Is it possible to screw up putting in struts?

[StageLeft]

Yep, 2004 MPV, 74k miles. Struts on these from factory are known to be a bit dicey. Anyway, at 70k I replaced the front struts, rubber strut mounts, strut bearings and upper and lower boots (that the spring sits in). I did not replace the springs. I did align them properly at the top and put them on the correct side and then got an alignment to the car at a service center.

I originally replaced them because of a nasty strange scraping sound that I attributed to the strut. The sound did go away after replacing them.

The problem is very soon after doing this (not right away, but pretty damn soon), the suspension started to clunk over bumps. Now 4k later the struts are basically gone, from what I can tell. Any small bump, like going over the one inch bump in my garage (and this seems worse when cold, I think) causes a clunk. Speed bumps, even at low speed, make a murderous sound like the struts are freaking ancient.

So, questions:

1) Is there anyway I could have done this wrong, and if so, how? Again, I did use the correct strut on each side, used OEM, and I had the strut mount on the strut twisted in the way it should be (there is a subtle angle at the top).

2) Is it likely I can get these replaced at Mazda with a parts warranty? They're around three months old.

3) Is there any chance this clunking and sound over bumps is not the struts, but something else?

--

EDIT: Yes, I know, I'm not having the best of luck these days with my cars. At least I'm learning a lot

 

[bruceb]

Could be the upper strut bearings went bad again. It could also be the sway bar end links are loose or worn out.
Also check the lower control arm bushings, ball joints and tie rod ends. And there is a slight chance you have a
bad motor or transmission mount.

 

[StageLeft]

Thanks for the ideas. I don't think it's the strut bearings because this happens even when completely straight and I just don't see that this kind of sound could come from those tiny little plastic discs. It really does kind of sound like the struts when I do those speed bumps, although the "fast clunking" during other bumps could be harder to diagnose by.

 

[Kntx]

If the struts are blown it should be bouncy right?? Check the sway bar end links. Those get clunky when they are done in.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Put it this way, I saw the aftermath of someone destroying a $2000 single board computer because they screwed up replacing a heat sink which attached with four screws. If you think that there's no way to screw something up, someone will come around and prove you wrong.

edit:
...they also mangled the heatsink in the process.

 

[darom]

Skoorb, that scraping sound - on my 2002 MPV (112k miles) i have the same sound that reminds me a piece of thin metal scraping against the firewall. It is not all the time. I zip tied the hell out of the wiring under the gauge cluster trying to get rid of the noise. My wife drives the van and the sound drives her crazy. The struts were replaced at 51k miles (one of them started leaking).

I don't think you messed up installing your struts. They go basically one way.

We did have to replace both engine mounts (radiator side and firewall) at 110k miles (thump noises going over the bumps, constant alignments etc.). Get a flash light and check your engine mounts.

 

[NutBucket]

I was going to suggest other bits as well, like worn bushings or sway bar end links. Also, by strut bearings, not the plastic washer but the actual ball bearing that is inside the top strut mount.

 

[StageLeft]

Unable to enter the order because your account is restricted to closing transactions.

In my case, when turning at low speeds with the wheel over to the right only, I'd get a scraping and it got to the point where if I had the car parked and wheels even straight I could rock in my seat back and forth and as the car moved it would scrape. I was never positive it was struts, but they had a lot of miles on them anyway. When I replaced them the sound was 90% gone and shortly thereafter left 100%. Strange it wasn't 100% gone right off the bat, but it is gone now. It sounded like some metal stuck in a wheel well or something.

I'll have to put this up and look around the various bits and pieces.

Come to think of it, I can see how this could be some rubbery sound like sway bar link or whatever else...

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
I was going to suggest other bits as well, like worn bushings or sway bar end links. Also, by strut bearings, not the plastic washer but the actual ball bearing that is inside the top strut mount.

At least in my case the only parts that move are the plastic strut bearings and then they fit directly over the long thin part of the strut "arm" and attach directly to the bottom of the rubber strut mounts. I don't think there's any other part of the strut besides the spring that wasn't replaced.

 

[NutBucket]

Bearings in the strut mount have to be replaced as a unit...as in buy a new top strut mount. However, I doubt they would fail with so few miles on vehicle.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Bearings in the strut mount have to be replaced as a unit...as in buy a new top strut mount. However, I doubt they would fail with so few miles on vehicle.

Here is what they look like in this. That metal mount bolts straight onto the car and the only moving part in it is basically a rubber membrane. The strut hooks straight into that--I did replace these mounts on both sides of the car just in case they were a potential cause of my initial problem.

 

[StageLeft]

Damn, you guys are good. I started to inspect on sunday and the one sway bar link I didn't replace before was all stripped and impossible to undo. I had planned to take them out and disconnect the sway bar and see what's what but it was going to be a pain, order new part, I have had enough working on the cars in the salt for the time being. Brought it in yesterday and they felt the sway bar link was bad, so they replaced it ($30 part and $85 labor). However, they can find nothing else wrong. The squeaking on bumps is still there in a big way, especially when cold. They felt it was no big deal.

My guess is either the sway bar bushing is worn or the new rubber at the top/bottom of the springs I put in when i did the struts is causing this sound. I am going to leave it.

I have to say I'm very surprised a $30 link is the cause for the clunking, but indeed it was; the car is driving a hell of a lot better now. If I had been chasing the clunking before the squeaking I would have replaced the link myself (it is a pretty easy change, despite having to drill the old one out). First time I've paid for a car repair in 8 years and it was over that

I appreciate the posts, as always!

So with this fixed, next is on to figure out why my other car has a rubbing sound coming from one wheel. I do think that should be easy, though