I'm installing a pair of 6112s (woohoo!) and in the instructions to assemble the shock and coil, above the shock, just below the top hat, there is a bushing and washer that are illustrated (parts in Pic 1).

When I took the old assembly apart, it did not have that washer (it says OEM washer on the bisltein guide, so I went and got one).

However, the bushing has a nub that goes around the top part that hugs the shaft (easy to see here: Amazon.com: Nolathane REV126.0006 Black Shock Absorber Bushing (Upper Front): Automotive )

Which prevents the washer from sitting snug against the bushing, leaving lots of "wiggle room" under the top hat. See pictures below for the nub and space it creates.

Do I even need the washer? Should I cut off the nub? Leave as is? Seems odd

Parts in question:


The "nub" in question

To help clarify:

This is the washer in question on the instructions that came with my shock:

The other thing that confuses me is the top of the tophat has the bushing above it (so tophat to bushing), but below is tophat to washer, THEN the bushing (so tophat to metal).

I would assemble it without the lower oem washer. I've never assembled a strut with a washer between the bushing and mount unless it was a centering type washer which that doesn't appear to be.