VERY CAREFULLY remove the cover for the ball bearings and place them back in. I can't stress enough the VERY CAREFULLY part. If you aren't, those little fawkers will go everywhere.

im gonna try that tomm! i really hope everything if fine...

but what if im missing a couple of the balls?

Siem Reap · 07-04-2009, 04:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeuceone

should still work if its only a couple.

Looks like the OP is holding quite a few. I lucked out and was able to put them all back in. Definitely would recommend putting as many as you can back in. No more than 1 or 2 missing, and definitely if they are missing in a row. Like this...

Zero's = ball bearings; periods = missing bearings

0000.....000 <-- probably bad

0.00.000.00.0.000. <-- probably ok...

Just because that pressure will be more evened out in the second example as opposed to the first.

Siem Reap · 07-04-2009, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cambodianricer

im gonna try that tomm! i really hope everything if fine...

but what if im missing a couple of the balls?

Also, get an OEM MacPherson spring compressor. Those things work miracles. You don't want your top hat to explode off the top of the shock/strut. Very dangerous.

You can pick up the compressor at autozone for like 40 bucks. I think it's worth it, because to rent one, it's like 20, and if you ever want to go back to OEM or switch out the springs again, it's nice to have.

Plus you can just rent it out to your buds

cambodianricer · 07-04-2009, 04:24 AM

thanks but i dont think i need a spring compressor... the spring has LOTS of free play when there is no load on it... i think this is normal...

i hope i can find the rest of the balls... or is it possible for me to go down to autozone or something and buy replacement balls of the same size?

cambodianricer · 07-04-2009, 04:26 AM

and how many balls should there be??

Zeuceone · 07-04-2009, 04:27 AM

enough to fill all the holes.

cambodianricer · 07-04-2009, 04:29 AM

i know i know. im super pissed/ paranoid right now....

Siem Reap · 07-04-2009, 04:55 AM

If you're only missing like 1 or 2 I wouldn't worry. Couple of people I know lost a couple and they haven't had any issues.

cambodianricer · 07-04-2009, 04:56 AM

yea, ive been searching on the forum, people say there should be about 30 of them... so i have 12 or so.. i hope the rest is there

cambodianricer · 07-04-2009, 04:47 PM

alright, i took out the coils today and i saw that i was missing a bunch of metal balls. most of them have fell out and stuck to the rubber parts. anyways, i pull all of them back in and at the end, i was missing 3 balls. I compressed the top hat just to make sure it would stay and then i reinstalled everything. hopefully it'll be fine. now i know not to pull on the spring.... such a n00b move

07-04-2009, 04:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
cambodianricer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Riverside Posts: 16,756 JLee	Possible problem with top hat? So right, i was adjusting my height on my Pro-S, I noticed that the spring was stuck up on the shock. So I pulled the spring down and all of these metal balls come out!!! I have no idea wtf it is... So what should I do? Btw, this is on my front right side. Metal Balls: I think its #14 Bearing back please help meeeeee!
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07-04-2009, 04:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
Zeuceone Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Age: 14 Posts: 98,529	hahahah

07-04-2009, 04:05 AM	#3 (permalink)
cambodianricer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Riverside Posts: 16,756 JLee	thanks for the help

07-04-2009, 04:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
07mugencivic Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Redlands, Ca Posts: 221,950 ToE kNeE	you have too many balls

07-04-2009, 04:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
Zeuceone Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Age: 14 Posts: 98,529	why would you pull on it? the spring is held by the top hat. remove the strut and put all the bearings back in it.

07-04-2009, 04:09 AM	#8 (permalink)
Zeuceone Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Age: 14 Posts: 98,529	should still work if its only a couple.

07-04-2009, 04:17 AM	#10 (permalink)
Siem Reap Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Racine, WI Posts: 2,244 Robert	Pull the shock/strut tower out, compress the spring, remove the tophat and VERY CAREFULLY remove the cover for the ball bearings and place them back in. I can't stress enough the VERY CAREFULLY part. If you aren't, those little fawkers will go everywhere.

07-04-2009, 04:24 AM	#14 (permalink)
cambodianricer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Riverside Posts: 16,756 JLee	thanks but i dont think i need a spring compressor... the spring has LOTS of free play when there is no load on it... i think this is normal... i hope i can find the rest of the balls... or is it possible for me to go down to autozone or something and buy replacement balls of the same size?

07-04-2009, 04:26 AM	#15 (permalink)
cambodianricer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Riverside Posts: 16,756 JLee	and how many balls should there be??

07-04-2009, 04:27 AM	#16 (permalink)
Zeuceone Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Age: 14 Posts: 98,529	enough to fill all the holes.

07-04-2009, 04:29 AM	#17 (permalink)
cambodianricer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Riverside Posts: 16,756 JLee	i know i know. im super pissed/ paranoid right now....

07-04-2009, 04:55 AM	#18 (permalink)
Siem Reap Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Racine, WI Posts: 2,244 Robert	If you're only missing like 1 or 2 I wouldn't worry. Couple of people I know lost a couple and they haven't had any issues.

07-04-2009, 04:56 AM	#19 (permalink)
cambodianricer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Riverside Posts: 16,756 JLee	yea, ive been searching on the forum, people say there should be about 30 of them... so i have 12 or so.. i hope the rest is there

07-04-2009, 04:47 PM	#20 (permalink)
cambodianricer Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Riverside Posts: 16,756 JLee	alright, i took out the coils today and i saw that i was missing a bunch of metal balls. most of them have fell out and stuck to the rubber parts. anyways, i pull all of them back in and at the end, i was missing 3 balls. I compressed the top hat just to make sure it would stay and then i reinstalled everything. hopefully it'll be fine. now i know not to pull on the spring.... such a n00b move

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