Strut mount issue

[WylieCoyote]

Hey guys, a few months ago I had some Gabriel struts and Monroe mounts installed on my '93 Shadow. In recent days I've started hearing an obnoxious rubber squeaking from the front end whenever I turn the wheel. I put the front of the car up on jack stands and manually moved the front wheels while watching the strut tops, and noticed that the shaft, nut and cup are spinning on top of the rubber mount, which is where the horrible noise is coming from. I bought one of those special strut sockets and have broken the nut loose, and tightened it down to the best of my ability without breaking the socket, but the squeal and the movement continues. What can I do to stop this movement?

 

[spasm3]

Thats the problem with older cars, when there is no oem mount available. A lot of brand name strut mounts are just not that good.

Ran into the same thing with old S-series saturns. No good mounts available, No oem mounts available.

 

[meep]

Didn’t those mounts originally have bearings in them?

 

[Dave9]

Unless I'm having a senior moment, they're supposed to rotate.

Did you torque it to spec or possibly over-torque has squished out the rubber to where it's rubbing? If the rubber is rubbing, try less torque and some silicone grease on it. If it's the bearing itself, try some lithium grease.

 

[WylieCoyote]

Unless I'm having a senior moment, they're supposed to rotate.

Did you torque it to spec or possibly over-torque has squished out the rubber to where it's rubbing? If the rubber is rubbing, try less torque and some silicone grease on it. If it's the bearing itself, try some lithium grease.

I did the same experiment on my Mustang. Nothing you see here moves when I turn the wheel. The strut shaft rotates within the strut body, when things are sufficiently clamped down up top. Something is preventing this "clamping" on the Shadow, allowing the strut shaft to rotate up top. The silver cup is rubbing on the rubber mount as it rotates, when it is supposed to remain stationary.

Mustang:

 

[WylieCoyote]

Didn’t those mounts originally have bearings in them?

I think the white ring is what passes for a bearing now.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

no warranty on Monroe strut mounts purchased separately

However, Monroe does make quick struts for your Shadow, and they have a lifetime warranty that covers every component, including the mounts. Since they're pre-assembled, you don't have to guess with the torque

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

I think the white ring is what passes for a bearing now.
View attachment 163718

Yep, and as you would expect, they fail. The spring rotates on that 2 piece plastic bearing. Set the car on the ground and tighten that nut. Most every shop uses an impact gun to get the top nut tight despite the internet warnings.

 

[WylieCoyote]

Yep, and as you would expect, they fail. The spring rotates on that 2 piece plastic bearing. Set the car on the ground and tighten that nut. Most every shop uses an impact gun to get the top nut tight despite the internet warnings.

Will an impact be able to tighten the nut even though the strut shaft can spin?

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Will an impact be able to tighten the nut even though the strut shaft can spin?

Yep. The pressure from the vehicle will be enough to hold it.

 

[WylieCoyote]

Yep. The pressure from the vehicle will be enough to hold it.

I can't find a high-res picture of this strut... are there more threads on the shaft below the nut or do you think the nut might be bottoming out on the shaft threads?

 

[2strokeNorthstar]

Normally, yes, you can see some threads after tightening. Impossible to tell on that specific one with just the top photo.

 

[IndyIan]

I had a ball joint go on the Focus and it creaked and groaned and so much when turning, that from inside the car I thought it was the strut or the strut mount. When I actually looked at everything, the strut and mount were fine, but it was the ball joint making all the racket.

 

[WylieCoyote]

I had a ball joint go on the Focus and it creaked and groaned and so much when turning, that from inside the car I thought it was the strut or the strut mount. When I actually looked at everything, the strut and mount were fine, but it was the ball joint making all the racket.

This one I found with the car in the air, moving the wheel by hand. I could see the strut rod, nut and cup rotating on top of the rubber, and squeaking like mad.

 

[2010Civic]

In my experience Monroe are complete trash. Doesn't surprise me that they make noise. I bought a Civic with Monroe front quick struts that creaked when turning. Replaced with KYB quick struts and they have been great.

 

[mrbreezeet1]

lf the nut is bottomed on the threads. could you add a metal washer?

 

[mrbreezeet1]

I had a ball joint go on the Focus and it creaked and groaned and so much when turning, that from inside the car I thought it was the strut or the strut mount. When I actually looked at everything, the strut and mount were fine, but it was the ball joint making all the racket.

l had one squeaking on a factory sealed ball joint on a dodge colt. Sprayed it with WD-40 never heard from it again.

 

[WylieCoyote]

lf the nut is bottomed on the threads. could you add a metal washer?

I suspected it was, it seemed to reach a point where it just could not be tightened any further. I just added some washers and torqued them down good with an impact, they no longer move when I turn the wheel.

 

[mrbreezeet1]

I suspected it was, it seemed to reach a point where it just could not be tightened any further. I just added some washers and torqued them down good with an impact, they no longer move when I turn the wheel.

Noise go away?

 

[JHZR2]

Sometimes nylon or the bent in metal locking nuts are tough to torque to spec.

The guide rod nuts that I replaced on my 91 Mercedes were like this. Had I just run a torque wrench on them without running the bolts through to depth first (which was HARD with a 22mm wrench and 19mm long ratchet), they would have “torqued to spec” waaaay too early and not clamped.

Go buy two regular nuts with the correct thread. Put the first on and torque to spec. Then use the second to lock it.