Gang,

I've had an evil f23king clunk in my left front end for a couple months now.

Here's what's new (5 months ago)... struts, ball joints, tie rods, radius rod bushings, coil springs, and NOW, strut mount bearings.

I've read from a couple that bad strut mount bearings can cause a similar clunk.

Well, I just got done doing it and I still have the clunk.

In the process of replacing the strut mount bearings, I had to compress the spring, and I removed everything down to inspect it... leaving the strut insert still tightened inside the tube.

Now here's the deal... these are 5 month old Sachs strut inserts... when I got them, I remember being able to compress them (with difficulty), then they sprung back to their longest length... well now I can press the damn strut all the way compressed and it STAYS COMPRESSED!!! IS this supposed to happen? SHould I be pissed off?

I still have the clunk by the way...

your thoughts?

Mike

Did you replace the inner tie rod ends? I had a clunking in the front with new bushings,strut bearings,struts,(same sachs advantage)and ball joints. Found the inner tie rods were loose.Replaced them and it disappeared. B.G.

If the Sachs strut inserts are gas charged, they should not stay compressed.

I had a front end clunk in my car last year. I had replaced the strut cartridges, and the Boge Turbo Gas strut cartridges are slightly smaller diameter than the inside of the strut itself. When I installed the cartridge it was not centered in the (bottom) socket of the strut cartridge. This allowed the cartridge to move around (can you say "clunk"?) in the housing. I removed the strut from the car, loosened the nut, centered the cartridge in the strut, tightened the nut, and put everything back together. No more clunk.

I have a set of Bilsteins to install on my car. They are a porecise fit inside the strut housing and cannot give the trouble I had with the Bilsteins.
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john

I had everything off the strut assembly except the strut insert which I left in... the top locknut was still tightly fixed. I was not able to rock the strut insert back and forth at all, or up and down for that matter.

But, to clarify... these are Sachs advantage strut inserts I got from fcpgroton...

they are NOT supposed to stay compressed?? Just clarification because I got a reply saying that they should stay compressed.

Mike

If they are not gas charged, they will stay compressed.

Did you loosen the cartridge retaining, then rock the cartridge to seat it, and then re-tighten the nut?

Bad cartridges will knock. I just replaced a couple that knocked in our 1984 242. The knock is gone.
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john

I too had the infamous clunk - even after new bushings and ball joints were put in. Got some KYB's from FCP Groton - had them put in at the shop - no more clunk. Apparently the older struts were not set properly in place and I think not tightened properly.

Good luck
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'94 940T (160K) , '92 745T (200K+)

It should stay compressed when used.

Bummer. I hate to say this, but are the strut mounts (the rubber mounts on top) in good shape?

Do you mean the rubber mounts (1)that go directly over the strut mount bearings and under the top strut plate? IF I remember correctly, this rubber thing was attached directly to the top strut plate...

THere is another removeable rubber mount (2)that goes on the very top of the strut plate and the nut goes on top of that...

Did I describe these correctly?

Hmmm... if we're talking of the rubber mount attached to teh strut plate, then I think that thing is in pretty good shape... I actually remember trying to take it off and it didn't budge.

I also checked the strut insert inside the strut assembly by trying to rock it back and forth and up and down and it was firmly affixed inside.

any thoughts?

Mike

You've got it right: you're probably OK in both areas.

Try this: get a small microphone, glue it on various points in the front suspension, and try to replicate the knocking noise through an amplifier. Once you find the point of maximum amplitude, then you've pinpointed the noise.