[iamthewalrus016]

I searched pretty extensively on this subject... So About 5k miles ago I replaced my entire suspension... H and R cup kit with sport spring, control arms, tie rods, sway bar end links, strut and shock mounts and such... Not long ago, around the time it started to warm up in May my suspension started making a creaking/popping noise. I put the car up on jack stands to check if there was any play anywhere.. I found none. The noise happens at slow speeds and not necessarily going over bumps.

From what I researched it sounds like strut mounts. I haven't taken my struts off yet to really check the bearing inside the mount, but the mounts were replaced with everything else. If it is in fact the strut mounts what would cause the mount to fail after such a short period... I drive like a grandma lol

Its a 2005 330i btw

 

[Archbid]

It is possible you didn't torque down the strut but adequately

correction- strut nut

 

[iamthewalrus016]

is strut but a typo... or are we talking the nut on top of the strut lol

 

[Archbid]

Oops! Nut

 

[iamthewalrus016]

I kinda liked the ole strut but

So in all seriousness... I guess I should put her back up on jack stands and undue the top but and re-torque to spec which i believe was 40 something Ft-lb. Need to look that up and track down the open face socket. Which now that I am thinking about it... whats the best way to hold the piston? Allen key in a breaker bar or what?

Also this can be done without taking the strut assembly off I hope...

 

[Archbid]

You can tighten it on the ground from the top. I use a socket that has hex faces with a wrench on the outside to hold it stationary.

then I have a long Allen socket attached to a torque wrench. Insert the Allen into the 3/8" hole on the socket then into the hex opening on the strut shaft. Torque counterclockwise

 

[iamthewalrus016]

Im thinking a spark plug socket with a long allen socket now. When you say it can be done on the ground... No need to put it on stands?

 

[Archbid]

Exactly

 

[704sw]

For whatever reason, the strut top nut on my driver side Koni Yellow liked to walk itself loose every few months, and it resulted in the popping sound you're describing. Eventually added blue Loctite, retorqued to spec, and has not acted up since.

 

[iamthewalrus016]

So I rechecked the torque. It seems it’s at 47 ft lbs… but looking at the strut nut, it just doesn’t seem threaded enough to be correct. I’m wondering if using a nylock nut instead of the nut and lock washer supplied by h and r would be better.

 

[Archbid]

Are you sure you assembled all the various washers around the mount correctly?

 

[iamthewalrus016]

I believe so… from the bottom up it’s washer then the cup shaped seal into the mount.

 

[iamthewalrus016]

There was only a lock washer between the mount and nut on top though.

 

[iamthewalrus016]

Last night I took both struts down and verified that they were assembled correctly... The strut mount bearing seemed nice and tight as well....

I was thinking... since the cup kit and sport springs lowered the car slightly would the sway bar end links be too short or causing problems? I read another post in a thread about suspension noise that was caused by the end links and they tested the theory by removing them and driving the car. If I remove my end links and take it around the block at a slow speed would there be any negative impact to doing this? I don't want to break anything trying to diagnose this issue lol.

 

[iamthewalrus016]

I think I found the source of the noise.... My spring orientation was a little off on both sides. Most likely from torquing the strut nut while the strut was on the car. The top end of each spring was not seated in the notch and end point on the rubber pad. Corrected the orientation and the noise is now gone. Hopefully no damage was done while driving like this.

 

[Archbid]

Tightening the strut not cannot create near enough force to move the spring. If it was misaligned it happened when the strut was assembled with the spring

 

[iamthewalrus016]

maybe its the plates moving on the top and bottom of the spring when i try to tighten it on the car and not off. but no kidding i swear thats what out it out of alignment. im tempted to try and get a video of it doing it.

but id prefer to not mess with the suspension ever again lol

 

[Archbid]

maybe its the plates moving on the top and bottom of the spring when i try to tighten it on the car and not off. but no kidding i swear thats what out it out of alignment. im tempted to try and get a video of it doing it.

but id prefer to not mess with the suspension ever again lol

I've been there. Gotta zen out and then go at it again. You will solve it

 

[iamthewalrus016]

The noise is gone so im leaving it as is and chalking it up to misaligned springs.