Is my tokico strut worn out? making clunking noise

[LoW96Rs03]

I have a set of tokico blues with a set of sprint springs. The front right makes a clunking sound when going over bumps. The setup is about a year old or so. but I live down dirt roads to they take a beating. When goin over small bumps it makes a clunk sound or like something is loose, its hard to explain? Is the strut wore out or spring messed up or what? It rides fine on the pavement, except sometimes when I am driving really slow (coming from a stop) the car will bounce/shake(also making a clunking noise from the same area) untill I get going, and it also feels like its coming from the front left wheelwell. I have no idea where to start on this one....is there a way to check if the spring/strut is just bad?

 

[Rx3]

You could try bouncing the corner of the car (get it going, 5-10 hard bounces on the fender), and then seeing how many bounces it takes for the car to settle. If it's more than 1-2, then you probably have a blown strut. Compare the side you think is bad to a side you know is good.

Another thing to do would be to have someone watching while you go over some bumps. If the wheel bounces excessively, your strut is probably blown. Also check for signs of leaking fluid (shock oil) on the assembly.


The only way to know for sure is to take the shock and spring out. Inspect the spring coil, and then separate the shock from the spring, and try compressing it by hand. If you can compress it yourself, it is definitely blown.

 

[No_Skillz]

The only way to know for sure is to take the shock and spring out. Inspect the spring coil, and then separate the shock from the spring, and try compressing it by hand. If you can compress it yourself, it is definitely blown.

I'm not quite sure that's entirely correct. I remember when I bought my tocikos, they would compress as long as I put on high constant pressure by hand. They are brand new and are working great.

 

[Rx3]

I'm not quite sure that's entirely correct. I remember when I bought my tocikos, they would compress as long as I put on high constant pressure by hand. They are brand new and are working great.

You cannot compress the strut completely if it is working properly. You might get it halfway down or so, but it's not going to compress all the way. Especially if you have the stiffness setting higher than 1 (which most of us do). Even then the speed of compression will be very slow. It will be very easy to tell if he takes it out. Fast compression = bad strut



DISCLAIMER: If you are bigger than Arnold, then maybe this doesn't apply.

 

[No_Skillz]

Dat's wight! Ah am Aaaahhhhnuld.

 

[Omega]

I would check the swaybar, end links, loose bolts that sort of thing before the strut being bad.

 

[Breaksteel]

check the shocks for tightness, the problem is most likely the center nut where the adjustment for the shock would be, if you have used the stock bushings in there they tend to loose firmness and it will get loose..(checking to see that the are washers tight really wont matter..it may seem its tight but most likely it isn't when you start wrenching)..i had to tighten mine like once a month or after a bout of really had cornering. The ultimate fix for this is to change the stock bushings....i have some here i have been meaning to put in, but ill get to it...

good luck

 

[steve-o_95_GST]

do what Omega said and check the swaybar links and busings. i have a clunking sound when i hit even the slightest bumb and i finaly got my car up on a hoist to check on it and the bushings are all rotted out and i can move the bar freely, also i have bad linkage arms.

-steve