Hey,

I got my KYBS+ Springs installed Today (pics tomorrow). Looks really good, handles great but when i go over big bumps or down a dirt,potholly road, there is this weird thumping sounds that ive never had before and its clearly the shocks. Is this normal?

 

I'm doing the same install so keep me posted on how it rides

 

Definitely not. I would think that something did not get installed correctly, like an isolation bushing or something like that. Go back to the shop if you had someone do it, or try to isolate the noise and take it apart yourself.

 

what kinda springs are they? i have clunking noises when i go over bumps, because the spring coils hit each other.. the solution is to wrap the top 3 or so coils of the front springs in wire wrap, should make the problem go away

 

Because the struts are quite a bit stiffer than the originals they will transmit more impact to the upper strut mount. You might want to look closely at yours to make sure they are in good shape. Even if they look good the rubber in them will get harder over time and it may be a good idea to replace them anyway. I just installed AGX,s and the mounts KYB makes as well and I hear just about every bump I roll over. I thought the mounts would break-in after a while but the noise hasnt lessened at all. I will be changing them out with new OE's as soon as I feel motivated enough to take the suspension apart again.

 

Ugg. This isnt what i want to hear!
I have the Progress springs. How can I figure out if its the springs? Another thing that I noticed is that it doesnt ALWAYS happen. I wrote this orgnial post from my girl friends house who lives on a dirt road. I first heard it going down her road. On my way home- going down the same dirt road I only heard it once (The first time i heard it a bunch of times) It sounds almost like someone banging on a pot (although my Gf said that was a bad description.hehe)

 

I'll comment on the KYB front mounts from my perspective I have NO noises from bumps, but I do get a crunching from both the front assemblies. I think it's either the front strut bearing (which I did replace) or the springs (which I wrapped ). Just didn't want to totally scare you away from the KYB front mounts
-hype

 

If you hear noises from the front of the car while turning the steering wheel, it's the springs. If you hear noises from the front of the car while going over bumps, it's the struts/shocks. check to make sure the bushings, etc... are installed correctly. Isolate the noise and then check it out...

 

look at the front coils of the springs.. especially the top coils.. if you see any scuff marks or loose paint on the springs, the coils are hitting each other.. time to take them off and wrap them..

 

I just lowered my Max with the AGX's and Sprints and I have a similar noise but it only happens when I make a left turn. And it doesnt happen all the time. Any ideas?

 

Something nobody has mentioned: go back & be sure all the bolts are torqued properly to manufacturer's specs. This is especially important for the piston rod nut & the strut mount nuts. You can't just cinch those down - it's gotta be "by the book."

Even if you did torque them, check them again.

Your description of the sound being like "banging on a pot," even if not totally accurate, implies to me that it's a metal on metal sound.

This is likely either the top 2 spring coils banging into each other (if you didn't insulate them) on harsh bumps, or an improperly torqued strut mount or piston nut, or a missing part.

Good luck.

 

Did the installer cut the bumpstops at all? Also, how fast are you driving down this dirt road? With a lowered Max and KYB's, you shouldn't be going faster than 30 mph.

 

Ok it sounds more and more like the installer fudged somthing so I guess im going to have to go back. damnit.
I was going probably 10mph down the dirt road. Is this somthing that needs to be fixed ASAP or cani wait till monday

 

Just take it easy on the car...you can wait a day or two. Unless of course the noise gets progressively worse during the day or the noise is REALLY loud.

 

Ok. I think ill print out this thread and show it to him too. I shouldnt have to pay for the labor if he ****ed up,r ight?

 

. . .the shop that performed the work should guarantee/warranty the quality of their install and address any problems associated with that work at no additional cost to you. Only if the shop cannot resolve the problem as a result of incompetence, would you have a case for disputing the labor charge. That's standard operating procedure. . .

Btw, I agree on the bumpstop suggestion: The urethane bumpstops need to be removed from the inside of the dustboots and cut in half, then reinserted into the dustboot and installed. If the bumpstops were not cut, then you could be bottoming the top of the strut cartridge into the strut mount on harsh bumps, which could cause noise. Any technician worth his salt that has done lowering before, knows this is a neccessary part of the job.

