So i got my car back about a year ago from the shop i brought it too to replace most of my suspension with performance aftermarket parts. It was a horrible experience and have since done all own work as i should have from the beginning. They left me with nothing but problems ranging from a upside down rear sway bar to broken window switches.

Since i got it back i have been hearing horrible road noise and at first just thought it was the car until i drove my GF' dads 69 Corvette. It was much older then my car yet didnt sound like i was gonna die at any minute. Until just last month i was away at college since getting her back and i have not had time to narrow down the problem. Today i finally did and figured out it is the struts.

Here is a video of the strut mount as i shake the car. The middle piece on the strut mount literaly bounces up and down as i shake the car and you can also hear the popping noise it makes ( the same noise i hear every time i go over the slightest bump in the road ).

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeenvNY4fxs

I feel like it might be missing a part of some sort but seeing neither I nor my Gf's dad (he helps me with everything on my car) have any experience with aftermarket strut mounts we are stumped. Can anyone help me figure out exactly what the problem is. When i visit the mechanic i want to be able to tell him exactly what the problem is and how he can make it better so i am not forced to sue his ***. Thanks for your help!

 

Sorry I couldn't make much of the video. Are you sure the bolts are torqued to spec?

JamesC

 

Couldn't make much out either, but you may want to hit the strut bolts with an air wrench and make sure they're tight to the strut bearing. Doesn't look like much of the threaded rod is protruding from the nut but I don't know how thick those after market bearings are.

 

Everything is tight which is what leads me to believe that there so type of bearing or something missing inside the strut mount. On the video i added a little box around the nut im talking about. In real life you can see it bounce up and down, separate of the main tower, about an 1/8th of an inch. This is also accompanied by a popping noise which can be heard through out the video.

I hope this makes it a little more clear. If anyone can find me an exploded view of an aftermarket strut tower and its components (preferably one resembling mine) that would be very helpful. I haven't had any luck finding one yet.

 

I don't think anything is missing. I suspect the strut rod nut is just not tightened down enough. You've got almost no threads showing above the bearing. An air wrench is usually needed to zip them down because the rod wants to spin.

If they won't tighten further, check the threads on the rod. They may be damaged from it being too loose and rubbing against the bearing.

 

Alright ill give it another go. Thanks for the help.

 

I agree with it looking like the nut isn't tightened down. The top of the strut rod should have an inside hex for a allen type key. Use that to prevent the rod from turning. Off the top of my head (meaning, don't take this as guaranteed) the Bilstein struts use a 7mm allen key for this.

If you happen to have Bilstein struts an issue I ran into is that the upper rod diameter is too small. This allows free play between it and the strut mount bearing. A small steel bushing takes care of it.

Looks like the strut mounts are Spohn. You may want to double check the alignment. On my '92 the drivers side mount would hit the master cylinder before the proper camber was dialed in (-1/4*). I needed to section the mount on the master cylinder side for clearance.

Don't you just 'love aftermarket parts...

RBob.

 

The alignment is definitely off now that i look at it. The passenger side is way worse then the driver side but they are both bad. (The struts are KYB gr2s
). Seeing i don't have the right tools to do an alignment i will wait to do anything with my struts till i can bring it to the mechanic and rip him a new one. But thanks again for the help.

 

To be honest with you. It would be better to find a different mechanic. Getting on his case ("ripping him a new one") most likely isn't going to endear him to do better work on your car. It usually has the opposite affect, to which you don't want him near your car.

At the same time he may be OK with emissions and mechanical inspection. So you can continue to use him for that. But I wouldn't get on his case. It is sometimes better to just move on.

I have done this on several occasions.

RBob.

 

Yeah. I, for obvious reasons, don't go to him any more for anything nor any other mechanic (i just bought my own tools and do my own work which is what i should of done in the first place). I paid for him to install my struts though and want him to install them correctly and fix the shoddy work he did.