spring rubbing

sharphintofemo · 01-31-2009, 10:14 PM

ok i've searched and searched the forum for this problem so i apologize beforehand for starting a new thread.

my wife drives the alero and while driving she heard a "klunk" sound from the left front (passenger) side and when turning right she could hear a rubbing sound, when turning. (it doesn't make the rubbing sound when turning left, although it does touch.) it also only makes the sound when the wheel well is wet. i checked it out and had her turn the wheel while i took a look and it seems that the spring is rubbing on the inside above the wheel well. it is touching and rubbing on the outside (if you were sitting facing the tire it would be rubbing the wall closest to you up inside the wheel well). i then tried to tighten the nut on top of the strut to see if it was loose, it wasn't.

i then jacked it up to see if maybe i had a bad tie rod and wheel doesn't have any give. the car doesn't shimmy or shake when driving on the highway or noticeably pull to one side(yet), which makes me think its not the tie rod.

i put the car back down, turned the wheel and i heard the "klunk" myself and the rubbing commenced. it seems that once the wheel has the weight of the car on it, something pops out and the spring is closer to the wall and it rubs.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

cherrington17 · 01-31-2009, 10:16 PM

probably a busted upper strut mount.

its rather common.

time to replace the struts with KYBs

sharphintofemo · 02-01-2009, 01:48 PM

upon closer examination it appears that the spring broke. it looks like that it broke off close to the spring seat and spring insulator and allows it enough play to rub.

cherrington17 · 02-01-2009, 01:53 PM

well then.... guess you need new springs.

time to lower (if desired)

alerored04 · 02-01-2009, 02:08 PM

That seems like a common problem on these cars. I have heard of at least four people having that happen. There is a set of H&R lowering springs for sale on grandamgt.com right now for $100. I am sure you could get them for $80 if you talked to the guy.

sharphintofemo · 02-01-2009, 07:37 PM

spring was broke but found out that the strut was shot and the strut mount was too. it looks like the spring broke because the mount and strut were shot and the spring was taking most of weight and torque when the wheel was turned. something like that?

zzyzzx · 02-05-2009, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alerored04

That seems like a common problem on these cars. I have heard of at least four people having that happen. There is a set of H&R lowering springs for sale on grandamgt.com right now for $100. I am sure you could get them for $80 if you talked to the guy.

Seems to me that the car has already lowered...all by itself...

Seriously now, broken rear springs are exceptionally common on 1991-1996 Escorts (as in it's not a matter of if, but when) so I have some experience here. At least on these scorts, they break because of some plastic sleeve around the spring that reatins moisture, and therefore causes the steel to rust and then break. Over on the Escort messageboards I've never heard anyone complain about a strut mount though.

zzyzzx · 02-05-2009, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharphintofemo

spring was broke but found out that the strut was shot and the strut mount was too. it looks like the spring broke because the mount and strut were shot and the spring was taking most of weight and torque when the wheel was turned. something like that?

Strut mount broke, strut shot, spring bad....

Anything not broken there? How's the strut boot?

Gr1m · 02-05-2009, 02:50 PM

fix it before you snap the strut and have to replace the spring and the strut

zzyzzx · 02-06-2009, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gr1m

fix it before you snap the strut and have to replace the spring and the strut

I think they need to replace the spring and strut anyway. I'd probably use one of those 'quick struts' (preassembled).

zzyzzx · 02-06-2009, 12:22 PM

This is a quick strut