Again, good luck! Keep us posted.

 

Is center piston rod nut is that critical? The problem I have is the clunking when turning, but I've put wire wrap where everyone else has and I have check my strut bearings and they are fine. Could the problem lie with the piston rod nut being too tight or too loose?

 

I have the same problem you do. I installed my springs myself, and even though I wrapped them I get a crunch/pop when I turn the wheel. I think my springs aren't seated correctly for some reason (or else I have no idea what's wrong).
-hype

 

That should be at 40-50 ft lbs I believe. And yes, it's kind of important that its tight so it doesn't eject your struts innards all over the street.

-RMB

 

To elaborate a little more on my problem...I took my strut assembly apart and when checking the strut bearing, there was virtually no friction when attempting to turn it by hand. But as soon as I install it in the strut assembly with the other parts, and tighten down the piston rod nut, I try to turn the strut and there is friction of some kind. I compare it to a really tight pen cap and trying to turn it. Does that make sense at all? It's like that kind rubbing. I know the noise is coming from the top somewhere but can't pinpoint the culprit.

 

The strut bearing is only lubed on the inside, correct? I don't lube the outside of it up where it meets the upper spring seat(perch) and the part that contains the three studs for the upper strut mount, do I?

 

Quoted from earlier: "Is center piston rod nut is that critical? The problem I have is the clunking when turning, but I've put wire wrap where everyone else has and I have check my strut bearings and they are fine. Could the problem lie with the piston rod nut being too tight or too loose?"

Please, does anyone have some knowledge with this problem or know what it could be? I'm getting an alignment next week and have to get this done this weekend.

 

I wish I could help, but I really don't know the solution or else mine would be fixed. The strut bearing is only lubricated on the inside. The center nut is very important, and mine worked it's way loose while I was driving and I heard some of the clunking noises. I then tightened it back down and that clunk went away, but my springs continue to "pop" (that's how I usually describe it). I replaced my front strut mounts with KYB mounts if that makes a difference, but I think that for some reason the spring isn't seated correctly on the mount which is causing the popping.
Hope that helps somewhat.
-hype

 

The reason torque specs are so important is because if the piston-rod nut is too tight, you can cause the strut bearing to bind. (I suspect that's the problem you're facing) If it's too loose, you can have a dangerously out of spec tolerance that can cause premature wear of upper strut mounts and poor handling characteristics.

If it's not your spring insulation material making the noise, I think it's the strut bearing - you're describing textbook symptoms of a failed/poorly functioning strut bearing.

Good luck.

 

No. No external lube/grease is used there.

 

Thanks. I am going to check that today then. It might be too tight. I didn't have the torque specs. for the piston rod nut handy so I just tightened pretty tight with a 1/2" rachet. I hope it's just too tight. I'll keep you posted. Thanks very much for the info.

 

I am doing the same modification next week, lemme know how it works out, on another note I am getting an Addco RSB next week, did it work at all. Hit me back

 

If you just tightened down with a 1/2" ratchet I doubt it's tight enough. My torque wrench is at least a foot long and you have to put a decent amount of torque on the wrench to get to 50 ft. lbs. If you still have noise you're in the same boat as exhip95 and I.
-hype

 

I don't think overtightening the center nut would cause the bearing to bind because the bearing is between the spring seat and the upper mount. The strut tightens into the fixed (non-moving) part of the upper mount only. Spring pressure only is compressing the bearing. The only danger in overtightening the nut is stripping the threads on either the shaft or nut, both of which would not be good. It helps to put a little grease on the threads of the shaft before installing the nut so that you will not be fighting friction when you tighten it. This will give you a more accurate torque measurement.

 

Well, I tightened the top strut mount nuts and piston rod nut to specs and the clunking is still present. I am running really low on areas to troubleshoot. I may just have to take it somewhere if I cannot find out the problem Saturday.

