Rear end links and dampers story

This story is surely familiar to many readers: Clunking rear end noise over low speed bumps. Gets worse over time. I read many posts on this site and others and many, many people diagnose end links. But in my case that was not the problem. I ordered new end links and got to work to install them but of course first I removed both old (factory) end links. Maddeningly they seemed fine upon visual and manual inspection. I did not perform the torque test recommended by the Mazda service manual. Instead I allowed the sway bar to hang free of any suspension components and went for a test drive. First bump I went over the same clunking noise. Kept it up for a few more minutes and heard all the annoying noises I had before. So shipped my brand new Moog end links back to Rock auto. (a side note on the end links...the Moog ones have no 5 mm allen hole in the threaded post. I actually found removing the factory end links quite simple with that method despite 5 Canadian salty winters. But the Moog end links have wrench flats on them and that works OK on the sway bar end but not in the "hollow" control arm. I could not figure out how to hold those flats when they are up inside the control arm. Good think I didn't need them and the stock Mazda end links are back in)

Then I suspected the drivers rear shock (damper). I removed the damper and put the car back together. Did the bounce/jounce and the noise I could make with that test was completely gone (to do this I simply bounced the rear deck of the trunk up and down with my hands). I did not want to make a test drive with no damper in the suspension. Probably would have been OK, just very bouncy.

Also, the damper had a peculiar operation when I pushed down on it. It immediately sprang back up with a springy feel. Not the smooth rebound you would expect. I also could not pull it out at all. It's almost as if it had turned into another spring instead of behaving with a damping action.

So there it is, I am pretty sure (95%) that the drivers rear damper was the issue. I have ordered 2 KYB gas-adjust mono-tube to replace the damaged and passenger side (dealer installed two years ago). I figured that even though only the drivers side was bad, I should really replace both at the same time.

I'll write again once I have the new dampers installed. In the meantime, the old damper is back in and my "favorite" noise has returned.

Make sure you replace the upper shock mounts while replacing the shocks, they are readily available cheap insurance against future problems, and noises.

Thanks. Good idea, I was not going to do that. I called my local Mazda dealer and they told me they only sell the rear shock mount with the shock, not separately. Will have to look elsewhere.

Then I found another dealer further away who will sell me just the mounts. Just gotta drive further. All the other local parts stores sell Monroe or makes I have never heard of. So going with the OEM Mazda mounts as they cost about the same as the other parts.

Sounds very similar to what happened with mine. Mine had been making a weird rattling noise for a while, and I was surprised the noise went away when I replaced the rear shocks (they were worn out anyway). One of the shocks on mine was doing exactly what yours was doing - it was like a pogo stick. You push the rod into the shock and it springs back out without the normal damping effect. The originals lasted less than 50,000 miles. I have about 55,000 on the replacements and they still seem fine.

All done and back to a quiet car. Can't believe it took me this long to get around to fixing this. Rides like new. Changed the sway bar bushing while I was at it as well - the old ones looked pretty good but they're cheap to replace. Took Secondtyme's advice and put in new upper shock mounts - the Dorman ones from a dealer.

Not many miles on these gas adjust shocks but they feel pretty good so far. Of course anything would probably feel and sound better than the broken shock I had.