Knocking Screeching Noise At Front Right

[Oka]

Because of the knocking and or screeching noise at the front right well area, I just replaced the struts and lower arm bushings on both front sides. I did NOT replace any ball joint. After all the work, still the same noise.

When I drive over a sewer lid or ice hole, I hear the knocking sound. Over a bump, the screeching sound as if it's a bad strut. Sometimes, both sounds are heard. I have mounted on the front right side, swing up and down as hard as I could and nothing. Normally with a bad strut, you would hear the screeching sound when pushing down on the car. Could this be the ball joint, maybe for the lower ball joint. The noise is only on the right front. The sway bar links are tight in place.

Am lost!
Thanks.

[Astro14]

Screeching over bumps is usually a balljoint. And usually one that is dangerously worn.

Do you know how to troubleshoot/check suspension parts?

[Oka]

Do you know how to troubleshoot/check suspension parts?
Nope, just by listening to the sound.
How can one "troubleshoot/check suspension parts"?

[Astro14]

It was a rhetorical question. Pry bar, checking movement, listening when someone else moves the suspension, etc. are all part of it. You're guessing and throwing parts at the problem.

Get a competent shop to check this.

Seriously.

Could be strut mounts, too, which I would've changed when you changed the struts, just to save the labor.

check out youtube for a variety of demonstrations on how to check balljoints for clunking/wear/play.

[Oka]

8579

Hello folks. Did the pry bar test and all felt snugged.

Just noticed this gap at the mount. Before and after replacing the struts, there was no gap.
However, the driver's side also has gap but about half of this. Sure, the strut mount is the culprit.

Thanks

[billr99]

8579

Hello folks. Did the pry bar test and all felt snugged.

Just noticed this gap at the mount. Before and after replacing the struts, there was no gap.
However, the driver's side also has gap but about half of this. Sure, the strut mount is the culprit.

Thanks

Yeah, that isn’t good. Time for a pair of new mounts.

Cheers,

Bill

[Oka]

Am kinda puzzled with this all.
The initial issue was the sound/knocking/squeaking. New struts did not fix it; the pry bar found nothing.

The other day, when I opened the hood, I noticed the gap at the top of both struts. The gaps were not there all along; don't know when they happened. The right was where the issue has been and it has a wider gap. There's also gap on the left strut (where there's no problem). The common denominator for both struts is I had replaced both. What did I do wrong? I could swear I did a good job installing them. The only reason I would equate to the gaps would be, failing mounts.

[dlundblad]

Were these quick struts or did you have to swap over the coils and preexisting components? Assuming nothing has failed, the top nut just looks loose.

Not to scare you, but I recently had a coworker lose both Monroe quick struts on the same day while going down the interstate. The pistons actually came up and hit the hood. Made some huge dents and cracked the paint on the opposite side.

[hoonk]

8579

Hello folks. Did the pry bar test and all felt snugged.

Just noticed this gap at the mount. Before and after replacing the struts, there was no gap.
However, the driver's side also has gap but about half of this. Sure, the strut mount is the culprit.

Thanks

Test a strut cushion/mount with a wrench not a pry bar. Try to turn the nut (under the plastic cap) with a wrench - if it turns it's torn, if the rubber just flexes, it's not.

[Oka]

Test a strut cushion/mount with a wrench not a pry bar. Try to turn the nut (under the plastic cap) with a wrench - if it turns it's torn, if the rubber just flexes, it's not.
No, the "pry bar' was on use under the wheel well to check the joints.

[Oka]

Were these quick struts or did you have to swap over the coils and preexisting components?
Yes, the only "new" item is the strut.

Sure I should have replaced the mounts. Will be redoing the job with new mounts, got them already. The fact that I am sure I kinda did a good job installing the struts, everything up to specs (torque). So I believe it's a part failure.

[Oka]

Not to scare you, but I recently had a coworker lose both Monroe quick struts on the same day while going down the interstate. The pistons actually came up and hit the hood. Made some huge dents and cracked the paint on the opposite side.
8840
Just a rude awakening. Nice you scared me! I checked under my hood and saw the 'wound' under the hood. It only went through the hood pad and right on the hood metal. Anymore move, the dent would have shown from the top.