 

Ok. I've been doing some reading on the front struts and I have a question as to the order each part is put together. Starting from the top:
3 upper strut nuts
1 piston rod nut
paper-like orange gasket
strut mount
strut bearing
upper spring seat with rubber insulator

Here is my question: My Haynes Manual on section 10-6 says in step 5 of disassembly to "check rubber portion of the mount for cracking". Does the strut mount have a "rubber portion"? When I worked on this originally, my buddy worked on the front struts while I worked on the rear. When I took the strut assembly apart last week myself, I don't remember a "rubber portion" to the strut mount. But the diagram of the front strut assembly Nissan gave me doesn't have that rubber part either. Is Haynes wrong in stating this or is the absense of this part causing the clunking when turning?

 

Most certainly there is (or should be.

The spring itself should be only touching the rubber "upper spring rubber seat"(part #6 in the Chilton manual diagram) on the top. This was kind of a doughnut shaped thick rubber insert that fit into the upper seat. So the upper spring should NOT be in contact with any metal of any kind. Even the bottom coil of the spring should be completely wrapped in that grey colored "Polyurethane tube" so that it is isolated from the bottom seat as well.

The upper mount piece too also has a center that is rubber. It is sandwiched against the other all metal part of the upper mount. There are three(or 4... don't remember) little rubber "lobes" that actually contact the other part of the mount. The all metal part of the mount has the 3 bolts that actually go up through the strut tower. This part has no rubber.

Hmmm.. hard to describe

Any of this make sense?

So if any of these pieces are messed up, your gonna have lots 'o noise....

-RMB

 

I do have the rubber sleeve for the upper seat that the spring sets in up top. I replace those. But I am a little concerned about the other half of your post. Which portion of the upper mount has the rubber center? The piece with the 3 studs or the piece with the three holes that the studs go through? Because on mine, I have the KYB strut mount (with 3 holes), then the piece with the 3 studs, then the strut bearing, then the upper spring perch/seat which has the rubber doughnut insulator. The only rubber piece I have in this upper portion is the rubber insulator that the spring literally rests against. Does this make sense? It sounds like my noise is coming from the fact that I don't have the other rubber pieces you have mentioned.

 

Yep... that sounds screwed up then.

Go to http://www.motorvate.com click on Strut Bearing R&R in the left column. There's great pictures here...

I've got the OEM mounts. I didn't get the KYB's so maybe there's some design difference? I'd stick with OEM though if I were you...

The piece that the 3-studded metal mount goes through is the one that should have the 3 or 4 lobed rubber isolator. The rubber in my OEM one was actually formed into that actual metal piece and could not be removed. So there's a rubber sandwich basically in the upper mount. If you go to that website, the rubber piece is next to the first picture of the red paper gasket.
http://www.motorvate.ca/auto/maxima/...l_DSC00217.jpg

That's your prob is sounds like....

Maybe go down to a stealership and just check out what the parts cost... Do you have your old ones?

-RMB

 

So this would cause the problem of clunking when turning? I thought that the upper mount doesn't turn anyway. I don't have noise when hitting bumps at all, just when turning...it's the clunk/pop sound. You still think it is the problem with the kyb mounts? Thanks for your help.

 

I have the clunk/pop and exhip does as well. Now after your experiences I'm leaning towards the KYB mounts causing the noise. Most people eliminate the noise when they wrap the springs, but all of us have done this and the noise has continuted.
I think it's time to condemn the mounts (or it could always be the KYB front strut bearing )
-hype

 

You might be right. And I thought by buying the KYB replacements, it work even better than the OEM. That ****es me off. The originals were probably never bad in the first place but I got rid of them because I didn't think I'd use them again. So now, I have to order them from Nissan. Suck. Oh well. That's price for not using Genuine Nissan parts. I'm going to probably order the parts today. 2 strut mounts and 2 strut bearings= $$$$bend over$$$$.

 

Dunno, But I would guess so. If those KYB mounts are metal-on metal except for the spring seat then something is very, very wrong with that design. The Nissan OEM ones with the rubber sandwich are pretty simple in design. I can't imagine KYB would leave that rubber piece out on purpose.

Did you toss the originals? Mine were fine after 80k miles....

-RMB

 

I got a good price & great service from Tustin Nissan, in CA. Even after shipping costs, they beat my local dealer by like 35%.