[DIY Picanto]

Two plastic discs with grooves that cup together with grease applied to them.
Is the bearing usually tight?

I've assembled a new shock and spring but with the coil contractors removed, the rubber bush is very tight to spin.

 

[Turnup]

Don't have that vehicle and struggling to visualise. Piccies?

 

[DIY Picanto]

This is the bearing. I opened it and added some fresh grease but still tight when the strut was assembled.

 

[Turnup]

Where does it fit and what does it do?

 

[DIY Picanto]

Its located at the top of the front strut. Its upside down in the photo. The inner collar sits in the top spring seat then the rubber bush sits on top of the bearing which allows rotation of the strut.

 

[DIY Picanto]

The bearing inner. I cleaned the grease out to give a better view.

 

[Turnup]

So the rotation will only be from compression of the spring? I would expect that to be quite tight because the bearing is under a high load and any lateral play would lead to knocking.

 

[DIY Picanto]

The rotation is that of the strut to allow steering, left to right. The bearing is sandwiched between the upper spring seat and the rubber mount that butts up against the underside of the panel in the engine compartment, whether it be the inner wing or bulkhead.

The bearing is sandwiched between the upper spring seat and the rubber mount, allows the spring seat and rubber mount to rotate about each other. The sprung weight of the car rides on the these bearings.

 

[Jack Daniels]

These are usually very tight with a lot of resistance, even when they are metal. I have never seen a plastic one before, only metal. Is this an original kia part?
when they are situated beneath the spring instead of on top they tend to rust away away pretty quick, so plastic would be ok in that application.
I guess you will be using the best long life grease you've got to avoid having to take them out again.
when you park the car on ice, or rotation plates and hold the spring in your hands while your assistant turns the steering wheel lock to lock, you should not feel any friction or snagging thru the spring. Just smooth rotation.

why have you removed them by the way? were they worn out? in that case at what milage? Standard steel bearings on a light car tend to outlast the car, when on top of the strut

 

[DIY Picanto]

o/s spring was broken and when I dismantled the strut, the shock was sagging too so I decided to replace spring and shock on both sides.

I didn't notice the tightness until I'd assembled the new strut. I decided to take it apart again thinking something was wrong and the bearing came apart as I did so. Couldn't see any fault but cleaned the grease out and reassembled the bearing, packing it with red rubber grease since the disc inside is a rubber compound. With the strut reassembled, the turning was easier.

When I then took the n/s strut off the car, it was well tight to turn. Gave its bearing the same TLC and much improved with the new n/s strut assembled. Seems a weird design far a car's struts to rotate on plastic/rubber discs.

I did the struts on a VW TDI a while back and those bearings rotate far easier with the strut assembled.