Loud clunk *that can't be good*....NOW WITH PICS!!!

[pyro926]

I think my shock/struts are toast. I know my rear right one is, but the rear left one (driver side) seems fine, but when I turn right hard or hit a bump the driver's side bottoms out. Here is the problem. My car is a little.....tweaked.....and I didn't do the tweaking. So I don't know what struts they put under there. It has the AA lift on it I think. I was told it is the old AA demo rig. Anyway, anyone have any suggestions on finding out which struts I have and how to fix my bottoming out problem?

 

Thanks,

Pyro

[markjw]

I had a similar clunking coming

from the rear of my ea81 wagon.

Turns out it was the torsion bar pivoting in its housing 'cause of loose set screws.

 

I dragged a car trailer clear over to Yakima to buy

your wagon when that other guy had it for sale.

I gotta tell ya, it was very obvious

the thing had seen some vicious

air born landings.

 

I seen several bolts tore from the body up forward. So,i'd be

suspicious of the

rear torsion bar.

 

I'm curios about the steering column. Did you repair it,or does it still flop up and down? That guy

tried to tell me it was a loose bolt.

I'm sure it had more to do with the hard landings.

[True2Blue]

mine does that. thats stock struts with crappy extension stops, the shock extends real fast and as it maxes out it thumps on the end of the rubber bumper on the inside, the spring really amplifies the sound. but thats mine i havent heard yours.

[pyro926]

I had a similar clunking coming

from the rear of my ea81 wagon.

Turns out it was the torsion bar pivoting in its housing 'cause of loose set screws.

 

I dragged a car trailer clear over to Yakima to buy

your wagon when that other guy had it for sale.

I gotta tell ya, it was very obvious

the thing had seen some vicious

air born landings.

 

I seen several bolts tore from the body up forward. So,i'd be

suspicious of the

rear torsion bar.

 

I'm curios about the steering column. Did you repair it,or does it still flop up and down? That guy

tried to tell me it was a loose bolt.

I'm sure it had more to do with the hard landings.

 

I did fix the steering, had to machine a new bushing because the old one was in peices. Not super tight, but WAY better than it was. If you check the AA website they have a video of it jumping. I mean JUMPING. I'm not possitive it is the same car, but it looks like it and I know it is in some of their pics on the site.

http://alliedarmament.homestead.com/SubParts.html

 

 

Any way, I think I found the problem. Here is a pic of the driver's side strut:

 

Here is one of the pass. side:

 

Do you see any thing wrong with that?

Still wondering why it sounds like it is bottoming out on the driver's side...

[3eyedwagon]

Is that really how they lifted the rear???

 

Looks kinda spooky to me.

[WoodsWagon]

That's a direct copy of the way the BYB lifts are done in regards to extending the rear strut.

 

Your left rear strut cap is bent, but probably will last a while. Your right side strut needs replacement. The shelf on the strut that the rubber bushing and washer sit on is sheared. You'll need a new strut, strut cap, and bushing washer. Once you replace the right rear, do the bounce test on the other 3 corners of the car. With that many hard landings, the struts are liable to be blown internally.

[pyro926]

With that many hard landings, the struts are liable to be blown internally.

 

 

No doubt....any suggestions on where to find good/cheap struts. I'm also concerned that the struts I have are not the original ones. Any way to find out if they are the stock ones and/or what ones I need.

 

Thanks