Question about New Struts

[krismoriah72]

I had a broken spring on the Strut Assembly on my Ford Fusion so i bought new KYB struts from RockAuto and dropped it off at my local garage.

I picked it up and the front was definately about 2 inches higher than it was.. I understand that the springs settle and this was somewhat normal.

However i hear a distinct knocking and its getting worse as i drive it. I pulled the wheels off and checked every bolt..all is tight and good.

The only thing i can figure is that the top nut on the strut needs to be tightened.. i dont see any kind of instruction or warning.. or anything telling a mechanic that it needs to be tightened...

Do loaded struts come with the top nut not tightened down? Is this common knowledge for a garage to have to tighten it down on a loaded assembly?

I dont have an impact at home. I tried to put a socket on it but its not moving..

knock knock knock over bumps, quiet when no bumps.. front end is up about 2 inches.

Will tightening this top nut solve my 2 inch lift and the knocking?

 

[gathermewool]

Your two inch lift is here to stay. Contrary to what others MIGHT say, the struts are causing the lift. I’ve experienced this myself twice now with very worn struts. The assembly could also be longer, as well.

My guess would also be the top nut, which is easy to tighten. All that’s usually needed is a pass-through socket, such as from Gearwrench, and an Allen key to hold the assembly from moving.

If it’s not that, then check the springs themselves. They should be covered in a rubber sheath at the top and bottom.

 

[Lubener]

Every spring which I installed started out much higher than before and eventually settled. The springs determine the ride height, not the struts.The top nut should be tightened to specs upon being manufactured.I am assuming these are quick strut assemblies. I see no reason why it would not be sufficienty torqued which is keeping the spring compressed. I would revisit the garage where the work was done and have them recheck. Problem when supplying your own parts is that there is something wrong internally with the strut and it will be your problem and added expense for any labor.

 

[krismoriah72]

Your two inch lift is here to stay. Contrary to what others MIGHT say, the struts are causing the lift. I’ve experienced this myself twice now with very worn struts. The assembly could also be longer, as well.

My guess would also be the top nut, which is easy to tighten. All that’s usually needed is a pass-through socket, such as from Gearwrench, and an Allen key to hold the assembly from moving.

If it’s not that, then check the springs themselves. They should be covered in a rubber sheath at the top and bottom.

There are rubber sheaths.. the KYB that i bought do not have the allen key.. it has two flat sides that i guess they want you to use a crescent wrench to hold it.. but the nut is imbedded down so i would have to severely bend a box end wrench to get to it.

I have seen the posts about putting a vice grip on the shaft above the bump stop and hitting the nut with a gun.. this is after the buyer figures out that the nut isnt tight and hears the knocking.

 

[krismoriah72]

Every spring which I installed started out much higher than before and eventually settled. The top nut should be tightened to specs upon being manufactured.I am assuming these are quick strut assemblies. I see no reason why it would not be sufficienty torqued which is keeping the spring compressed. I would revisit the garage where the work was done and have them recheck. Problem when supplying your own parts is that there is something wrong internally with the strut and it will be your problem and added expense for any labor.

I am going to have to take it back for sure.. but my dilemma is asking them to tighten down the top strut nut which is all that it can be as far as i can tell..unless both new KYB struts are dead. Every bolt is tight.

With the broken spring on my old struts it was smooth with no clunking at all.. so its after new struts.

Car only has 65K miles and the front end is tight.

 

[Mainia]

"High pressure" gas struts "carry weight". With that pressure, those struts are reducing total weight of the car on your springs. Some of the lift will go away with time, but I would say 50% to 70% of the lift will stay for years. My suggestion is to buy the matching rear KYB's to lift the rear a tad to match. That's why I don't like to buy KYB and Bilstiens unless they come with springs from the strut manufacture that built in their high pressure struts. I usually buy OEM struts from Rock Auto if I do people struts here and there. I will never buy Monroe's as they are pure junk, when I had my hobby Audi/VW repair biz I got burned on 3 cars toasting Monroe's within 2 years.

Did you get KYB Gas Adjust or KYB Excel-G? The Gas Adjust are high pressure for sure, the Ecel-G MAY be low pressure and the better choice on a common car.

 

[Lubener]

"High pressure" gas struts "carry weight". With that pressure, those struts are reducing total weight of the car on your springs. Some of the lift will go away with time, but I would say 50% to 70% of the lift will stay for years. My suggestion is to buy the matching rear KYB's to lift the rear a tad to match.

Shocks and struts are pressurized to keep the fluid inside from getting aeriated, not support the weight.. The pressure inside is not great enough to hold any appreciable weight of the car. That's the job of the springs. The struts do two things: control the oscillations of the springs and act as a structural piviting point, taking the place of the upper ball joint and upper control arm..

 

[skyactiv]

I cant believe this thread.

 

[Mainia]

Shocks and struts are pressurized to keep the fluid inside from getting aeriated, not support the weight.. The pressure inside is not great enough to hold any appreciable weight of the car. That's the job of the springs. The struts do two things: control the oscillations of the springs and act as a structural piviting point, taking the place of the upper ball joint and upper control arm..

I see you never have put high pressure gas shocks in cars to actually see this phenomenon. Pointless to even talk to you about it. Seeing I have put struts in about 30 cars from race cars, street racer, to common mom and pa cars with Bilstein, Koni, SACHS, Tein, KYB, Monroe (<junk),Gabriel (< junk) you can tell me your " text book" automobile strut theory all you want. It is not what I have seen.

