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Midnight_Rider wrote:Last two posts- uh-oh, old farts like me don't need kidney-bouncing or backaches. Back to the drawing boad.

Let me assure you it gets worse in the years ahead of you. I'd almost rather wash my SRT-4 than drive it on our shitty roads

http://www.allpar.com/fix/shocks.html

On a related note, I found this article very interesting. I guess my OEM leanings would pay off if I decide to not change to coilovers and stay with shocks and struts.

Midnight_Rider wrote:http://www.allpar.com/fix/shocks.html

On a related note, I found this article very interesting. I guess my OEM leanings would pay off if I decide to not change to coilovers and stay with shocks and struts.

your my hero ..... my SRT-4 has 133,000+ miles on it, so strut replacement will be needed soon ..... I'll use OEM

Okay, I've decided to stay OEM after everyone said that coilovers wouldn't fit my style of driving. So what do I tell the guys at the parts counter other than shocks and struts? I will go stark raving mad if this clunking and chattering noise from the rear continues after I shell out gobs of cash for shocks and struts only to find that I needed other parts as well. Thanks in advance for all advice.

I'd ask about the top hats and such before replacing the struts unless you know they're bad.

TheRandom1 wrote:I'd ask about the top hats and such before replacing the struts unless you know they're bad.

"...and such"- top hats, yes but what "such" do you refer to? I figure that I might as well have Dodge replace the struts while everything is apart for new shocks. I just want the clunking noise to go away without doing the caulking thing.

But you've already had the struts replaced once, IIRC right? No reason to spend hte money to do them again if they're still fine.

There have been a few other possible solutions in addition to the top hats that have been mentioned here, I believe. I'd start with checking on that stuff and make damn sure whatever they're replacing is bad before it's replaced...

All you need is the top strut mount plates in the back, and the top bearing plate and bearing in the front.


As for the allpar article. I find it interesting people complained of shocks clunking on Spirits/Acclaims... because I know the bigger issue is the rear axle had a tube going through it and the welds would break causing it to clunk around. Very noticeable if you hear one driving by with a broken axle. My dad welded many a axle on those back in the day. Including one of the ones we owned.

Gramps when I lowered my car the day i bought it...I put lowering springs on my stock struts...while the car looks great ...it drives real shitty...buy that i mean if I run over a fly i feel the BUMP! I drive so slow over speed bumps etc ..etc ....I never bottom out cause I'm SO careful! but on occasions when I dont know the road I'm pretty good at avoiding pot holes but on occasions i hit one and holy CRAP the bump scares me...I keep saying what did I break! My Wife hates driving with me in my car she freaks out...going oh now now what did ya break!:roll:

I want to upgrade my set up but I'm REALLY restricted here...they dont have much unless i go coil-overs...

I was thinking of maybe saving up and getting the Tokico Blues but i dont think it will help the ride much...

I'm basically riding on springs ...even after 10 years i bet my shocks are still brand new as they NEVER get used!

I'm not sure what do do...but for now I'm still just leaving it...Although I could raise it back up but that would look shit!

sidepipe87 wrote:All you need is the top strut mount plates in the back, and the top bearing plate and bearing in the front.


As for the allpar article. I find it interesting people complained of shocks clunking on Spirits/Acclaims... because I know the bigger issue is the rear axle had a tube going through it and the welds would break causing it to clunk around. Very noticeable if you hear one driving by with a broken axle. My dad welded many a axle on those back in the day. Including one of the ones we owned.

That happened to the '92 Plymouth Acclaim we owned at 60,000 miles ..... but welding solved the problem ..... you obviously know about Mopar suspension

TheRandom1 wrote:But you've already had the struts replaced once, IIRC right? No reason to spend hte money to do them again if they're still fine.

You're right, I had completely forgotten.
viewtopic.php?t=18557&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30
My 54K service is scheduled for Tuesday so I'll ask the mechanic to check everything. Unfortunately, the mechanic I trusted for over 10 years quit earlier this year.

Isn't he also the guy who replaced the struts before and it didn't fix the problem?

^good point

I'd say have them take the struts apart and replace the tophats on all 4 struts, then check to see if the struts are still good. If they're good all they have to do then is slap everything together and you should be fine. If they're bad have them order you a new set of struts. IMHO

TheRandom1 wrote:Isn't he also the guy who replaced the struts before and it didn't fix the problem?

Yes, but he wanted to keep working at fixing the problem and his boss (the service manager) wouldn't let him- a reimbursement issue with Chrysler is what I was told.

OK... but you don't replace good parts unless they are for sure the cause of the problem is my point.

Agreed.

And, he apparently didn't do that.

No, the parts were replaced a second time due to the fact that the noises came back. After re-replacement, the noises subsided for qute a while. And now they're back, driving me nuts.

I would look into the top hats, see what happens there before anything else.

Will do. Thanks again everyone for the good advice.

Did you ever get this issue resolved David??