 Struts That Go CLUNK In The Night, Curing a noisy front strut |
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| orthobiz |
 Jun 28 2016, 06:15 PM
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#1
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Senior Member  Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 8-January 07 From: Cadillac, Michigan Member No.: 7,438 Region Association: Upper MidWest 
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So my daily driver developed an annoying clunk in the front driver side. A search here and on the Pelican board talks about a loose gland nut on the strut. Thought I'd just go through how I fixed it.
A couple of videos on YouTube: Jumping up and down on the fender With the wheel off My garage is extremely echogenic so it sounds much louder than it does on the road! Annoying nonetheless. Tools needed: 19mm socket 22mm socket Giant pliers Breaker Bar Torque Wrench Blue Locking Compound Jacks, jack stands Screwdriver, tamp or punch Mallet Paul |
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| orthobiz |
Jun 28 2016, 06:20 PM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 8-January 07 From: Cadillac, Michigan Member No.: 7,438 Region Association: Upper MidWest
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(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c8.staticflickr.com-7438-1467159845.1.jpg)
Loosen the lug bolts. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c1.staticflickr.com-7438-1467159702.1.jpg) Jack it up. |
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| orthobiz |
Jun 28 2016, 06:27 PM
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#3
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 8-January 07 From: Cadillac, Michigan Member No.: 7,438 Region Association: Upper MidWest
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(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c2.staticflickr.com-7438-1467160077.1.jpg)
Loosen the 22mm top nut after flattening the locking washer. Mine is rather beat up. Use a tamp or punch or screwdriver to knock down the edge of the washer that is curled up against the nut. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c4.staticflickr.com-7438-1467160078.2.jpg) Giant channel lock pliers are good for this. |
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| orthobiz |
Jun 28 2016, 06:31 PM
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#4
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 8-January 07 From: Cadillac, Michigan Member No.: 7,438 Region Association: Upper MidWest
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(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c6.staticflickr.com-7438-1467160285.1.jpg)
The rest of the washer had a little more heft to it but I would recommend replacing it every time. Note that the strut has an inner thread in addition to the larger outer thread. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c6.staticflickr.com-7438-1467160286.2.jpg) I carefully tamped the strut down through the hole, be ready to support the bottom of the strut with a jack at the ball joint. Make sure you do not bugger up the inner or outer threads on the strut! |
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| orthobiz |
Jun 28 2016, 06:33 PM
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#5
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 8-January 07 From: Cadillac, Michigan Member No.: 7,438 Region Association: Upper MidWest
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(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c5.staticflickr.com-7438-1467160414.1.jpg)
Take the wheel off. Ease the strut down into the fender. Believe it or not, if you maneuver it around, there is room to remove the upper strut cover without delivering the strut past the inner lip of the fender. I have a Boge (black) strut I believe. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c7.staticflickr.com-7438-1467160415.2.jpg) Cover removed. The triple rubber bumper seen on top of the strut. |
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| orthobiz |
Jun 28 2016, 06:39 PM
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#6
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 8-January 07 From: Cadillac, Michigan Member No.: 7,438 Region Association: Upper MidWest
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(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c3.staticflickr.com-7438-1467160760.1.jpg)
Supporting the whole thing with a jack. If you don't, the brake line will! (Don't ask me how I know...) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c6.staticflickr.com-7438-1467160761.2.jpg) The primitive black arrow head points to a tiny space between the gland nut on top and the bottom strut cover below. That little distance accounted for the clunking. |
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| orthobiz |
Jun 28 2016, 06:42 PM
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#7
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 8-January 07 From: Cadillac, Michigan Member No.: 7,438 Region Association: Upper MidWest
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(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c6.staticflickr.com-7438-1467160921.1.jpg)
Gland nut removed to clean the threads a bit. Rubber bumper removed also. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c7.staticflickr.com-7438-1467160922.2.jpg) Blue locking compound was applied to the threads. I tightened the heck out of it with the big pliers but forgot to take a picture. Now there's no more space between the gland nut and the bottom strut cover. |
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| orthobiz |
Jun 28 2016, 06:47 PM
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#8
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 8-January 07 From: Cadillac, Michigan Member No.: 7,438 Region Association: Upper MidWest
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(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c3.staticflickr.com-7438-1467161233.1.jpg)
This is the most key step of the whole process. Jacking up the bottom ball joint area will not fully deliver the strut up into the hole in your front trunk. The strut slowly collapses under the weight of the top strut cover and you can't push it up either. So, thread a metric bolt into the hole in the top of the strut. Perhaps your bolt is long enough to reach the hole in the trunk. Mine wasn't so t tied a wire around it and it was pretty easy to guide it up. For reassembly the washers and nut will slide over that small bolt and wire. I believe the inner diameter size of the strut is Metric Bolt 6 x 1.0. BTW, I didn't realize this was the way to do it until I called Michael at Brad Mayeur's. Oh man, I don't want to talk about the frustration I had up until that point! (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads_offsite/c4.staticflickr.com-7438-1467161234.2.jpg) Torque it up to 58 ft-lb, rebend the washer and you are done! Torque the wheels, 108 ft-lb for steelies and 94 ft-lb for alloys. Problem solved, no more clicky clunks! Hope this helps. |
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| euro911 |
Jun 28 2016, 10:28 PM
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#9
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Retired & living the dream. God help me if I wake up! Group: Members Posts: 8,845 Joined: 2-December 06 From: So.Cal. & No.AZ (USA) Member No.: 7,300 Region Association: Southern California
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Nice write-up, Paul (IMG:style_emoticons/default/aktion035.gif)
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| Elliot Cannon |
Jun 28 2016, 11:00 PM
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#10
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914 Guru Group: Retired Members Posts: 8,487 Joined: 29-December 06 From: Paso Robles Ca. (Central coast) Member No.: 7,407 Region Association: None 
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I had the same problem. Solved it exactly the same way. Including the channel locks. (Yours are nicer looking than mine). Excellent write up. Isn't there a permanent place to store this "clunking remedy"?
