Knocking after strut change

[TheManxmann 0]

Hi Folks,

As ever bit of advice needed. I've just changed the front two shocks/struts on my 96 vr6. The usual top nut woa's but nothing too untoward.

Ok so she's all back together, bottom bolts torqued up nicely, camber alignment measures as before etc everything looks good.

Now I take her for a 10mile test drive, for the first five miles everything is perfect, I'm impressed with how the Blistein gas shock improve the ride. However after about five miles I notice a 'clonking' sort of sound like I've left a spanner on the front valance but its coming from the front suspension.

After experimenting I find that if drop her into neutral and cost along (clutch up or down) I get the clonking however if I accelerate the noise disappears, it also disappears if I brake.

I've checked the struts bolts, all ok. Top two nuts, spring plate and top plate all ok. There is no play in the road wheels or in the coil/strut assemblies. The top mount rubbers and bearings where also replaced so don't suspect a bearing has collapsed, or has it?

Suggestions as to where I should look next please, CV joint? Drive shaft? G/Box? I'm now a bit stumped. embarassed

Thanks again.

P.S. Gearbox is pretty much fooked anyway, no 1st gear and am waiting for a mate to fit another for me. Is it too much to hope that this is just a coincidence happening at the same time I change the shocks?

[xyber 1]

Check the springs are seated properly

did you replace the mounts and bearings whilst it was apart?

[TheManxmann 0]

Check the springs are seated properly

did you replace the mounts and bearings whilst it was apart?

Hi thanks for the reply, yes top rubbers and bearings where replaced, I only reused the top plate. Tomorrow I'm going to strip each side down again and rebuild each strut just to make 100% sure everything is aligned.

[xyber 1]

It could just be a bolt not torqued up fully, I had my wishbones done recently, few days after I got a knocking, which turned out to be a bolt that needed another 1/4 turn

[sparkyjr 0]

I had same prob turned out to be a loose wheel nut.check that before you do any thing.

[TheManxmann 0]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I managed to strip and rebuild the passenger side strut today, still knocking :-( .

Everything looked ok so I guess no surprises, whilst the wheel was off I had a good tug at the driveshaft/rollbar/whishbone nothing struck me as loose.

Going to try to do the drivers side tomorrow, assuming the rain stops for long enough!

[TheManxmann 0]

FIXED IT!

Thanks for the responses. I'm not entirely sure what fixed it, I stripped and re-built the drivers side strutt. Re-torqued everything up as before and hey presto no knocking!