rawkrews Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 It has been 3 months since the lift has been installed. At first it would knock after every bump/pothole/speedbump and I thought it was just the new springs breaking in or being a little to HD. It has gotten better but it still bangs when driving over speed bumps. I know the tires are not hitting and the sound is isolated in the front end. Everything is torqued to spec. I know the OME lift springs have to be installed in a certain direction and Im sure who installed them was not aware of any direction (cuz I asked them). Any thoughts or insight to what is banging or how the springs should be sitting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezzy Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Your struts will top out when going over bumps like potholes or speed bumps... just take it slowly, and they'll be okay. Mine were pretty chatty for quite a while after I got the lift, now that it's settled (or I've been retrained on how to approach speed bumps) I don't hear them very often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawkrews Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 they are at worst when i roll or crawl over them. it is when they are pushing back down over the "peak" of the bump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 they are at worst when i roll or crawl over them. it is when they are pushing back down over the "peak" of the bump. That sounds about right. This happens because the truck body has upward momentum while the tires/suspension move downward. Since the struts have a limited travel range and you've just DECREASED their downward travel range by lifting the truck, they reach their maximum extension more frequently than before. For example, let's say that stock suspension has 4" of uptravel and 4" of downtravel, or 8" of total travel (fully compressed, bottomed-out to fully extended, topped-out). When you lift the truck, it changes the "at rest" position of the suspension, creating 6" of uptravel, but only 2" of downtravel to become fully extended. It's the smaller distance from "at rest" to "fully extended" that causes the knocking/clunking sound you hear as the struts reach their maximum range of extension. My truck has had its lift installed for over 120,000 miles and it has not had any problems due to strut "topping out". This behavior is an unfortunately normal side-effect of installing a suspension lift. Furthermore, the struts cannot be safely lengthened because doing so would increase the total downtravel and exceed the maximum operating angle of the CV axles. Bottom line: get used to it (i.e. don't be alarmed when you hear the "thunk"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawkrews Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 thanks so much for the explanation. I am trying to sell it and need a legit explanation for the knocking when I am asked. I will probably quote that word for word. cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 thanks so much for the explanation. I am trying to sell it and need a legit explanation for the knocking when I am asked. I will probably quote that word for word.cheers! I would perhaps not provide so much technical detail to a prospective buyer. I would say, "The sound you hear is the normal, expected behavior for the lift installed on this truck. The sound is caused when the strut reaches the top of its range of travel and hits the upper bump stop. Other Pathfinder owners with this lift installed (as long as over 120,000 miles) have experienced the sound also, and have never had any problems introduced as a direct result of the strut clunking sounds." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02silverpathy Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 anyone here ever replace the strut "grommet"? Part that the strut nut snugs against? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 anyone here ever replace the strut "grommet"? Part that the strut nut snugs against? That's called the strut insulator. And yes, I have replaced them before because the D-shaped hole had become worn. I typically recommend replacing them whenever the struts are replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NismoSkyZ Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 XPLOR, just out of curiousity, how many miles does your truck have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonianbrat Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 XPLOR, seems to have a pic for every situation!! That's awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02silverpathy Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 WoW! Ok mine did not look like that at all! I only had 47K on the truck at lift time...I was concerned that the tough rubber section would be the part to tear...never thought that the metal opening would wear like that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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