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| whitetwinturbo |
Jun 28 2016, 11:14 PM
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#11
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Honey, does this wing make my ass look fat? Group: Members Posts: 1,391 Joined: 22-October 11 From: Newport Beach/Kalefornya/USA Member No.: 13,704 Region Association: Southern California |
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| theleschyouknow |
Jun 29 2016, 04:49 PM
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#12
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 523 Joined: 4-June 13 From: Texas Member No.: 15,967 Region Association: None |
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| Krieger |
Jun 29 2016, 08:04 PM
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#13
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 4,702 Joined: 24-May 04 From: Santa Rosa CA Member No.: 2,104 Region Association: None
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I had this problem too. Before I reassembled it I cut about 1 1/2" off the bottom of the upper cover so I can recheck the that nut from time to time without having to do this all over again. When the car is on the ground the cover is well over the gland nut.
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| orthobiz |
Jun 29 2016, 08:51 PM
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#14
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 8-January 07 From: Cadillac, Michigan Member No.: 7,438 Region Association: Upper MidWest
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QUOTE(Krieger @ Jun 29 2016, 10:04 PM)  I had this problem too. Before I reassembled it I cut about 1 1/2" off the bottom of the upper cover so I can recheck the that nut from time to time without having to do this all over again. When the car is on the ground the cover is well over the gland nut. Hmm, does "recheck" mean that you can tighten the nut from inside the wheel well without messing with the top nut in the trunk? Do you have a picture? Paul |
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| Krieger |
Jun 29 2016, 11:28 PM
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#15
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 4,702 Joined: 24-May 04 From: Santa Rosa CA Member No.: 2,104 Region Association: None
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That is exactly what I mean Paul. I can lft the car up, remove the front wheel and see the gland nut. There is enough room to put channel locks on it. When the car is on the ground the nut is covered. I do not remember by how much. I do not have a photo with the suspension in full droop. I do have the bottom of the cover that I cut off. It is just a 1 1/2" tall steel ring. I never drive my car in rain or snow so I figured it is just a dust shield and this is enough for me. The cover I made for the struts on my track car is even shorter. I see the shock strut on that car frequently and it looks really good. I never see any debris on top of the strut.
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| orthobiz |
Jun 30 2016, 03:53 AM
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#16
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,754 Joined: 8-January 07 From: Cadillac, Michigan Member No.: 7,438 Region Association: Upper MidWest
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QUOTE(Krieger @ Jun 30 2016, 01:28 AM) That is exactly what I mean Paul. I can lft the car up, remove the front wheel and see the gland nut. There is enough room to put channel locks on it. When the car is on the ground the nut is covered. I do not remember by how much. I do not have a photo with the suspension in full droop. I do have the bottom of the cover that I cut off. It is just a 1 1/2" tall steel ring. I never drive my car in rain or snow so I figured it is just a dust shield and this is enough for me. The cover I made for the struts on my track car is even shorter. I see the shock strut on that car frequently and it looks really good. I never see any debris on top of the strut. That would sure make it easier! Hopefully mine doesn't loosen up again... Paul |
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| Krieger |
May 14 2017, 07:44 AM
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#17
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 4,702 Joined: 24-May 04 From: Santa Rosa CA Member No.: 2,104 Region Association: None
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Somehow I remembered this thread almost a year later.
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| wndsnd |
May 14 2017, 03:05 PM
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#18
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You wanted a horse, but got a goat. Nobody wants a goat.... Group: Members Posts: 2,861 Joined: 12-February 12 From: North Shore, MA Member No.: 14,124 Region Association: North East States |
QUOTE(Krieger @ Jun 29 2016, 10:04 PM) I had this problem too. Before I reassembled it I cut about 1 1/2" off the bottom of the upper cover so I can recheck the that nut from time to time without having to do this all over again. When the car is on the ground the cover is well over the gland nut. Got it |
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| Steve |
May 22 2017, 07:30 AM
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#19
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914 Guru Group: Members Posts: 5,569 Joined: 14-June 03 From: Orange County, CA Member No.: 822 Region Association: Southern California
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I just did this over the weekend. I have boge struts with bilstein dampers. I started on the passenger side. Mine has a slight gap with the threaded collar, however there was no slop. I took it apart anyway. Put locktite on the collar and put it back on. Still has the same gap. Went to the drivers side, took it apart, same gap, before and after. However after torquing both nuts to 58 lbs, the clunk is gone. I also noticed my washers weren't bent. Wonder if they came loose?
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| mepstein |
May 6 2019, 07:31 AM
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#20
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914-6 GT in waiting Group: Members Posts: 19,238 Joined: 19-September 09 From: Landenberg, PA/Wilmington, DE Member No.: 10,825 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region
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QUOTE(Steve @ May 22 2017, 09:30 AM) I just did this over the weekend. I have boge struts with bilstein dampers. I started on the passenger side. Mine has a slight gap with the threaded collar, however there was no slop. I took it apart anyway. Put locktite on the collar and put it back on. Still has the same gap. Went to the drivers side, took it apart, same gap, before and after. However after torquing both nuts to 58 lbs, the clunk is gone. I also noticed my washers weren't bent. Wonder if they came loose? I talked to Bilstein. Gap of 2-3mm is normal. If it bottomed out, you wouldn't know if it was tight to the insert. Looks worrisome but it's correct. @Steve |
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