Strut noise with lowering springs

[1 PHAT 5]

I did a search with no luck. I might not have been looking for the right thread.

I just installed new springs while retaining my stock struts. I know the struts need to be replaced since they have over 75k miles on them and this will get done in about a month.

My question is if anyone that has doen this experienced a klunking noise, rattling noise from you're struts after you had it done?

The machanic says its from inside the struts and its do to lowering the car. I have lowered cars before and never experienced anything like this before. I am thinking the mechanic is going senile.

I have a few friends that lowered there P5 like I did and this didn't happen for them.

again wondering if there is a fix besides new struts.

Thankyou

 

[uclap5]

put a couple washers on the strut piston above the bowl shaped washer then tighten it down again.

there are many threads on this, so do a search to really read up on it.

 

[1 PHAT 5]

Cool, thankyou. Any idea's on the thread titles cuase I did a search for strut noise, klunking, rattling and i got nothing.

 

[rustychops41]

Like uclap said. The BJ rear struts are very long, and almost any lowering spring is barely long enough to stay compressed under full droop. The 2 or 3 (#12 metric) flat washers on top of the bowl-shaped washer will keep the spring under some compression/tension even when fully unloaded. Unfortunately you'll probably have to pull the struts out to do this, unless you can get a grip on that bowl-washer from the top. This mod worked for me.

 

[garretts77]

Try this one:
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25438&highlight=strange+noise

Hope it helps...

 

[Be11ydawg]

May not be the same kind of noise, but mine was coming from the front end when turning. It was due to the end link at the strut not being tight. Tightened it up and the noise went away.

Good luck,

 

[1 PHAT 5]

Thanks everyone for the input. I tried to undo the nut with no luck so I am going to see if my mechanic can put those washers on without having to take everything out again. I got 2 washers for each side and it will be about 1/4" higher. Hope that will be enough. Plus I had him check everything to make sure it is tight and that nothing is rubbing. This has got to solve the problem. Man I love my Mazda but I never had to deal with little stuff like this on my Hondas.

Funny thing is my noise is from both sides in the rear. I can't duplicate the noise when the car is sitting but when I push down on the car I can see the strut move up and down just by the bowl washer. It doesn't move much so it amazes me that the little movement I see makes that much noise.

 

[1 PHAT 5]

Well, I got the washers put on and still theres a klunking sound. It is driving me nuts. Does anyone know if new aftermarket struts will fix this problem. I have no idea what to do next.

 

[1 PHAT 5]

Well, I finally got some time to get under my car and see what is causing the noise. Turns out its where the endlinks hook up with the swaybar. They wheren't loosed up during the uinstall but now they are loose. Bad news is they are stripped out now due to 77k miles of rust. Just thought I would let everyone know what is up.

Now, what I need is Endlinks at all 4 corners and 4 new struts. Who on this forum sells these products? I know AWR makes Endlinks and theres a bunch of struts go with but what do the Authorized Vendors on this forum carry and have in stock. I would search but i don't want to be bugging vendors that don't have the products in stock.
Any info would be greatly appreaciated
So who wants to sell me their products?