Alright everyone. I have recently replaced all 4 struts in my car with monroe quick struts. I have a 2002 Accord. Everything went wonderful until a few weeks later I heard a rattle from the front passenger side. Its a light “tinny” rattle, almost as if a bolt was loose and it was jiggling around. It doesn’t happen every time and sometimes goes away altogether. I took it to my trusted mechanic, and they spend a good 45 minutes inside looking at things and overtightened everything to no avail. I have ruled out a defective strut (as I replaced it with one and the new one does the same thing) and I ruled out the stabilizer bar bushing (brand new OEM part I installed) and I ruled out the sway bar link (also new). Any ideas are gratefully appreciated. I’m at the end of my rope!
--Max
What Did The Tech Support Guys At Monroe Tell You To Check When You Called Them ?
CSA
I haven’t called Monroe at all, nor have I spoken to them. At first I thought that the strut was defective so I brought it back to the store (Pep Boys) and they gave me another which I installed. There was no difference in sound. The rattle is the same. This only happens on the front passenger. All the other sides sound perfectly fine.
The first thing that comes to mind is that the right axle was replaced but not properly tightened. I know that’s not the history, but it fits. You’d feel a slight vibration over any bump in that wheel. My second thought is that you have a failing wheel bearing or axle. Same thing except you would hear it while just driving, kind of a wup-wup sound up front that gets louder and worse over time.
If this sounds like your problem, have the car towed to get it fixed if you can’t fix it yourself.
Sometimes the top strut mount damper bushing lets the strut rod tap at the side of the hole. It is a tap sound. I ignore it but that does not mean you should. If a mechanic has looked and checked it out it may be just that. Essentially the rod of the shock absorber part goes up in to the area under the hood. It has 2 rubber bushings and washers on it. But it passes through a small hole only about 3/16 of an inch bigger than the steel rod of the shock. If that rod touches the car body it will make an audible tap noise.