New coil spring seat design?

[Ameri]

So I purchased new OEM front strut mounts for my 04 LeSabre , and when I opened the box, I found a spring seat that seem to have the bearing embedded in it. It looks different from what I expect to be installed in my car. I found a video that shows what I am talking about.

https://flic.kr/p/fA9DeS

My question is: is it interchangeable with what I have? And how do I align it with the mount-since it has an angle?

 

[Merkava_4]

I got MOOG strut mounts with the upper spring seats also being MOOG. The mounts and the seats were separate. I went with KYB for the lower spring seats. There's a tab on the back of the upper spring seat. That tab aligns with the back of the strut to get the correct angle. When you look at your struts when they're installed, you're looking out the front of the strut.

 

[MelsRegal]

you state they are OEM but the GM site shows them as two separate parts. What part number did you order?
Front Suspension for 2004 Buick LeSabre | GMPartsDirect.com

 

[Ameri]

you state they are OEM but the GM site shows them as two separate parts. What part number did you order?
Front Suspension for 2004 Buick LeSabre | GMPartsDirect.com

I ordered 19208376 which is there strut mount. It came with the seat and in the middle of the seat, there’s he bearing...see images.
Now my understanding that what I currently have installed in the car is the bearing just below the mount then comes the seat. This one has the bearing in the middle. The functionality to me seems different. Because with bearing immediately below the seat, the seat will change angle with rotation because it has curve, with this one however, there’s no angle change, like the video in the first post.

 

[Ameri]

I got MOOG strut mounts with the upper spring seats also being MOOG. The mounts and the seats were separate. I went with KYB for the lower spring seats. There's a tab on the back of the upper spring seat. That tab aligns with the back of the strut to get the correct angle. When you look at your struts when they're installed, you're looking out the front of the strut.

Apparently the OEMs lack this alignment tab. But I heard of KYB and Monroe have this alignment tab.

 

[2007LucerneCXL]

That part# covers a lot of GM vehicles, so I guess the question might also be are the struts GM or a aftermarket replacement which might explain the difference.

 

[Ameri]

That part# covers a lot of GM vehicles, so I guess the question might also be are the struts GM or a aftermarket replacement which might explain the difference.

The struts I have is gm OEM like the ones installed in the car.

 

[MelsRegal]

you could also look for a TSB concerning a part change

 

[Ameri]

Here's the video again that shows what I ma talking about

New Design

The original one (on the left), has a rotating axis unlike the new one (on the right) that has a slightly slanted but fixed axis.

 

[MelsRegal]

it is an update part from the original, see link below concerning Pontiac
GM Redesign of Strut Mount Bearing : 2000-2005 (other than GXP)

 

[Ameri]

it is an update part from the original, see link below concerning Pontiac
GM Redesign of Strut Mount Bearing : 2000-2005 (other than GXP)

That’s what it seems! I am still curious about the mechanism difference. Thanks for finding this!

 

[Merkava_4]

Ameri, where'd you purchase those strut mounts anyway? Dealer?

From what I can tell, most supply chains are still stocking the spring seat, rubber insulator, and strut mount separately.

 

[Ameri]

Ameri, where'd you purchase those strut mounts anyway? Dealer?

From what I can tell, most supply chains are still stocking the spring seat, rubber insulator, and strut mount separately.

I did indeed get it from the dealer. According to their parts department, the part # that ends with 376 is the new part # which includes strut mount, seat and bearing embedded in it. Oddly, the dealer still has lower insulators, bearings, and old style seats separately.
I was also told that upper insulators has been discontinued recently, but I found it on eBay.