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I'm tracking down a noise I get on the left front side of my 997.1 PASM suspension when going over uneven pavement. It's not super loud, but sounds like it's coming from the strut. And also sounds like it may be from the top of the strut.
Wondering if anyone knows the following?
Torque for the top strut bolt (front)
Do I need anything else other than a 21mm open socket to tighten it?
Is it normal that I can move it when trying to tighten? The bolt and circular top piece seems to move easily... and feels like its not actually doing anything when trying to tighten it. So I'm assuming I'm just doing it wrong.
Describe the sound..... if it is clunking, you have a bad control arm. If it is creaking, there are bearings at teh top of the strut (if front) and it may be them.
Regarding the rotation, it is rotating .... the entire shaft is rotating... this is normal. That is why there is a torx socket insidet the shaft top. You use that to hold the shaft while you turn the nut. But I don't think you should be doing this.... you only do this to disassemble the strut (shock and spring assembly).
Further, note you have PASM... you don't... if you did, there would be a cable coming out of the top through a hole up the shaft center and no torx socket.... unless the PASM cable comes out the bottom in which case you have aftermarket Bilsteins......
I was just testing it with an open ended 21mm wrench. But I'm going to stop on that path Thanks for the heads up that! I just grabbed that pic online as example, mine has the top wire.
It sounds more like clunking, so sounds like more like it would be a bad control arm, based on your feedback.
As for the control arm, I'll do a bit of research around what to look for. Any pointers, things I can test, etc..?
Thanks guys.. Had the wheel and liner off. Everything seems pretty tight.
The top strut mounts (2 out of the 3) seemed slightly loose tho. Not bad enough for it to have messed with the alignment, I don't think.. but did need to be tightened.
I drove around a bit, and it seemed better. Then once I got back to my street I could here it again, ha.. so will prob keep digging.
Also looks like the washer fluid is leaking from the container in the wheel well where it connects to the rubber hose.. but that should be easy enough to fix... I think.
Your strut has probably failed. I put Bilsteins in my 964 and one of the rears failed and caused a horrible clunk going over uneven pavement and every time I drove into my garage from the gravel driveway. Struts can also leak fluid so maybe that isn't washer fluid after all. The torque specs for the tops nuts is fairly low.
A strut in my E350 also failed a few years ago and the symptom was a clunk.
Your strut has probably failed. I put Bilsteins in my 964 and one of the rears failed and caused a horrible clunk going over uneven pavement and every time I drove into my garage from the gravel driveway. Struts can also leak fluid so maybe that isn't washer fluid after all. The torque specs for the tops nuts is fairly low.
A strut in my E350 also failed a few years ago and the symptom was a clunk.
Thanks! Yeah, going to keep an eye on it. It's not bad at the moment, more just something I've hyper focussed on But may be an early sign that's its on it's way.
Leak is def the washer fluid, was coming out of the tank.. did a temp seal, so that'll be fine for a bit
Describe the sound..... if it is clunking, you have a bad control arm. If it is creaking, there are bearings at teh top of the strut (if front) and it may be them.
Regarding the rotation, it is rotating .... the entire shaft is rotating... this is normal. That is why there is a torx socket insidet the shaft top. You use that to hold the shaft while you turn the nut. But I don't think you should be doing this.... you only do this to disassemble the strut (shock and spring assembly).
Further, note you have PASM... you don't... if you did, there would be a cable coming out of the top through a hole up the shaft center and no torx socket.... unless the PASM cable comes out the bottom in which case you have aftermarket Bilsteins......
Give us more information.
Peace
Bruce in Philly
Peace
Bruce in Philly
Hey Bruce -
I'm back fixing things now winter is coming
I ended up replacing the washer pump and seal.. that took care of that issue.
As for the suspension noise, I'm kinda thinking it's got something to do with that top nut, I'm not sure it should be loose. The other side it tight and that side seems fine when going over bumps.
Any idea if on PASM, that nut should be loose at the top?
I ended up replacing the washer pump and seal.. that took care of that issue.
As for the suspension noise, I'm kinda thinking it's got something to do with that top nut, I'm not sure it should be loose. The other side it tight and that side seems fine when going over bumps.
Any idea if on PASM, that nut should be loose at the top?
Thanks!
I take this back, just saw one of your other posts about that washer that you need to grab when turning the top nut. Wonder why one side rotates and the other one doesn't. In either case, I'll check the control arm next. I replaced the sway bar drop links a month ago too, as well as the sway bar bushings.. that tightened everything up a bit, but didn't resolve the noise.
So I'll see if the control arm rubber is deteriorating. And I'm also going to see if I can find what that washer tool is called.. since I'll prob have to replace the strut at some point anyway.
It looked like the spring wasn't seated correctly in the strut top mount, so I took the wheel off and spun the spring around to the correct position. Will see if that is the fix next time I take it out
I'll keep digging.. I'm not sure if the clunking is as bad as you noted in your post. And the handing seems fine too.
I'm going to pop off the inner wheel cover too and verify theres nothing loose behind it. Since that seems like a common issue too.
I had a knock in my 997.2 that sounded like a knock in my 996 that was fixed by new control arms; however, in my 997.2, it wasn’t the control arms. It was the shocks.
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Front top strut nut
Thanks for the heads up that! I just grabbed that pic online as example, mine has the top wire.
But may be an early sign that's its on it's way.
