[POQbum]

[Bad strut mount] Broke part, makes rattling noise, have a pic

Can anyone help me out with what this is? What needs to be replaced?

Here's the picture of the clanking, rattling part. When I drive over bumps the noise is very noticeable.

Here's the picture of the same part on the other side of the car, the working side.

This part broke when I was going over a large dip in the road at a high speed. The speed limit was 35, but most cars go 50 since it is a stretch of road between interstates, I was going 60 when I hit the dip in the road. Didn't think it would break anything.

BTW, I tried tightening the bolt but ended up stripping the hex in the center of it after a couple of turns. It looks like something pushed up too hard and broke a seal of some sort. Just not sure what this is, what I need to buy to get it replaced, and how difficult or expensive it is going to be.

 

[Studum]

Nearly double the speed limit :blink 1:

That's your strut mount and right now it looks like it's broken nearly completely free. Trying to tighten it won't do a dang thing for it.

Get that fixed right away. If the strut bottomed out to put that much upward force on it, it may be shot as well. If you don't have the tools or know how take it to a shop that will work on suspension. At a minimum you need mount and alignment. If the strut itself is shot you'll be doing both sides + alignment.

I wouldn't be driving on it.

 

[Road Trip]

@Studum, your comments are totally on point!

Flatbed it to be repaired (if you are not). With that kind of force, I would also have your front wheels checked, for they could be bent -- especially of course, the one underneath the broken strut tower upper mount.

 

[POQbum]

So on my todo list:
- fix strut mount
- get an alignment of the strut on that side
- maybe order a new strut

Everything seems to be working fine, I can go over speed bumps and potholes and I feel the suspension working fully, but there is for sure a lot of clanking going around on that side. I'm thinking my strut is ok. I'm on a budget, so will try just fixing the mount first and see if any other problems come up.

Is there any easy way to see if my strut is not working properly or if it's broken?

Thanks for all the help so far

 

[arathol]

So on my todo list:
- fix strut mount
- get an alignment of the strut on that side
- maybe order a new strut

Everything seems to be working fine, I can go over speed bumps and potholes and I feel the suspension working fully, but there is for sure a lot of clanking going around on that side. I'm thinking my strut is ok. I'm on a budget, so will try just fixing the mount first and see if any other problems come up.

Is there any easy way to see if my strut is not working properly or if it's broken?

Thanks for all the help so far

You need a new strut mount on both sides. If one is that bad the other is probably close behind.
You need a full alignment, not just one wheel. You need two new struts, or will once you manage to wrestle that nut off. If the center of the strut rod is stripped, you won't be able to tighten the nut on the end anyhow. Replace one and you need to do both.
Its not working fine, its not working at all probably. The springs are doing the suspension work, that strut is now just along for the ride.
I would not drive it much. If the lower side of the mount gets free from the strut, the strut will be sticking out through your hood.

 

[Studum]

Labor to replace the strut is the same as replacing the strut mount. The strut has to come off and be disassembled regardless. Spend the extra $100 on a new strut if there's any doubt if it's good or not. If you can't tell if a strut is good or bad take it to a mechanic.

Bad struts will be leaking / have no rebound / be seized / be bent / etc.

If the Allen head is already stripped out a ton it may be toast anyways. That's how to properly loosen and tighten the top bolt. The only other way is either clamping onto the threads on the top with a vice grip (damaging threads for re-use) or to do the same on the rod below, but that will marr the surface of the rod and if it's in the range of motion of the strut it'll cut the seal and eventually blow the strut anyways.

Budget or not, your struts are load bearing. The entire weight of that front corner of your car is flapping loosely on some broken metal. I don't know how it's still together, but it isn't by much at all. If it manages to break completely free and your spring becomes unseated on a bump the whole front corner of your car can drop out on you causing WAY more damage. (Not to mention the safety of yourself and others on the road!)

Also, the rod can punch upward into your hood (if the strut still has some rebound in it) and at a minimum cause additional body damage.

Seriously - that's a dangerous amount of damage to be running around on still.

Listen to us or don't, your call. But where you're currently at, at least from what I can see, is completely fixable and relatively easily so. But man you're gonna be in a bad spot if it lets go on you any further.

If you're on a hyper budget and the strut is shot go to an independent mechanic and see if they can source you a used strut assembly from a wrecked car. I will always recommend same age / spec springs and shocks / struts on either side of the same axle but if you're in that bad of shape being on the road properly bolted together is a better than the alternative.

 

[Studum]

You need a new strut mount on both sides. If one is that bad the other is probably close behind.
You need a full alignment, not just one wheel. You need two new struts, or will once you manage to wrestle that nut off. If the center of the strut rod is stripped, you won't be able to tighten the nut on the end anyhow. Replace one and you need to do both.
Its not working fine, its not working at all probably. The springs are doing the suspension work, that strut is now just along for the ride.
I would not drive it much. If the lower side of the mount gets free from the strut, the strut will be sticking out through your hood.

Dang nammit, you beat me to the punch. Reply window open and getting so many phone calls LOL.

 

[POQbum]

Buying a new strut and mount on that side, wasn't too painful on my wallet.
30$ strut mount
$70 strut
$150 labor.

UPDATE IMAGE:

Before getting it installed I still drove on the bad mount for a few days. It progressively got worse everyday, this is how it looked before the strut rod got stuck under the mount. It could have slipped off entirely and who knows what type of mess that would have created with my rod sticking somewhere else entirely underneath my car. After it got stuck under the mount luckily my parts had arrived in the mail and I got it replaced same day.

For future reference, our strut rod will never pierce our hood due to the clearance we have for it (as long as your spring remains in-tact which it should). The wheel will bottom out before the rod hits the hood.

My new strut makes a world of difference in the handling and suspension of the car, wish I had done it sooner. My mount was bad for a long time and I didn't even realize.