Strut Bump Stop 96626336 for Chevrolet Captiva & Opel Antara | China Wholesale & Custom OEM

The front strut bump stop 96626336 is the cushion that sits at the top of the front damper on the Chevrolet Captiva and the Opel Antara, the mid-size SUV pair that GM built on one platform from 2006. Opel lists the same part under 4806310, and the number also carries 95281015 and 25947385 in GM catalogues. This guide covers what the part does, which models it fits, how it differs from the neighbouring 96626335 and what to check before you quote.

What the 96626336 Front Bump Stop Does

The Captiva and Antara run a MacPherson strut at the front, with a coil spring and a damper in one unit. The bump stop rides on the damper rod inside that assembly and stays idle through normal suspension travel. Its work starts at the end of the compression stroke.

A progressive cushion on the damper rod

Load the front of the car heavily, brake hard over a broken surface or drop a wheel into a deep pothole, and the coil spring approaches the limit of its travel. Without a buffer the coils would close on themselves and the strut would bottom out against metal. The 96626336 compresses progressively and turns that final impact into controlled deceleration instead of a jolt through the body shell.

Protecting the damper and the top mount

A damper driven repeatedly to full compression sees loads it was never calibrated for, and its seals and valving take the strain. The buffer is the sacrificial part in that path: cheaper to renew than a strut, and it adds a rising spring rate only at the end of the stroke, so ride comfort is unchanged. It also spares the upper strut mount and bearing, which sit directly above it and cost far more to replace.

Fitment: Which Vehicles Use 96626336

This is a front axle component, one per side, and it is not handed: the same number serves the left and the right strut. European catalogues place the part across the whole C100 and C140 production run, and North American listings extend the range as far as 2024 on the later Captiva Sport.

Catalogue coverage

Engines and market variants

Catalogues list the part across the diesel and petrol range rather than tying it to one engine: the 2.0 D and 2.0 CDTI fours, the later 2.2 D and 2.2 CDTi in both two-wheel and four-wheel drive, the 2.4 petrol and 2.4 LPG, and the 3.0 and 3.2 V6 petrol units. Output across these variants runs from about 126 hp to 258 hp. The front strut geometry did not change with engine choice, so one buffer covers the family.

96626336 versus 96626335: Two Numbers, One Corner

The protective bellow beside the buffer

The most frequent ordering error on this corner is mixing up 96626336 with 96626335. Both are front axle components on the same vehicles and the digits differ by one, but they are different parts. 96626336 is the polyurethane buffer that cushions the end of the compression stroke. 96626335 is the rubber protective bellow, the corrugated sleeve that covers the damper rod and keeps grit out. Fitting one in place of the other leaves the corner either unprotected or bottoming out.

How the kit form is put together

Because the two parts are serviced together, the trade also sells a kit under the S1 suffix. A 95281015 S1 or 96626336 S1 kit contains two buffers and two bellows, exactly what one front axle needs. That is worth knowing when a buyer quotes a kit number and expects a single buffer to arrive.

Numbers that are close but not equal

GM catalogues carry several references for this corner. Opel lists the buffer as 4806310, and 4806385 and 4820847 appear alongside it. Those three are commonly grouped with 96626336 in TecDoc data, but 4806385 is also used for the bellow position on some listings, so do not assume a straight swap. 25947385 is a separate GM reference that aftermarket suppliers attach to this buffer; treat it as a related number to verify, not a proven interchange.

Material and Specification Notes

Bonpora supplies this stop as 4110174 in polyurethane at the dimensions below. The figures are the fastest first filter when screening quotations: a buffer with the wrong bore will not grip the damper rod properly, and the wrong length starts cushioning too early or too late in the stroke.

Why polyurethane

Polyurethane foam holds its density and recovers its shape through thousands of full compression events, resists oil mist from the damper and tolerates road salt and temperature swings from -40°C to +90°C better than older rubber compounds. European catalogues list polyurethane as the material for this reference, and the OE part is a cellular elastomer rather than solid rubber.

What to measure on the removed part

Measure the bore, the outer diameter and the free length at several points. A service-worn buffer is usually shorter than nominal and may show compression set, so a reading noticeably under 116 mm does not automatically mean the wrong part. It does tell you whether the car is still on the original buffer or on a replacement of unknown density. Catalogues quote this reference at roughly 0.09 to 0.11 kg, so weight is a useful second check on a sample.

Signs the Front Buffer Needs Replacing

Knocking over speed humps and broken surfaces

A heavy thud from the front over sharp dips or when the car is loaded points to a buffer that has crumbled or collapsed. The sound is clearest at low speed, where the suspension has time to reach full travel. Chalky surfaces, fine cracks along the walls and visible shortening against nominal length all confirm a stop whose rate curve has drifted.

A split or missing dust cover

The bellow fails before the buffer in most cases. Once it tears, the damper rod collects grit and the rod seal wears the chrome. If the cover is split, plan to renew both cover and buffer while the strut is off the car.

Work done together with the struts

Shops normally renew the buffer whenever the front struts come off, and do both sides at once so compression behaviour stays balanced across the axle. Because the part sits on the damper rod, ordering the top mount, bearing and dust cover at the same time avoids reopening the job.

Sourcing 96626336 Wholesale from a Chinese Factory

The number suits volume trade. The Captiva and Antara parc is spread across Europe, Russia, the Middle East, Latin America and South-East Asia, it is a front-axle pair item, and every strut replacement creates a companion sale.

Match on the full reference set

Send 96626336 with the Opel number 4806310 and the alternates 95281015 and 25947385. A supplier who comes back asking for the bore, the outer diameter and the free length as a cross-check is matching hardware.

Confirm compound and density

Ask what the buffer is moulded from and request material data with the quotation. Density sets the rate curve: a stop that is too soft engages early and firms up the front over ordinary inputs, while one that is too dense stops cushioning anything. This question separates a moulding manufacturer from a trader reselling mixed stock. Order a small trial batch and inspect it for compression set before scaling up.

Custom OEM and packaging programmes

A bump stop is well suited to a private-label programme: the geometry is fixed by the OE number, tooling is modest, and the same mould profile serves both the Captiva and the Antara. Buyers commonly ask for branded cartons with their own part number and barcode, or a front-corner kit bundling two buffers with two dust covers. Agree export packaging, labelling and traceability documents at the quotation stage.

FAQ

Is 96626336 the same as 96626335?

No. 96626336 is the polyurethane bump stop that cushions the end of the compression stroke. 96626335 is the rubber dust cover bellow that protects the damper rod. They sit at the same corner and are usually replaced together, but they are separate parts and are not interchangeable.

Which vehicles does 96626336 fit?

It is the front axle buffer for the Chevrolet Captiva (C100 and C140, including the Captiva Sport and the van variant) and the Opel or Vauxhall Antara A (L07). Some catalogues also list it against the GMC Terrain, Daewoo Winstorm and Holden Captiva, which are the same vehicle under other badges.

How many does one car need?

Two, one per front corner. The part is not handed, so the same number serves the left and the right strut, and it is normally replaced in pairs together with the dust covers and the struts.

Can you supply it under our own brand?

Yes. OEM and custom design support covers private-label packaging, your own part number and barcode, and compound options within the same mould profile. Send the OE reference, the model and year, and your target quantity and we will confirm specification, lead time and pricing.

Order Enquiries

Send the OE number 96626336, the platform code and the markets you serve, and we will confirm availability, lead time and pricing. Browse the full auto parts catalogue for the wider range, compare the section on Chevrolet and Opel suspension parts for related bump stops and mounts, and start from the China auto parts factory overview for sampling, OEM and wholesale terms. Quote the number, not the description.