 

[Lubener]

I see you never have put high pressure gas shocks in cars to actually see this phenomenon. Pointless to even talk to you about it.

I have compressed them myself manually. I can't help it if you do not have the strength to do it and are overwhelmed. Unfortunately, you do not understand how a strut works.

 

[Mainia]

I have compressed them myself manually. I can't help it if you do not have the strength to do it and are overwhelmed. Unfortunately, you do not understand how a strut works.

Pointless, as we can CLEARLY SEE. Tell me more.


Tell me more.

.

 

[HyundaiAbuser]

I have compressed them myself manually. I can't help it if you do not have the strength to do it and are overwhelmed. Unfortunately, you do not understand how a strut works.

With gas the more you compress the more it will resist pressure. It will still dampen and hold weight much greater than you can apply even if you can compress it some.

 

[krismoriah72]

The struts are KYB Excel-G Assembly from RockAuto.

I found a broken spring on my driver side and i drove it about 50 miles after i found the broken spring. No noises, no weird drivability..nothing.

I had a shop install the KYB. Front end was 2 inches higher than it was. I put about 100 miles on it and the clunking gets worse. low speed bumps are the most noticable.

I checked every bolt that was involved in the assembly, everything is tight.

The only variables that i can figure is that the top nut needs tightened...or both struts are dead.

The info on the part says no special tools are needed, and i see no information that says that the top nut is to be tightened or not.

Of course the shop will blame the part... but do i at least get them to tighten the top nut to see if that is the solve?

Again, broke spring no noises.. new part installed, clunking heavily.. all bolts tight.

 

[Mainia]

Hmmmm, I am a grown man and you say there is enough pressure I can't compress

The struts are KYB Excel-G Assembly from RockAuto.

I found a broken spring on my driver side and i drove it about 50 miles after i found the broken spring. No noises, no weird drivability..nothing.

I had a shop install the KYB. Front end was 2 inches higher than it was. I put about 100 miles on it and the clunking gets worse. low speed bumps are the most noticable.

I checked every bolt that was involved in the assembly, everything is tight.

The only variables that i can figure is that the top nut needs tightened...or both struts are dead.

The info on the part says no special tools are needed, and i see no information that says that the top nut is to be tightened or not.

Of course the shop will blame the part... but do i at least get them to tighten the top nut to see if that is the solve?

Again, broke spring no noises.. new part installed, clunking heavily.. all bolts tight.

Are these a complete struts with springs, bearings, dust shields ect., or did you get one replacement spring separate and do just a strut on the otherside?

 

[Mainia]

I have compressed them myself manually. I can't help it if you do not have the strength to do it and are overwhelmed. Unfortunately, you do not understand how a strut works.

Tell me more.

 

[Passport1]

Lots of guys here in the Carolinas replace just their front struts too. Got the same effect.

 

[DuckRyder]

The top nut on a quick strut would already be tightened properly at the factory...

Being a Ford you'd probably have had better luck with Motorcraft.

No way any quick strut manufacture is accounting for all the spring variations possible.

 

[Jmlo96]

I've never had good luck with "quick strut" assemblies. The springs never seem to be the same as the factory rate. They either sit way too high or way too low, or the ride is not as good as the factory. Most of these are made out of parts that do not meet the same standards as the factory parts. I've also had problems with the quick struts making noises similar to what you describe.

I'm pretty sure Motorcraft (OEM for Ford) makes complete strut assemblies, but they will cost a a pretty penny. You could always look for some lower mileage complete assemblies from a low mileage car from a salvage yard if you wanted to save some cash.

Either way, I would be going back to the shop to express your dissatisfaction.

 

[DuckRyder]

I've never had good luck with "quick strut" assemblies. The springs never seem to be the same as the factory rate. They either sit way too high or way too low, or the ride is not as good as the factory. Most of these are made out of parts that do not meet the same standards as the factory parts. I've also had problems with the quick struts making noises similar to what you describe.

Yep, there are 5 or 6 variations for a 2012 Fusion front spring.

I'm pretty sure Motorcraft (OEM for Ford) makes complete strut assemblies, but they will cost a a pretty penny. You could always look for some lower mileage complete assemblies from a low mileage car from a salvage yard if you wanted to save some cash.

One of the big online Ford discounters says $143.00 each for front loaded strut.

Not as bad as I thought.

 

[krismoriah72]

According to KYB the strut is made in such a way to tighten the top nut.

Holding the strut shaft to tighten the nut - KYB Americas

Do not use pliers or vise grips on the polished shaft. The use of pliers can cause scoring the highly polished chrome shaft.

www.kyb.com

The old timers here at bobistheoilguy (2017) all say yeah sure tighten it with an impact.

Tighten top strut nut on car???

Can this be done, or will the strut shaft just spin? I'm getting a light clunk with new Monroe struts; the shop that installed them can't find anything wrong (surprise), and a 2nd opinion shop said the same thing - can't find anything loose. Doing some Google research, I found a few suggestions...

bobistheoilguy.com

You guys say its tight to spec from the factory. There are zero threads showing so it must be an exact tolerance.

I will see what the mechanic says... but of course its my parts.. so i just dont want to go thru all the hassle of ordering new struts and paying labor to remove and install when all it could be is to tighten a nut.