Front end clunk - Incorrectly installed struts?

J

JCruz

New member
So I just picked up my 4runner from the mechanic, it rides great and doesn't bounce like a pogo anymore, but on the way home it had a new loud clunk on the front end.

Got to searching and saw this:

Screenshot - e5096763aa4665250c8a1bf6b4ad02b5 - Gyazo

Both struts look like that.

The nut isnt on the washer and i can move the washer and bushing around.


This isnt supposed to be like that right?
 
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That is definitely wrong. I'm struggling to understand how that is even possible. What springs and shocks did you use?
 
Looks like he forgot the bottom cushion and/or more likely the bottom retainer/washer, it should be a slightly smaller OD and thick retainer holding the lower cushion similar to the top retainer/cushion and sandwiches the top plate between these retainers and cushions. What top plates did you use, OEM have a separate lower cushion and aftermarket typically have the lower cushion fused to the underside of the top plate.
 
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The lower spring cup or seat is in the correct orientation as is the spring position, just missing a lower retainer and a cushion for the top plate, so ya he messed it up and needs to completely disassemble and fix it properly. This is not good and I bet it clunks!

Edit, after looking at the pics again it looks like you used the old top plate upper retainer and cushion and no lower cushion & retainer. I would replace the entire top plate upper and lower cushions and spring insulators at least or get another top plate and replace which ever cushions are not included with new if you don't want clunks. Use as many OEM parts as you can afford on these rubbers.
 
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Looks like I ordered the wrong springs for the front.


81092 is what I ordered, instead of 81088


:mad2:


so if anyone is ever curious. The 2wd springs are way shorter
 
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Springs only effect ride and ride height, it's doesn't change the fact that they are assembled inccorectly, he forgot a few parts that I mentioned.. And yes you're losing more than an inch of lift due to the incorrect assembly, so if you don't like the height taking into account you'll gain 1-1.25" of height properly assembled you got the wrong springs, that's a personal preference not an spring issue.

You have looked at a few items but ignored the obvious, cup is correct, Spring is in correct position, shock is sticking out the top of the top plate, obviously the lower retainer and/or the cushion is MIA.
 
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Can you show me the parts that are missing?

Im having trouble finding a picture that shows them

Malcolm99 said:
Springs only effect ride and ride height, it's doesn't change the fact that they are assembled inccorectly, he forgot a few parts that I mentioned.. And yes you're losing more than an inch of lift due to the incorrect assembly, so if you don't like the height taking into account you'll gain 1-1.25" of height properly assembled you got the wrong springs, that's a personal preference not an spring issue.

You have looked at a few items but ignored the obvious, cup is correct, Spring is in correct position, shock is sticking out the top of the top plate, obviously the lower retainer and/or the cushion is MIA.
Click to expand...
 
Not off hand I can't, but it is pretty obvious what's missing looking at it and my discription, look up the parts breakdown of a Toyota front coil assembly it goes like this, shock coil lower top plate retainer and cushion, top plate, upper top plate cushion and retainer, pretty straight forward like this l0I0l , l=retainer, 0=cushion, I = top plate. Upper and lower cushion and retainers are different parts numbers OEM. As you can imagine the lower shock retainer missing will make the shock shaft poke through just like yours, not good!
 
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Take a look between the upper coil where the shock shaft meets the bottom of top plate, is there a retainer and then a cushion and then the bottom of the top plate, that pic does nothing for me. The shock shaft has a lip/ledge/dust boot that the retainer sits on, then a cushion and top plate. This is the only spot missing parts that would allow the shock shaft to extent like yours., it needs these parts or it will look like yours, incorrect. If the shock is infact incorrect the spacing between the lip of the shock shaft and threaded section are incorrectly machined by Bilstein,.. Not bloody likely. And looking again at that last pic that dust boot is stuffed way up into the top plate adding to the conclusion lower retainer or cushion is missing.
 
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Oh okay.


I cant see in there, but it is likely you are right. That would make sense since according to moog the 2wd front spring and 4wd front spring are 1 inch diff in length
 
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I can't believe that this silly mechanic installed it like that, called it good and sent you on your way. Crazy. Glad you are getting some good advice on here though. Now you can go in and teach your mechanic how to do a proper install.
 
I crawled under the truck with a few lights, and I couldnt see the bushing nor the top of the strut.

Seems like Malcolm is correct. Ill call the mechanic in the morning, and wont drive the truck till its fixed
 
Spoke to the mechanic this morning, he checked the old struts, and sure enough, they didnt move the lower bushing and washer to the new struts.

Ill be dropping it off tonight, he will fix it and use two new bushings.
 
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