So I installed new struts/shocks and springs last Monday. They are Tokico HP struts/shocks and Megan Racing springs (which surprisingly ride really great!)

The first few days everything was just great, I was so happy, blah blah blah.
But of course, now there's a problem. I'm getting a really bad BANG BANG BANG sound from the rear driver's side any time I hit any imperfection in the road - Even a reflector. I have had my car on jackstands for a while now, got new hardware for the bottom of the shock. Installed that, didn't help.

I've figured out that if I go in the trunk, I can grab the top of the shock rod and physically move it around very easily and that causes a knocking type sound.
The passenger side rear shock isn't nearly as easy to move around and also doesn't make a sound.

I'm almost ready to take it in to a SHOP to have it fixed. And I've never done that before... :/

This only happens when the car is on the ground, and the center nut on the strut rod is all the way down to the bottom of the threads.

 

Your problem is going with the crappy megan racing springs.

 

Maybe I had Tokicos and Eibach's abd had no problems at all, or maybe you installed something wrong on that side...Good Luck....

 

The rear shock isn't assembles correctly. Check the location of the large disc type spacer and upper bushings.

 

I wonder if the rear mount seperated or blew out?op can you take a pic of the top?

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Definitely not the problem...

I don't know how anybody can say these springs are just soooo aweful when 80% of people haven't tried them. They're a little on the stiff side but I'm very satisfied with them. And I've been in vehicles with Eibach Pro Kit and Tein H-tech so I do have a decent reference point.

Furthermore, this problem has nothing to do with the springs.

 

Yeah I can, just from the inside of the trunk? Or the top of the wheel well?
If you want a picture of the inside of my trunk I might take a day or two to get that picture since I have close to 300 lbs of subwoofer equipment in there that is a real PITA to move in and out.

 

Inside the trunk a good close up of the top of the mount may help us help you also a wheel well shot will tell us if you assembled it correctly.there is also a thread in the 5th gen section by Djfreestyle who does alot of members suspensions and he know just about everything there is to know about these problems.

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I'll go take the picture of the wheel well and MAYBE the inside of the trunk if I start to feel ambitious outside, it did just rain so who knows what might happen in the next 10 minutes xD

 

Didn't feel like ripping out the system at the moment, so here's some wheel well shots





and just for fun....

The screws holding the battery in place are just temporary, don't flame

 

Looks to me that the spring is not seated properly and the isolators are not in the right spot.
You have metal on metal going on there.

 

Here's what I'm worried about..


See the gap between the rubber bushing that the spring seats in and the metal disc mount?

I think the spring is in there correctly, here's a picture of the seating position

 

Upper strut mount toast? Looks uneven for sure.
And those rubber tubes around the spring need to be at the ends, not slid down like they are.

 

Strut mount is toast i wouldnt drive until its replaced you might damage the strut and spring or worse have an accident from failed parts

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Oh that's weird, they were slid down there when I got them.
The other side has them there as well. Do other springs even come with those rubber pieces around the springs? I don't recall seeing H or S-techs having them. Thought they were just kind of for looks.

 

Fair enough! I figured it probably wasn't too safe. ha.

 

Just as I said, they are not assembled correctly. The larger bushing you see between the spring should be resting on a larger disk spacer. The. Disk should sit on top of the notch on the shock shaft. That holds the bushing set together which sandwiches the mount.

Take them out of the car, disassemble and reassemble correctly. Search for the exploded view on this site to help you.

 

I'm not challenging you or anything but could you point out what number you're talking about?

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/4081/rrsuspfsmic5.gif

What number am I missing or what order do I currently have it in that I should re-arrange? As far as I can see everything looks right to me but it's probably right under my nose.

 

Take pics from inside the trunk...of teh struts, not of the damn audio equip

I'm betting your middle strut nut ain't tight enough, or the two that mount the strut assembly to the car aren't.

Those spring isolators do NOT come with the new springs, re-using originals are fine.

top strut mount should look like this:


entire rear assembly:

 

Per fsm top strut nuts are tightened to spec after vehicle is on ground with fuel full, jack in in place. In practice everyone ignores this and does it when it is assembled or i havent seen any one mentiones it.

 

Number 8 is missing or in the wrong position.

