Front end rattle, Is something worn out? Options

[malcolm2]

If needed I'll shoot a little video. But here is what I found. The upper section is holding firm. I can grab the lower section just below the upper and move it, significantly. It looks to be moving inside the upper section. The top nut is tight (viewed in the front trunk), I don't see any movement there.

This is a shot of the passenger side. it is moving the most. The drivers side only moves slightly. Not enough to notice the rotor etc... moving like on this side. Of course it is the bumpy roads, turning in driveways, etc... that make the noises as I am driving.

Say the word and I'll shoot a video. You can hear the clanking.

[SirAndy]

The top part is just a dust cover and not really part of the shock.
Well, the top of the dust cover acts as a large washer against the rubber top mounts, so don't remove it permanently.

Anyways, if you unbolt the top of the shock and slide it down, there should be a threaded insert where the shaft comes out of the shock, which may have come lose and needs to be tightened again.
The shock could also be broken, in which case the shaft will have a lot of side to side movement even with the insert tightened down.

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