[Oka]

8842
After installing the spring seats, I noticed the gap at the top of the strut (from the hood view). Some months back, I had removed the strut and put it back. I am sure the inside bolts were put in correctly. Why the cap on both struts?

[billr99]

8842
After installing the spring seats, I noticed the gap at the top of the strut (from the hood view). Some months back, I had removed the strut and put it back. I am sure the inside bolts were put in correctly. Why the cap on both struts?

That looks like the metal bush that is supposed to be vulcanized to the seat. Looks like you have a failed seat.

Cheers,

Bill

[hoonk]

8842
After installing the spring seats, I noticed the gap at the top of the strut (from the hood view). Some months back, I had removed the strut and put it back. I am sure the inside bolts were put in correctly. Why the cap on both struts?

You have the top "washer" on upside down - (creating a larger gap) - the rubber bumps molded onto the "washer" face downward

[billr99]

You have the top "washer" on upside down - (creating a larger gap) - the rubber bumps molded onto the "washer" face downward

Doh! I miss that pretty obvious thing. Time for new glasses!

Cheers,

Bill

[Oka]

8846

However, I found out I had the left side washer oriented in the wrong direction. However, the right side washer was oriented correctly and still have the gap. The fitting can't go any further. The spring seat is tight and snuggled in there. Both the spring seat and the support plate (with three bolts) are all new and (supposedly) the correct fitting parts. Still, the gap is still my issue for me. To "eliminate" the gap, the spring seat would have to be lower.

Thanks everyone.

[billr99]

Oka:

That gap on the right side is about right. You need some gap as the seat will flex and the big rubber/metal plate is really there more for retention should the seat fail. That is, so that the strut rod would not drop in the event of a seat failure.

Cheers,

Bill

[Oka]

Oka:

That gap on the right side is about right. You need some gap as the seat will flex and the big rubber/metal plate is really there more for retention should the seat fail. That is, so that the strut rod would not drop in the event of a seat failure.

Cheers,

Bill

. . . which means both gaps are 'normal'; they are same spacing when I flipped the left washer to it's correct orientation.

[billr99]

. . . which means both gaps are 'normal'; they are same spacing when I flipped the left washer to it's correct orientation.

Should be as long as the seats are the same brand although I've got 2 different brands on my XC and the gap is the same which in turn is about the same as the ones on my R. Of the 4, there is a OEM, a couple of Lemforders, and a Rein as I recall.

Cheers,

Bill

[Oka]

The struts, spring seats, support plates and the washers are all the same brands.
Where exactly would the squeaking be coming from; though it does not happen all the time?
Just kinda annoying when it happens.

Hey Bill, how you doing up in NS? Canada is 'busy' with weed while the US is with politics.
There's always something.

Take care now and thanks!

[billr99]

The struts, spring seats, support plates and the washers are all the same brands.
Where exactly would the squeaking be coming from; though it does not happen all the time?
Just kinda annoying when it happens.

Hey Bill, how you doing up in NS? Canada is 'busy' with weed while the US is with politics.
There's always something.

Take care now and thanks!

When I installed XC90 seats, they initially squeaked first thing in the morning or after sitting a while when they were stone cold especially when it was dry air. That went away after a few hundred clicks once the seats broke in and the springs settled into the seats. Now with that said there are any number of other sources such as endlinks, sway bar bushes, A-arm bushes, ball joints. And finally, there is always the situation like I had with my '02 that had a squeak only when turning right and hitting a bump of a certain intensity. After replacing everything I've mentioned, I never did get rid of it and basically ran out of ideas to sort it. One of the reasons that convinced me to get rid of it at 400K kms.

Yeah, a real statement of the world right now. We're up here blowing weed and the US is trying to just blow each other up.

Cheers,

Bill

[Oka]

. . . Yeah, a real statement of the world right now. We're up here blowing weed and the US is trying to just blow each other up. . . . LOL! LOL! LOL!

My squeak at left turn is one not to ignore. Too loud for me and an ‘attention attractor’. I really would like to get rid of it.

Thanks

[Oka]

Surprise! Surprise!! The squeaking is gone!
The first cold snap, parked outside, in the morning drove it and turned left - no squeak.
Next day, parked in the garage, in the morning drove it out and turned left, still no noise.
Ever since, the car is "cured". Wish it's so with my aching body (LOL).
So, all is well now. Thanks you'll for pitching in.