Look at your pictures, the bushing with the ribs should be sitting on top of #8.
In your pictures, it's half way down the shock's shaft.

 

It's only like that because the car is jacked up in that picture. I didn't get number 8 with the rest of the hardware and I didn't even have that on my old shocks

 

You had to have #8 or you would have had the same issue as you have now. That part does not come with new shocks or mounts, you must reuse the old one.

The disk sits on the notch on the shock and the bushing set sits on top of that. Basically it's what holds the shock shaft in place. As you have it assembled, the shock shaft is flopping around. That bushing should be up tight against the mount, yours isn't held up which is why it's down on the shaft.
Look closely at the picture above, white shock, red spring. You can see that disk holding the bushing set which is obviously squeezed tight against the upper mount. That's how yours should look.
You've got to pull the assembly out, disassemble and find or replace the missing part. Right now, the shock is doing nothing, that's why the bounce and noise is present.

 

THIS.

 

I agree 100%, you are missing #8 in the linked diagram. I just did struts myself, as did most guys posting here. You forgot a part that was there previously, or you would have had this problem before the install as well.

My Sensen with OE mounts and hardware reused.

 

^^ much better pic of the top than mine

 

Although the verdict seems to be the metal washer, would that metal washer missing cause the strut to sit so high up like that? The threads don't even reach the bushing.

Does anyone know the PN for that washer #8? I sincerely didn't have that on my old shocks, my old shocks didn't have ANYTHING on them. Not even bumpstops, not any bushings, not to mention when I took them off the shaft fell straight into the shock body. Probably completely out of oil..

 

And does anyone have any reccomendation on how to get those two mounting nuts off if they're stripped on the outside? Sockets just slip on the nuts.

 

What? Why are the bushings above the mount? You're missing more than just that washer or you installed something backwards.

Edit: wait a minute, it looks to me like you put the washer up top. The washer is supposed to be sandwiched between the 2 bushings. The mount goes over that. You've been riding on pure springs.

 

I definitely agree that I've been riding on pure springs, the ride is as bouncy as a damn trampoline haha. But refer to this image

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/4081/rrsuspfsmic5.gif

According to that, the washer (and everything else) is in the correct spot except for washer #8 which I seem to be missing.

Would installing washer #8 really solve this problem?

If ANYBODY knows the PN to the bound bumper cover, please let me know, as I am fairly certain that is my problem.
I googled bound bumper cover 1996 maxima and GUESS WHAT COMES UP?

bumper covers.
haha.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MEVOTECH-MP9...-/350800778935

Guess u gotta buy it all. U did need the nuts too though.

Doesn't make sense that your OEM struts didn't have that bumper cover.

 

Wrecking yard for parts.

 

Or classifieds

 

Yes, #8 in the correct position will solve your problem.

If you can't find the part, disassemble the shock and take it to a hardware store. Look for a large SS washer that will sit securely on the notch on the shock. It must be the same size or slightly larger then the ribbed bushing.

 

Okay thank you so much.

I figured I'd update this thread for people who experience a similar problem in the future.
I removed the bottom bolt for the shock, tried to take off the upper shock mounts but one bolt on each mount was rounded.
As of right now, the car is back up on jackstands with the top shock mounts stuck on.
I did run and get the washers though so those are ready to be put on.
Hopefully I'll have them off by tomorrow.
Will post when I get everything put back together.

 

NJ max is right. So many people run into this problem. Comes up at least once a month. If the strut shaft looks to be coming up into the trunk abnormally high then you have forgot a washer or put it in the wrong place.

 

This is when good tools come in handy. Get some vice grips and you should be able to get it off. Vice grips always come in handy when working with strut nuts. Make sure you put a towel around the strut shaft so the vice grips dont cut up the shaft

 

Alright everyone. I finally got that upper nut off after spraying with PB Blaster, torching, PB Blaster, torching, and a vice grip. Took the spring off the shock and what do you know, the guys on the .org are dead on. The absence of the washer allowed the bushing to slide over the lip on the shock that it rests on.
I put a washer on, re-installed and...
All of my problems are solved!
THANK YOU!!!!!!!! Wish I could buy you guys a few cold ones.

 

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Glad to know you've got it fixed... I know what it's like to have problems on a new suspension setup...I had to have my brand new strut bearings replaced on mine

 

Nice detective work fellas...