Thanks for each of you who replied to my earlier questions about why I am getting these "chucking" sounds from the struts after inserting new KYB GR-2's.

Your sugestions included tightening the top nuts on each strut tube, checking to see if spacers were needed at the bottoms of each tube and verifying that I received the correct inserts for my car.

Having done all those, I find that the noises still persist, just as before.

Spacers only lifter the inserts so much I could not even catch threads on the top nuts. I repleced one of the original Volvo top nuts with the KYB nut supplied. It made some improvement. Not much. Two or three threads show.

I am beginning to doubt it is even the inserts rattling inside the tubes at all. When I was installing the top nuts by hand, I could feel them securing the inserts from vertical and lateral movement. So, after tightening them all the way down with a pipe wrench, I feel pretty certain the inserts might not be moving at all.

What else can I check?

I installed new upper strut bushings, swaybar links, a turbo swaybar with the proper mounts and bushings for that, and rebuilt calipers, hard brake lines and flex hoses.

I am stumped.

Is there anything peculiar about the GR-2's that could produce the "chucking" noises? Like, are the pistons alightle shorter than those on stock inserts so that they bang at full extension?

Is there a torque spec for the swaybar link connection to the control arm which must be "just so" or the control arms will rattle against the thru-bolts?

Is there something on the top end involving the upper strut bearings where this noise can be located?

(the springs are properly seated withing their seats and top plates)

Is there lateral movement of the inserts wher they could bang against the sides of the tubes?