Hey guys gonna give a bit of context first. Earlier today I had a friend who works at a local Ford install for me the Ford Performance Track Handling Pack, excluding the sway bars. I bought them used off another friend who tracks his 2015 GT, but has since upgraded to coil overs. I have a 2019 Mustang GT PP1 non-magneride for reference. I'm not the most mechanically inclined so don't quote me. He mentioned the center bolt in the front strut hat is shot. something about the bearing inside is shot. car drives fine and straight. When I got on the highway I weaved around a bit and all felt fine. I do definitely hear a clunky sound when i go over bumps down local streets. From what another friend told me, i believe basically the strut is moving too much in the vertical axis, causing the sound. Obviously needs to be fixed. What im wondering is, can i just swap hats with my OEM PP1 strut hats? I asked Gemini and it mentioned the durometer between the track handling pack and oem PP1 might not be the same? I'd assume if the hats are identical you'd just compress the spring and do a hat swap, problem solved?? Lastly the only part I'm failing to understand is the friend i bought them from said it had camber plates. They looked like a horseshoe. There were slots that the studs would slide through. They don't look like the rotary shaped camber plates that I see when I google the term. When installed on my car though, the only thing you see from the under the hood are the 3 studs with nuts coming through which Gemini said means there's no camber plates? I'm unsure what needs to be replaced or fixed to fix the issue. Any and all thought and input is greatly appreciated. P.S. don't buy used stuff.

I know you said not to quote you, but "the center bolt is shot?" In what way? Is it stripped? Is it tight and torqued properly? If it is just the bushing . . . I mean, you are going to need to do some diagnosis.

P.S. check your sway bar end links, too, just in case.

Watch some front strut removal and replacement videos to kind of figure out how it is done and what the parts are and the proper procedure, so you can know if it was performed correctly.

like this (but watch several to get a better idea):

Junkyard Dog said:

I know you said not to quote you, but "the center bolt is shot?" In what way? Is it stripped? Is it tight and torqued properly? If it is just the bushing . . . I mean, you are going to need to do some diagnosis.

P.S. check your sway bar end links, too, just in case.

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OP described a bad bearing in the strut mount. This is fairly common. The mount should be replaced.

Junkyard Dog said:

I know you said not to quote you, but "the center bolt is shot?" In what way? Is it stripped? Is it tight and torqued properly? If it is just the bushing . . . I mean, you are going to need to do some diagnosis.

P.S. check your sway bar end links, too, just in case.

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Mechanic is saying bushing it shot

would you be changing out the strut mount yourself? Since the car already has the F.P. springs on it, it would not be that difficult to do it with a buddy to help. Also since you only want to do it once buy a new set of camber plates. Steeda has a good priced set.

1 old racer said:

would you be changing out the strut mount yourself? Since the car already has the F.P. springs on it, it would not be that difficult to do it with a buddy to help. Also since you only want to do it once buy a new set of camber plates. Steeda has a good priced set.

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No I’m gonna bring it back to my buddy who works at Ford. Just brought it to my friends house who sold them to me. Threw it on his lift. He spoke to the Ford friend who installed them and agreed that the top strut mounts are probably worn out. It’s the same part # as the OEM PP1 top strut mounts so the plan it to just swap them around and all should be fine. He took it for a spin with me and somewhat heard the noises I was saying I heard, but said it’s nothing to freak out over but to still change them out. The bigger problem was my Ford friend torqued the damn lugs on so tight we thought we’d break a stud lol. Gonna swap mounts than get alignment done.

Zellion_GT said:

my Ford friend torqued the damn lugs on so tight we thought we’d break a stud lol.

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Concerning

Junkyard Dog said:

Concerning

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agree

1 old racer said:

agree

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Well now u got me worried and stressing. My next autocross in the 28th so if I need to replace the studs let me know. Gemini says that if you hand hand thread a new lug nut onto each stud and the studs don’t look like they’re getting thinner at any point they’re fine. But rather hear it from you guys than AI

What did they torque them to? And what did they re-torque them to when they reinstalled the wheel? I would replace them since you know they were compromised. And may I suggest ARP studs, I have been using them for as long as I can remember(+=45 years)

1 old racer said:

What did they torque them to? And what did they re-torque them to when they reinstalled the wheel? I would replace them since you know they were compromised. And may I suggest ARP studs, I have been using them for as long as I can remember(+=45 years)

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I thinkkkkkk it was like 150-200 region. The one who helped take off my wheel was using the heavy duty cordless Milwaukee impact gun on setting 3 and all but the security lug was finally able to come off. The security lug, we needed a 3ft ratchet to finally get it off. He retorqued them to 100 I believe as he said that’s was manufacture spec is

150 good, 200 bad. Personally I woild change them out. The fronts are easy. The rears and more involved. Lots of how too on youtube on how to do it.

Your friend just wanted to show you how strong his muscles are. Impressed?

Junkyard Dog said:

Your friend just wanted to show you how strong his muscles are. Impressed?

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He says they were probably around 150 maybe a bit more. I just got an autocross on the 28th. I don’t wanna risk something happening. Tomorrow I take it back to ford to swap the top strut mounts. I’m gonna tell him to take off all the tires and inspect the studs. And to put them back on at 100, no more. If they look like they stretched or deformed in any way I’ll buy new ones. Lmk if I should be doing anything different

Why 100? Nothing wrong with 130 to 150 for the size studs we have. The spec torque for our wheels is 150 lbs

Sounds like your "friend" at the dealership may be costing you more than he's saving you and likely put the lugnuts back on with an impact.

Proper torque for an M14x1.5 lug nut is in the 125-150 range. I've been taking mine on and off for seasons by hand at 150 ft/lbs without any issues whatsoever.

Zellion_GT said:

He says they were probably around 150 maybe a bit more. I just got an autocross on the 28th. I don’t wanna risk something happening. Tomorrow I take it back to ford to swap the top strut mounts. I’m gonna tell him to take off all the tires and inspect the studs. And to put them back on at 100, no more. If they look like they stretched or deformed in any way I’ll buy new ones. Lmk if I should be doing anything different

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Spec on S197 is 100. S550 is 150.

1 old racer said:

Why 100? Nothing wrong with 130 to 150 for the size studs we have. The spec torque for our wheels is 150 lbs

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Ok I thought wrong. Good to know