Struts making wierd noise?!

[josephg]

I have a 1997 Toyota Avalon and have just recently replaced the struts with some Monroe Gas-Matic Strut from Advanced auto parts. After about the first 100 miles on the new struts they started making some noise... as if they were loose.. So I tore off the wheels and checked and rechecked everything. The noise still persists and is getting worse. I only replaced the struts and boots. The sound the car is making... A knocking/cracking noise over bumps. Any suggestions at all would be great! Thanks.

[artbuc]

Originally Posted by josephg

I have a 1997 Toyota Avalon and have just recently replaced the struts both front and rear. After about the first 100 miles on the new struts they started making some noise... as if they were loose.. So I tore off the wheels and checked and rechecked everything. The noise still persists and is getting worse. Any suggestions at all would be great! Thanks.

A little more info might help. Did you replace struts, mounts, and rubber parts, especially the rubber coil spring insulator? What brand(s) did you use? Is the noise coming from all four? Can you describe the noise, eg creak vs clank?

[josephg]

I changed some things.. anythings else? Thanks!!

[golfinator]

There was a TSB for '97-'99 Avys on noise from the front suspension. The rubber bushing shape of the suspension support was changed. My 97 was mading a groan/clunk when it went over big bumps. The new support at 32k mi. solved the problem. New Toyota part # 48603-33010 for RH side, #48609-33110 for LH side, unless they've changed again since 1/21/00. Toyota also recommended adjusting Toe-in and Camber after changing support.

[josephg]

Excellent! Thanks alot. Do you think this would do the job?? http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web..._1529993163___

[artbuc]

Originally Posted by josephg

I changed some things.. anythings else? Thanks!!

I am guessing you most likely have a bad strut mount(s). Open your hood and position yourself next to the strut mount while you rock her up and down. I bet you will see and hear the problem. The new struts are probably much stronger than the old ones which puts even greater load on the already weak (and probably at the brink of failure if, in fact, they had not already failed) mounts. It could be what golfinator says, but since the noise started right after you did the work, I would look at the strut mounts first.

Did you do the work? Did you use the Monroe complete strut assemblies or did you mount Monroe struts (see link below) in your old coil springs? Did you make sure you had the strut piston properly located/keyed into the strut mount?

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...i_sku=15930212

I assume you reused the rubber coil spring insulators? This would be a mistake in that they are surely shot. The coil spring rubbing against the spring mounting platform on the strut would cause more of a creaking noise which doesn't seen to be what you are describing.

[josephg]

When i rocked the front end of the car.. you can hear a "skwooshing" noise!! So it has got to be the bad mounts. And yes a did replace the mount seal under the spring. And i just mounted the strunt inside the old spring... Is that bad?

AND i didnt locate/key the piston. Didnt even try moving it?!!
Thanks for your help

[artbuc]

Originally Posted by josephg

When i rocked the front end of the car.. you can hear a "skwooshing" noise!! So it has got to be the bad mounts. And yes a did replace the mount seal under the spring. And i just mounted the strunt inside the old spring... Is that bad?

AND i didnt locate/key the piston. Didnt even try moving it?!!
Thanks for your help

A "skwooshing" noise could be the normal sound of the strut piston movement. Can you see any cracks in the rubber bushing of the strut mount? Can you see unusual movement of the top of the strut piston where it is connected to the strut mount?

I don't know what you mean by mount seal.

How did you compress the springs? Did you torque the new nut which goes onto the threaded end of the strut piston? If you didn't rotate the strut mount until it "keyed" onto the strut piston, you would not have been able to properly torque/secure the strut piston to the strut mount. That is a big problem. You may have alot of rework to do.