So I replaced my rear strut assemblies today with disk brake ones, and SE springs, but since my dad is a tight wad i had to put gabriel strut inserts in them and i used the boot/bump stops from internetautomart. so i got everything together, and put it on my car. So now when i drive around every time i hit a little bit of a bump, it sounds like hitting a speed bump at 30 ph, you know a real loud THUNK then at like 45-50 mph or so you can hear what sounds like a tire rubbing but neather are anywhere near the struts, is this happening cause God hates me, i'm an idiot and some how put mine together wrong but managed to get ArcticDC5's together right (we assembled our struts at the same suspension meet, i just never got around to putting them on), or is it becuase of the cheepo strut cartriges? oh and lastly, do you guys think its harmful, or just REALY annoying?

ANYTHING that goes "thunk" is bad. Track it down.

Been there done that. First thing to check would be torque on all of the nuts that you had to remove and put back. I missed a couple nuts on the passenger strut tower and they were clunking every time I backed up from the driveway.

on my 96 I had a bad clunk with expensive struts and springs. Tighten up the strut mount bolts and report back here this fixed mine.

I am about to install gabriel cartidges on my Max.....ive used GR2's and they clunked after a month. What did your friend use? Insect the struts for leaking oil, she may blown already.

also tighten the gland packing nut

May I add: Tighten to spec, including center nut. Overtight is bad. I had to bail myself out of overtight replacing my struts.

Yes. But.... my Tokicos came with the instruction that in some cases (whether it was for the Max or just in general) a spacer might be needed between the gland nut and the top of the cartridge, and included one. If the gland nut bottoms out... need spacer.

twinkle: if you get to the point that you are disassembling struts again, try pushing the piston all the way down the pulling up... you might confirm that a spacer is needed by feeling or listening.

Gabriel (sigh), are they still in business? (sarcasm intented)

May I suggest simply riding in the back seat to track down the noise? Or, jacking the car up high enough to get the wheel off the ground and using a prybar to lift up and down under the tire?

Simple things first.

I had the same problem, needed that spacer. The shock was bouncing around without that spacer.

but only one ismissing the spacer, and bothare "clunking"

Dump 5 gallons of gas on and in car. Light match and throw in car. Walk away briskly. Go get a new car with new struts.

Sometimes I get tired of fixing crap, I wish I could actually do that.

Check the nut that holds the top of the strut piston to the strut mount. Mine had to be re-tightened once I drove the car for a bit.

i have put entirely too much work into this car to go and do that,.I actually did fix it today tho, it turned out that i left the spacers that go by the gland out (oops) at least now ihave SE springs, and 4 wheel disk brakes the ride is alot sportyer now

Hey I want 4 disc and better struts, mine bounce like crazy when there's a bump and I'm going through a curve. Was the conversion simple?

Do you need ABS to convert to 4 discs or it just uses disc without needing ABS?

you can just use the rear disc, no need to futz with ABS

You just made my day then...BUT does it have be with SE struts or can I just use SE rear disc with GR-2s

the rear struts are just cartridge replacements. you need the housing off any rear disc 3rd gen

you will also need to get the hand brake cable off the car with 4 wheel disks, the calipurs, and soft brake lines, or you can get new calipurs and SS lines

Now that you mention, how much did doing all this cost you?

I only had to pay for the cartriges, everthing this else came off the car i wrecked, the some car i got the 5 speed swap stuff and the interior from

I've had this same problem now since replacing my rear strut cartridges with KYB's. Loud knocking/clucking when I have suspension travel, but it's only on the drivers side. I've double and triple checked all the strut tower, strut mount and gland nuts to spec.

If my problem is in fact the spacers that go between the top of the strut cartridge and the gland nut can I use a common washer or what do you guys reccomend?

did you use the gland nut included with the strut or the original one?

I used the originals....

I am wondering if the KYB center nuts that hold down the Gabriel cartridges into the sleeve isn't long enough for the gabriels. So I am guessing the cartridges are moving up and down when going over bumps.

when you replace them, use the nut included for the correct fit. otherwise you MAY have problems

Using the provided gland packing nuts makes sense, however when I tried to assemble the strut assemblys with the kyb's the provided gland nut didn't seem to fit, nor did it want to thread into the factory assembly. Am I just nuts or has anyone else had this problem.

Would you reccomend placing a washer at the top of the cartridge and have the strut rod go through it, or would you place a solid washer at the bottom of the strut assembly? I realize niether is ideal but I need a quick fix.

neither, I'd recommend making the nut work correctly.
I know some people here will have advice on making it work