The GT style plates WON'T halt failure of the strut mount as imaged here. The various made in China Volvo 240 strut mounts fail like this. Sometimes the cheapie made in Chinese junk strut mounts (Meyle/URO/APA/Febi) also fail by the bushing material separating from the center bearing cup. Sometimes the bushing material separates from the exterior plate with the three studs on to secure to the inner fender.
The Volvo OEM strut mount, ON 1272455 WAS built by Boge in Germany. The center bearing 'cup' assembly, made by SKG and now FAG of Spain, has an open to the top ball bearing race you stuff some grease occasionally. Best to use NLGI-1 or 2 silicon grease like SuperLube as it won't eat / melt the carbon vulcanized rubber versus hydrocarbon grease.
This is an issue about as critical as a ball joint failure. With or without Chris' GT plates, the strut piston will eventually pass through the strut mount bushing materials, and serious dent the underside of the hood.
This is a HUGE safety issue.
The only other brand of strut mount that may be useful is SKF. Doubtful they make these in Germany anymore.
It may be useful to see if anyone can source the Made in Germany Boge strut mounts.
I bought several sets from Tasca Volvo up to 2013 for my three 240s. I replaced all three sets of two. They are all going strong and are solid, not domes, no cracks, no distortion.
Tasca Volvo sells the strut mounts for 74$ Yellow bag inside the Volvo blue box as I last bought a set in 2013.
http://www.tascaparts.com/oe-volvo/1272455
Yes these are Volvo OEM.
<img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/rparts-sites/b0a0b93e061c59a634fb0e1a49af89e6/images/products/1272455.jpg">
<img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/rparts-illustrations/strapr1/374c23ab71ebec7976dbcb3552d76ba9/6f2a3712485b602025fc4d8144503657.png">
Tasca also sells the GT plates for 31$
http://www.tascaparts.com/oe-volvo/1247816
PLATE - Volvo (1247816)
<img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/rparts-sites/b0a0b93e061c59a634fb0e1a49af89e6/images/products/1247816.jpg">
<img src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/rparts-illustrations/strapr1/a5e4c82e0eab2e0e5575bbdea0204d2d/e539aac4fc90ab2d472ed3af09c482c8.png">
What FCP Euro offer here may be Volvo OEM as they write here.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo-suspension-strut-mount-240-1272455
<img src="https://dyw03owr7vs3n.cloudfront.net/public/assets/products/202316/large/open-uri20150430-30080-b5aihq.?1430428649">
<img src="https://dyw03owr7vs3n.cloudfront.net/public/assets/products/202318/large/open-uri20150430-30080-kas1uy.?1430428654">
<img src="https://dyw03owr7vs3n.cloudfront.net/public/assets/products/202319/large/open-uri20150430-30080-1hx2wdz.?1430428656">
The bearing assembly look right.
A cheap strut mount uses a sealed bearing assembly as Meyle does.
What iPd has here also looks OEM, yet the shiny appearance is new.
iPd sells only the Volvo OEM strut mount. Yet, in the images above, what does that matter, if they fail like this, like Meyle or URO made in Chinese junk.
https://www.ipdusa.com/products/9743/120987-upper-strut-mount-240-260
<img src="https://www.ipdusa.com/uploads/images_products_slideshow/fullsize_12892.jpg">
<img src="https://www.ipdusa.com/uploads/images_products_slideshow/fullsize_12895.jpg">
<img src="https://www.ipdusa.com/uploads/images_products_slideshow/fullsize_12894.jpg">
iPd also sells the GT strut reinforcing plates. (Volvo PN 1247816.) Yet these plates WON'T halt a failure as shown in the images earlier in this post!
<img src="https://www.ipdusa.com/uploads/images_products_slideshow/fullsize_8816.jpg">
FCP Euro also sells KYB brand, made in Taiwan. These use sealed bearings. The sealed bearings cannot take the lateral stress too well, what is the up and down motion as the front strut moves. The bearings usually fail first, then the bushing material. Same as Meyle and URO and Febi in appearance and certainly design.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/volvo-suspension-strut-mount-242-244-245-262-264-265-240-sm5050
<img src="https://dyw03owr7vs3n.cloudfront.net/public/assets/products/174716/large/open-uri20141104-28147-1ljiwsb.?1415108948">
<img src="https://dyw03owr7vs3n.cloudfront.net/public/assets/products/174717/large/open-uri20141104-28147-trkxk7.?1415108951">
<img src="https://dyw03owr7vs3n.cloudfront.net/public/assets/products/174718/large/open-uri20141104-28147-1q9hl5f.?1415108955">
This is Meyle, sold by FCP Groton. See the sealed bearing crimped in at four points. Garbage.
<img src="https://dyw03owr7vs3n.cloudfront.net/public/assets/products/51259/large/1272455my.jpg">
<img src="https://dyw03owr7vs3n.cloudfront.net/public/assets/products/204827/large/open-uri20150513-28584-1xyqm5g.?1431551746">
Unless we have a quality solution, from Volvo OEM for PN 1272455, the best solution may be:
Kaplhenke 240 Offset Spherical Strut Mounts @ 185$ a piece.
http://www.kaplhenke.com/collections/240/products/240-spherical-offset-strut-mounts
<img src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0260/2623/products/SideTopprofile_1024x1024.jpg?v=1448034268">
<img src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0260/2623/products/sidebottomprofile_1024x1024.jpg?v=1448034268">
<img src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0260/2623/products/ToptextInstalled_1024x1024.jpg?v=1448034268">
<img src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0260/2623/products/bearingdetail_1024x1024.jpg?v=1448034268">
<img src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0260/2623/products/profileheight_1024x1024.jpg?v=1448034268">
<img src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0260/2623/products/luxeinstalled_1024x1024.jpg?v=1448034268">
<img src="http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0260/2623/products/3rdsetmin_1024x1024.jpg?v=1448042245">
I'd rather continue with the Made in Germany Boge Volvo OEM strut mounts. But the North American auto parts wholesalers and distributuion networks make it very hard to buy Made in Europa any more.
Whaddya think?
Thanks,
MacDuffed.