Found my clunk

[Tdafforn]

Had a slight clunk on the front suspension.
took the strut off and the reason looks clear.
the damper moves back and forth in the strut (not up and down but side to side).

The damper itself seems to be working. Anyone any idea why it would do this? Also how do you remove the damper from the strut. Looks like I need a special key.
tim

[sujitroy]

can't recall if that looks like the original type. use a pin punch if u don't have the special tool. but be gentle as you may distort the tube threads at the very top.

[jbuckl]

If the collar is stuck, which they can be , you have to drill it out.
If you can’t, one or two suppliers offer uprights with insert already fitted I think.

[flying farmer]

Some of the supplied inserts are too short for the locking collar to tighten down properly.
In the past I have had to make shims to go under the insert to prevent this happening.

[NeilR]

I had a similar issue, took ages to find it was the inserts wobbling in the strut leg.

The outer diameter of the top of shock insert was considerably smaller than the machined threaded cup, so
I turned up some alloy collars that pressed (with a hammer) into the cup & were an interference fit with top of insert.
No more clonks since - 3 years on.

[Tdafforn]

Thanks guys..
Will attempt to get the cap off this weekend and then see what we have.. Beggars belief it is was fitted loose!
Tim

[DMT]

Tim. I fitted mine myself and tightened locking ring up as far as I could. The damper shaft would move up and down with no backlash. I also peened over the thread to hold the ring tight.

After about only 200 or so miles ( 9 months) it had started to knock and on dismantling I found it had come loose.

I have re-tightened the ring and refitted but intend to fit replacement struts that don't use an insert. ( When they are available)

Dave

[Robmsharp]

I've just finished overhauling my struts and it had the exact same arrangement, in addition the screw collar had been fixed into the strut mount with both a punch - effectively 'pushing' the mount metal into the collar plus the screw thread itself was filled with threadlocking compound. Because the rebuild kit I had bought came with new screw collars I sacrificed the old collars by grinding a slot into the collar side which I used to fit a small chisel to break the threadlock and remove the collar. Before this I had to grind the punched metal out of course. The rebuild thereafter was very straightforward and both units are back on the car.
Good luck with yours.

[RNF]

Had a slight clunk on the front suspension.
took the strut off and the reason looks clear.
the damper moves back and forth in the strut (not up and down but side to side).

The damper itself seems to be working. Anyone any idea why it would do this? Also how do you remove the damper from the strut. Looks like I need a special key.
tim

It's called a "gland nut wrench"

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Adjustable-Compatible-Hydraulic-Cylinders/dp/B094D99ZX6/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?keywords=gland+nut+wrench&qid=1648838938&sr=8-4-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRTdWUEpGMjFVQTkxJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTI1NTEwMzg1Vk45SjdTMUpVMSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDM1Mjg5MkNISFlYUTdDUFBQQyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

You can do it with a punch and some patience, but if you know someone with a gland wrench, borrow it.

[Tdafforn]

Thanks John. I have bought one from ebay.

[Tdafforn]

Gland nut wrench arrived. Tightened the gland nut. No more wobble. Result

[richardthestag]

result

[wilf]

It's called a "gland nut wrench"

https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Adjustable-Compatible-Hydraulic-Cylinders/dp/B094D99ZX6/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?keywords=gland+nut+wrench&qid=1648838938&sr=8-4-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExRTdWUEpGMjFVQTkxJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTI1NTEwMzg1Vk45SjdTMUpVMSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDM1Mjg5MkNISFlYUTdDUFBQQyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

You can do it with a punch and some patience, but if you know someone with a gland wrench, borrow it.

Very useful info - I had been trying to find such a tool for a while, but didn't know what to search for lol!

[DMT]

Also known as a Pin Spanner.

[RNF]

Very useful info - I had been trying to find such a tool for a while, but didn't know what to search for lol!

The hard part is remembering the name of the thing.