What tool do you use to tighten front strut insert nut? Oops move me to Garage., I have heard that when they back off a bit it can cause a bang Options

[wndsnd]

I am trying to hunt down a front end noise, a metallic sounding bang over bumps front right.

My suspicions are
A). Sway bar drop links
B) sway bar hitting tank
C) strut nut.

Normal tests seem fine, checking ball joint and tie rod ends.

John

[mskala]

I have some kind of old plumbing wrench that's notched for the
strut nut. You can borrow it if you want. I have a suspicion that
it will only fit the nuts on Boge.

[tommy914]

The tool I use.

[messix]

cheap ass harbor freight pipe wrench

[r_towle]

Pipe wrench or the proper strut wrench.

Motorcycle shops sell the correct wrench...
It's a handle with a c shaped end that has one tooth to fit into one notch on the upper nut.

Common wrench for adjust height motorcycle rear shocks.

[Krieger]

Check the three allen head bolts that hold the strut assembly to the fenderwell.

[Elliot Cannon]

It could be your shock is shot allowing it to bottom out on bumps. Happened to me.

[r_towle]

I am shocked you had a shot shock...

[r_towle]

Do you have a front anti sway bar?
If so, what type?
Stock or aftermarket.

Reason I ask is I chased a clunk at slow speed for a while
It was the anti sway bar tapping the gas tank....
Lifting the tank worked to diagnose, but eventually the tank settles back down again.

A piece of garden hose on the bar, under the tank, did the trick.

You have to remove the tank to do it....

Rich

[ChrisFoley]

I inspected the front end when John stopped here for an oil change on the way to Hershey.
Both insert retaining nuts are loose, allowing the struts to shift a little bit.
If tightening them doesn't stop the noise, I would shim up the tank an eighth inch to see if it was the sway bar hitting the tank.

[ClayPerrine]

From recent experience:

Both our 914s had an issue with the top nut on the strut housing unscrewing. THe Koni adjustable shocks ended up floating around and causing camber changes and loud clunks over bumps.

Funny part about it was that it was the left shock on both cars. The Koni strut nuts have two holes in the collar. I used the 911 fan wrench to tighten them, and it seems to work fine. I can't figure out why the backed out. Betty's was in there for 2 years, and mine for 5 years.

I put a locktite on the threads when I put them back.

Still don't know why..... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[wndsnd]

Thanks everyone, those housing nuts seem to be the consensus. Now I just need the energy to take it apart.

I also ordered new front and rear bump stops to replace while I am in there.


I got to find the tool, I remember using a scredriver and whacking the nuts as tight as I could but I also remember there were some threads still exposed.


John

[wndsnd]

Do you have a front anti sway bar?
If so, what type?
Stock or aftermarket.

Reason I ask is I chased a clunk at slow speed for a while
It was the anti sway bar tapping the gas tank....
Lifting the tank worked to diagnose, but eventually the tank settles back down again.

A piece of garden hose on the bar, under the tank, did the trick.

You have to remove the tank to do it....

Rich

Stock sway bar. I will check the tank placement as well, but I am going to start with the struts.

[wndsnd]

Can I do these by dropping from the top without taking the strut off the car?

I really want to avoid the whole ball joint thing again......

[ChrisFoley]

Can I do these by dropping from the top without taking the strut off the car?

Yes.

[r_towle]

Jack up one side of the car, or both..no difference.

Hold car on jack stands not touching the control arms or suspension...so under the body somewhere.

Remove wheel
Remove sway bar drop link on the side you will work on
Remove top nut on strut, just the big one.

From a sitting or kneeling position, good leverage, grab onto the dust shield at the top of the strut from within the wheel well.

Pull down really hard to compress the strut.
If you have a gas strut like a bilstein, hang on tight once you remove the strut from its proper home....it has enough juice to dent the fender if you let to.

While pulling down, swing the strut out of the fender so when you let go, it expands outside of the fender area.

Then you can relax...have a break.

From there, remove the dust cover, fix the nut, and put it back in again the same way.

If you have oil filled struts it will be much less drama...they don't spring up.

Speaking from experience....
The bils have enough gas power to dent the fender from below if you slip.
So, get comfy and get in a good position to do it all in one move without letting go.

Rich

[wndsnd]

Yes I have the Bilsteins.

Thanks for the narrative Rich.

[r_towle]

Then be careful....

[r_towle]

It's not terrible, just a lot of pressure to hang on to if you are not comfy and ready for it...

[struckn]

Jack up one side of the car, or both..no difference.

Hold car on jack stands not touching the control arms or suspension...so under the body somewhere.

Remove wheel
Remove sway bar drop link on the side you will work on
Remove top nut on strut, just the big one.

From a sitting or kneeling position, good leverage, grab onto the dust shield at the top of the strut from within the wheel well.

Pull down really hard to compress the strut.
If you have a gas strut like a bilstein, hang on tight once you remove the strut from its proper home....it has enough juice to dent the fender if you let to.

While pulling down, swing the strut out of the fender so when you let go, it expands outside of the fender area.

Then you can relax...have a break.

From there, remove the dust cover, fix the nut, and put it back in again the same way.

If you have oil filled struts it will be much less drama...they don't spring up.

Speaking from experience....
The bils have enough gas power to dent the fender from below if you slip.
So, get comfy and get in a good position to do it all in one move without letting go.

Rich

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

That's exactly the way, as Rich says, that worked for me when I did it last year and was the fix for the clunking noise
I had to the Left Front. Easy to do and done in 30 minutes.