I have to take off my new rear struts this weekend because the &!#$*! mechanic that put them on can't figure out what the clacking noise coming from both sides is and I'm tired of dealing with him.

Do I have to actually disassemble the rear brakes (remove shoes, springs, brake line, etc) or can I remove the whole brake assembly as one piece?

 

i think the brakes have to be disassembled for drums.. are you sure he didn't just leave some suspension pieces loose though?

edit: nevermind... apparently they don't

 

Bummer.

When I took it back he suppposedly replaced the top center nut on the driver's side because the "nut was stripped and just turned". He had used the original nuts instead of the ones that came with the KYBs because they weren't locknuts like the originals. So he used the new nuts that came w/the struts and a lock washer.

I think he just made sure all the nuts on top were tight. He didn't take it off and look any deeper than that.

I took it to a shop I trust but use sparingly because they charge $$$. He said the looseness seems to be underneath around the seat/mount and that although the nuts on top are all tight it's like there is still space underneath.

So here I am. I am going to replace my link and radius rod bushings because the new struts didn't eliminate the clunking in back and I figured since I'm taking those off the strut I might as well take a look at the strut.

Although the last thing I want to deal with is disassembling and reassembling drum brakes so now I'm having second thoughts about my plan.

 

You can take the rear brake assemblies off without taking them apart. If you're careful, you don't even have to disconnect the brake lines. Pull the clip that secures the flexible brake line to the strut,, remove the rear bearing hub, and take out the four bolts that hold the backplate to the strut and you can carefully remove the brake assembly. You can even leave the parking brake cable hooked up. Just be careful not to bend the rigid brake line too much.

 

so the clunking noise was there before you put on the new struts?

 

oh. i didn't think those 4 bolts were accessible through the mess of shoes and springs and stuff.

 

Thank you Rod Schneider from Woodstock Ga.!

coolsun - yes, the clUNking pre dates the new struts. The clAcking however started after the struts were installed and is coming from the area around the strut mounts on both sides (mounts themselves are new).

So basically I spent about $500 in all with parts and labor. I'm still clunking plus now I'm clacking.

Front struts feel good though.

 

The clunking is usually what you stated the parallel links needs new bushings, thats what solved my clunkings and i also did do a radius rod bushing change too, the poly bushings that are sold for the parallel links at courtesyparts is what i replaced them with.

 

heh while you're at it maybe go ahead and swap the struts for SE struts (so you get disc brakes, and stiffer springs... do the fronts also), swap ebrake cables, and toss the kyb cartridges into your SE struts.... put those new bushings on, get it aligned, and drive happy. to you might not want to spend that kind of money right now.

 

That is good to know. Considered the poly but went with the stock rubber after reading some things about the poly "squeaking".

That's actually not a bad plan. You're right about the money though, and time is another big constraint.

 

when the rear strut cartridges were installed did they use the original gland packing nut or did they use the replacement one that some struts include (most notably KYB)?

 

I don't know. I don't know if one was included and if it was I don't know if he used it. Didn't look in the box just took everything up there and left it with him.