I have been thinking about how to write this post for about a day. I decided to save the rant about parts manufacturers quality, impact of globalization, aging vehicles, and the onset of the dreaded NLA designation for dealer aquired parts for a later post.

I am in the middle of replacing struts, ball joints, and bearings on my '87 245. The strut mounts appear to be the original parts (based on the amount of undercoating on them) which puts around 260k mi on them. The markings indicate they are the original Boge manufactered for Volvo. Rubber is in good shape considering the age. Bearings turn OK but not as smooth as you would probably want. I've done many strut jobs in my life but I'm not getting any younger and really don't want to do this job again anytime soon.

So the question. Since the SKF strut mount appears to be the "best quality" part currently available, what is your experience with it? I have read lots of posts. Some hate it and some have no problems with it. I read a number of posts from a few years ago that stated the mount seemed to be fine (no bulging or cracking). Others said the mount failed within months. What I am looking for are any long-term (or at least recent) updates to help me decide whether to reinstall parts that have probably well exceeded their design life or to take a chance on new parts that seem to have a questionable track record for quality. Thanks.

Charles
Houston, TX