I had a friend who owns an auto shop install new front struts on my 1997 Pontiac Grand Am. He didn’t charge me for labor and I got the struts at cost so I can’t complain. They seem to work fine, but the sound they make going over man-hole covers and such is not fine. They make a sound that I can only describe as hollow. The car doesn’t have that solid sound that you’d expect from new struts. I’m a shade tree mechanic myself, but I don’t mess with front suspension parts. Is there something I can do myself to check for faulty parts and/or installation. I took a look the best I could when I was replacing brake pads and everything looked kosher.
One thing I can mention is when I replaced rear shocks myself, I initially didn’t have them aligned properly and they made a sound not unlike the sound of the questionable front struts. I straightened the shocks and everything’s fine now. I looked to see if there was any play in the installation of the struts, but I couldn’t see any.
If it is a replacement cartridge, if the nut is left loose at the top of the cartridge, or if there is a spacer that was left out of the bottom, you can get a knocking sound.
If the top spring plate is mis-assembled you can get a number of interesting noises.
Is the noise on just one side, or both?
Good news! I just remembered that the same weekend I had the struts put on, I installed a new pair of sway bar links. I just went out and loosened them a little and the obnoxious noise is gone. I’m going to check for a manufacturers torque setting for them, but I doubt there is one. Must have over-tightened them. :smack: