Terrible knocking noise 1996 Regal

[Chip]

First off, what a great site! I am a newbie on this forum.

 

I have a 1996 Buick Regal 3.1 and overall, it has been super reliable (172,000) and I do all of my own maint & repair. I have an aweful knocking sound that I have narrowed down to the front struts. I replaced the strut cartridges, and the noise changed somewhat, but did not go away??? The threaded cartridge cap that you need the special 4 prong tool to tighten went on fine. Any ideas. It sounds as if something is very loose. Should the upper strut mounts have been changed too?

 

Thanks in advance

[xtremerevolution]

I replaced my front strut mounts and that fixed the bonking problems I was having when going over bumps. How loud is it? Is it more like a bonk, a pop, or what? When does it make this sound?

[Chip]

It is somewhat of a "bonk." I almost visualize the strut rod pushing the strut mount up out of the body and hitting the strut cover, but I don't really see evidence of that on the underside of the cover. Definitely more pronounced on low speed bumps.

 

Thanks

[mra32]

Is the nut at the very top of the strut rod TIGHT?

[GOT2B GM]

I found when I put Sensatracs in my old Z34, it seemed that the strut shaft nut would bottom out before getting tight on the upper mount.

 

Cheap fix: Add a washer under strut shaft nut and retightened.

 

Never made any more noise.

[Chip]

The logic behind the top nut bottoming out on the threads leaving the body mount loose makes sense. I am going to try the washer trick first before I replace the body mounts tomorrow. However, maybe it is doing so because the body mount is shot. Do you guys use an impact gun to tighten the 24mm top nut, or do you use the recessed socket in the W-body strut tool kit to tighten the nut while using another tool to hold the strut shaft? I used an impact gun because the kit I loaned did not have a fitting that would match the Gabriel shaft. The Sensa-Tracs I took out had an allen in the top of the shaft.

 

 

[GOT2B GM]

Sounds like an impact is your only option, just don't spin the strut shaft too much, its hard on the seals.

[Chip]

The saga continues.... Replaced the upper strut body mount, center nut is definitely tight, and still the noise. Any other strut components you guys think could be causing this? I can replicate the noise when I put lateral pressure on the front tires (grabbing the top of the tire and pushing in and out hard). I can't see exactly where its coming from, though. Sounds like higher in the strut assembly.

[GOT2B GM]

You're sure you have the special cartridge nut tight?

[Chip]

One saga ends and another begins. The lower threaded cap for the strut cartridge was indeed loose. I have no idea how though. Long story short, I torqued it to 85 ft. lbs. and whola! Nice tight front end. In addition, I did not read the instructions closely that call for 30 cc of oil added after the strut cartridge is in to act as an additional damper or cushion for noise.

 

I will repost, but a friend helping showed me that my rear monoleaf is shot. The fiberglass is badly worn and beginning to fray on the knuckle ends.

[xtremerevolution]

One saga ends and another begins. The lower threaded cap for the strut cartridge was indeed loose. I have no idea how though. Long story short, I torqued it to 85 ft. lbs. and whola! Nice tight front end. In addition, I did not read the instructions closely that call for 30 cc of oil added after the strut cartridge is in to act as an additional damper or cushion for noise.

 

I will repost, but a friend helping showed me that my rear monoleaf is shot. The fiberglass is badly worn and beginning to fray on the knuckle ends.

 

Junkyard run!!!

 

Or, you can call up Flex-A-Form and have them make you a new one for $350 shipped according to what load spec you want. You just tell them what car you have and what drop (or rise, if any) you want over stock and they'll make it. If for any reason you're not happy with how it looks, you send it back and they make you a new one to fix the problem for free.