Front Strut Noise

RMW

RMW

Daily Driver
All,
So far you guys have been extremely helpful, so I thought I would go to the well again. Had 'thunking' noise up front when I drive over sharp bumps/pot holes etc. and this causes the car to lose a bit of traction. Thought it might be ball joints, so jacked up the car and shook things around. Not ball joints, but appears to be coming from top of front left strut. When grabbed and shook side to side a distinct 'thunk' is heard. The amount of play is very small, almost not noticeable but for the accompanying noise. Bolts and rubber on top of strut appear ok. Spring is loaded but can ever so slightly be rotated (maybe a degree at most). Before I randomly buy new struts, are there rubber bushings up top of the strut that might be worn out causing this noise?
Thanks in advance.
Rob
 
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You are on the right track suspecting the rubber bushings at the top of the struts (known as "strut mounts" if you want to go searching for them).

Question though - is the play you are feeling in a lateral movement (grab the struts and move side to side/front to back)? Or is the play up/down?

If up/down, then it may be possible that your top strut nut is a little loose. You might want to try to tighten that and see if it helps. DO NOT loosen it all the way, that will allow the spring to jump out, it will hurt you. The nut sits in a little cup, which has 2 slots at 180 degrees cut into the top edge. Those are there so you can stop the strut shaft from rotating while you tighten the nut. I'm sure there is a special Fiat tool for that, but you can make one, or just have someone else hold a large screwdriver against one while you do the tightening.

Hope your problem is as simple as that. If not, it's probably time for new strut mounts.

Pete
 
Are the springs stock or have they been cut? Cutting the springs and not shortening the strut shaft can cause a noise when going over bumps.
 
Motion that makes the noise is mostly side to side action. So points towards the strut mounts, but will check tightness of nut for yuks. From what I gather there are a few styles out there. The Plaia mounts that C. Obert sells, original style, and some that are really for other fiats with mounting holes in a different location. Is it possible that the fiber thrust bearing is the cause?
 
clunking and movement at the top of the strut... likely this bush has disintegrated.
4369881 bush.jpg


SteveC
 
Ok, that makes sense. Thanks. While I am in there thinking of roller bearings, heavy duty strut mounts and big foot plates.

Being a 77, I believe i can rebuild or swap out strut inserts. Do fiat 128 inserts fit in x19 struts ( saw a source of kyb inserts). No sure what parts are entailed in a insert rebuild ( just an O-ring?). I don't really want a super aggressive setup, as roads are terrible in my neck of the woods.
Rob
 
Where can the heavy duty strut mounts be had from? I have been looking but I think they are all sold out. Post up if you find a supply.

Thanks
 
Was going to try C. Obert, sounds as though that may be a dead end. I will check with him tomorrow. Maybe I will get lucky.
 
Perhaps he still does have some. Let us know, after you get yours of course :). Thanks
 
RMW said:
Ok, that makes sense. Thanks. While I am in there thinking of roller bearings, heavy duty strut mounts and big foot plates.

Being a 77, I believe i can rebuild or swap out strut inserts. Do fiat 128 inserts fit in x19 struts ( saw a source of kyb inserts). No sure what parts are entailed in a insert rebuild ( just an O-ring?). I don't really want a super aggressive setup, as roads are terrible in my neck of the woods.
Rob
Click to expand...

128 strut is overall longer than X19, and the configuration at the top of the strut rod is slightly different, so no a 128 insert won't fit the X19 strut tube... Inserts are usually sealed units, simply requiring the gland nut to be tightened on top to hold them in place... original strut has a 'wet leg' inside the tube, so has a seal/o ring to keep fluid inside.

SteveC
 
kmead said:
Where can the heavy duty strut mounts be had from?
Click to expand...
Recently I saw a couple of listings online for some but they were very pricey. If I recall one seller was on eBay and the other was in Europe. Kind of remember one of the X-specialist suppliers listing them as well. Not sure if they were actually in stock though...and I'm sure you've tried all of them already.
 
RMW said:
thinking of roller bearings, heavy duty strut mounts and big foot plates
Click to expand...
What's the availability of thrust bearings and doubler plates? Any better than HD top mounts? Can't believe no one has re-produced any of this stuff already....hey vendors, are you listening?
 
So far as I know, all the vendors have the small thrust bearings. I am sure that FiatPlus as both the doubler and the bearing.

I believe Eurosport has the bearings and the plates.

The big missing link here is the upper strut mounts. Presuming that all the vendors bought from the same vendor, I wonder if they are willing to get together to buy a new lot of them or what is going on.

In order to get them I am sure they have to buy a pretty decent quantity, like 10000 parts. The question is are there enough of us willing to buy them to justify their investment. I know I stupidly put off buying any thinking there was a good supply, should have bout 8 when they came out. Kicking myself now.
 
I went over to the Fiat Plus shop yesterday at lunch ( live and work in the same town) and picked up a set of bearings, doubler plates and heavy duty strut mounts. He had all of them in stock. The heavy duty strut mounts, he had to have a batch of 2500 made. He figures he is about 1/2 through his supply, so go get em. I venture to guess when supply runs out, that could be it. Never know though...
Thanks for info on 128 strut insert. Saw some cheap ones.... I plan at the moment just to service the ones I got. More learning to do
 
RMW said:
Thanks for info on 128 strut insert. Saw some cheap ones.... I plan at the moment just to service the ones I got. More learning to do
Click to expand...
By "service the ones I got" do you mean replace the inserts with new ones or try to rebuild your existing inserts? To my knowledge the strut inserts are not rebuildable (except perhaps some high-end aftermarket items from Koni?). And finding new replacement inserts might be a little difficult (but I have not looked so that may not be true). By far the most common solution on the current market seems to be the KYB complete strut replacements (which no longer have removable inserts and are no longer the Dr DeCarbon monotube high-pressure design). But the price isn't too bad, roughly $50-60 each online, and they will work for a street-driven application.
 
On the struts, just take the old inserts out, replace oil and o-ring. They work fine now, and pass the bounce/settle test. I figure if I have them out, refresh them. I prefer not to have to go back in there frequently and do as much the 1st time. I don't race just drive for fun, so no need for radical suspension mods.
 
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