Struts and Strut Bearings (?)

Has anyone ever had their Struts rattle when hitting bumps in the road ?

I have a Suzuki Esteem (daughter's car) and an Alton Tire mechanic thinks the rattling
is due to the Strut Bearing being worn.

He did an alignment after the right front tire got eaten up. Was off by 0.50" -
whatever that means.

I will post this on the Suzuki Esteem Forum, but few people ever go there!
Not many Esteems in the USA, I guess.

Anyway, I am presuming that this "Strut Bearing" business applies to my Geo Metro also...!

Has anyone worked on these? Got pictures?

Are struts hard to work on, dangerous, expensive...?

Since I have NEVER worked on any Struts, I am outside my level of education here and
humbly ask for knowledge to be imparted upon my cranium.

Later edit - saw GM Rat Line's post with a diagram. (Aug 2005).
I presume a Suzuki Esteem's struts can't be that much different.
You cannot buy a Chilton Manual for this car!
They are too rare in the USA (UK has many - called the BALENO there !).

DoctorBill

I've replaced lots of struts and they pretty straight forward. Go to a place like autozone and borrow a set of spring compressors. You probably are better off replacing the both the struts and the mounts, (not just the struts). One tip I can offer is to loosen the strut nut before jacking the car up off the ground. Don't loosen too much, just enough to break it free. I've found (the hard way) that if you don't do this, it can be hard to get the nut loose without twisting the strut rod too. Also, I don't remember if this is critical with the Metro, but mark the mount orientation before removing it from the car. That way you can put it back the same way. Some cars adjust alignment with the way the strut mount attaches, but I don't think that's the case with this car.
If it takes you longer than 1 hour per side your dogging it!

I should have looked before I assumed.

When I lifted the hood this afternoon, I found BOTH of the nuts on the Struts
to be loose! The left one was maybe 1/4 inch loose and the rod has worn the
hole that the strut protrudes thru into an oval shape by banging around!

In all my automobiles, I have NEVER, ever had these nuts come loose....ever!

That is why I had not suspected such to happen.

I tightened them back down.

Later - I think I will instant glue the upper threads to keep this from happening again!

I will jack the car up to relieve the pressure also as the bolt was not centered
when I tightened it on the left side.

I need to center it.

Where do you get those upper plates from?
Schucks doesn't have them.

The junk yard? Esteems are rare to find - not many in the USA.
Anyway - the struts are $60 (Macpeirson) or $83 TYG each at PartsAmerica.com (Schucks here)

Sorry I jumped the gun.

DoctorBill

PS - maybe they were replaced by the previous owner and not tightened per specifications.
Is one supposed to use Thread Lock?

Are the strut Spring Compressors reliable?

Seeing big springs compressed like that - it looks like it could take one's head off!
Or rearrange your face for you...

I've never done this, but it would seem that buying a spring compressor at
Harbor Freight for $20 or so would be smarter than renting one for the same $$.

DoctorBill

I prefer to install "QuickStruts" which are a complete, drop-in unit including the spring, strut, mounts, etc. They are not available for all models and assuming this Esteem is not common, you will have to do it the hard way.

First thing is loosen the nuts like previously stated and then remove the entire assembly from the car. Use the spring compressors to compress the spring and remove the nut. Slowly relieve the pressure from the compressor and it all comes apart. I highly suggest replacing the mounts, springs, struts, and bearing (if equipped) to make sure you do not have to do this again.

Don't be afraid of the spring, just make sure it's always pointed away from you on either end just incase. Once you do one, you will be more confident on the rest and it becomes easier as you do them.

If you are a big guy like me, you may have enough strength to relieve the spring tension without the tools especially with rear struts. You can test this by placing the assembled unit on the ground standing straight up and using downforce while watching to see if it gets loose enough. You need an assistant with the impact ready for this method.

Hey Doc, Yes spring compressors are good. I got mine at Autozone cost about 45.00 you can return it when your done and get your money back. (Kind of a Rental thing). Or you can just keep it, wich I chose to do. Extra tools are nice to have. The one thing i like about there model is, it has a locking type device built in to keep it from ever coming off the spring. Those springs under compression are very dangerous, but the built in lock takes care of that problem. Once you go through the learning curve on the first one you do the rest go pretty easy........Good Luck!

[B]

Where do you get those upper plates from?
Schucks doesn't have them.


Is one supposed to use Thread Lock?

Rock Auto for the plates DOC, Listed under suspension for the Esteem, and their made by Monroe. I Posted a reply to this yesterday, but the reply was deleted by the board.....???:banghead:

http://www.rockauto.com/

You can use "Loc-Tite" for the nuts if you want, it wont hurt anything.

I don't know about Esteme's, but if you have a rattle, on bumpy roads, with a Metro, I would check the lower control arm bushings. I had a 96 Metro, with bad bushings and it rattled to beat hell. Good Luck.