Front strut bearing?

[GnatGoSplat]

I currently have my 96 Monte Z34 front knuckles dismantled. I'm going to put suspension techniques springs in them. I noticed the bearing plates on both of them are very difficult to turn by hand. They seem very stiff. If I push up on them, they turn more easily, but they still don't turn freely.

 

What do new strut bearings feel like? Are they supposed to turn freely?

These have a fair amount of rust/corrosion on them despite only having 24k miles... came from Michigan which is why. I just wonder if the bearings are shot.

[93GTP]

Yes, new bearings should turn freely. But if they move at all, I would consider them fine, for now.

 

To tell you the truth, this design sucks. I haven't seen very many older W-body's that actually have bearings that aren't seized. When I got my car, they were seized, and the worst part was, when they seized, the wheel was left in a turned position. So the steering wheel naturally wanted to go to the side, which was lame.

 

So I did replace them.

 

And as for another example, my mother's 1994 Grand Prix SE 4 door has seized upper bearings right now. God only knows how long they've been like it, ever since she got the car anyway, which was like 4 years ago. It's pretty shitty when they seize, it causes the spring to undergo torsion forces, which it obviously isn't meant to. And the resistance in the springs also doesn't help the p/s pump. When I replaced my bearings my pump actually wasn't near as loud anymore.