Adjustable strut rods making terrible sound 74 Swinger

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George Lawicki

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Hey guys,
I have rebuilt my entire suspension from front to back. I installed PST adjustable strut rods. There is no rubber bushings on these things just metal bushings that sit into the K frame. They are making a terrible noise. I also had the car aligned by a very knowledgeable shop and still have this noise that's soo bad I can't drive this car like this. Any idea to what's up? am I missing something? what would be some other strut rod alternatives? If you look at the pic, those are the metal "bushings" that go into the K frame

pst.jpg
 
I have never used these but I would assume those pivots need to be installed in a way to prevent binding. Check those joints through the entire travel of the control arm and look for binding.
 
The pivots have to be clocked at an angle so that nothing binds up with the heim.

The metal bushings are also not at all a problem if everything is torqued to spec. The whole point of the adjustable strut rods is to keep the LCA from flexing forward and backward when those big rubber pillow bushings in the originals compress.

But, in order to get the length of the adjustable strut rod correct, you need to cycle the LCA up and down to check for binding within the range of travel. You do that with the suspension fully assembled except for the shocks and with the torsion bar adjusters loose so you can move the LCA's up and down without working against the torsion bars. You do that to set the length of the adjustable strut rod and to make sure the heim is clocked at the right angle so nothing binds.

It's not a process that just "any" alignment shop will be familiar with.
 
Shops make mistakes too. Time for you to crawl under and start looking for yourself. The rod eye can be loose. The lock nuts can be loose so you're hearing the slop in the threads, it could be loose at the control arm end, the clamp nut at the rod end can be loose. Could be a sway bar issue. A lower control arm issue. Ball joints. A dead hippie bound up in the works. How about some details like, the kind of sound, when it happens, does it happen in reverse, does it happen when turning, is it on one side etc......?

I've never liked the narrow contact area on the control arms of those strut rods.

Another alternative strut arm?

"STOCK". Just because they make doesn't mean that you need to install it.
 
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Shops make mistakes too. Time for you to crawl under and start looking for yourself.

I've never likes the narrow contact area on the control arms of those strut rods.

Another alternative strut arm?

"STOCK".

Stock strut rods are completely inferior. The caster changes they allow on braking and acceleration are terrible, the giant rubber pillow bushings are lousy. And the binding they induce at the ends of the range of travel is not insignificant.

I do prefer the QA1 style adjustable strut rods, they use a double adjuster at the LCA. Much easier to accurately adjust the length since it can be done without changing the torque on the nut on the other side of the LCA. Same design as the ones I've had on my Challenger for 70k+ street miles, still function like brand new.

qa1-52311_xl.jpg
 
I run the PST's on several of my Cars and as long
as clocked properly + No Issue with noise.

The did have a hardware problem with fasteners a few years back
so look at those for stretching or deflection. I broke a fastener and
the bar came loose and it was quite a ride on the track!

They did replace the hardware for me and gave me a deal on my next few sets!
Stand Up guys!
 
If you ever drove a car with heim joints car in the radius rods or back half without it under load. The heim joints on the radius rods rattle so bad when there is no load them it scares ya.
 
The heim jointed strut rods shouldn't make any noise when adjusted properly.
 
............How we ever drove these girls for so long with factory parts is beyond me.......

LOLOL
 
To the OP. I hate to rain on your parade, but those strut rods are junk. Being the helluva guy that I am, I will let you send them to me for proper disposal. Problem solved! :thumbsup:
 
I'm sure all it is, is that you have the pivots misaligned. It should be easy to resolve, but a little time consuming. Our good friend, @72bluNblu covers the procedure well in post #3.
 
I'm sure all it is, is that you have the pivots misaligned. It should be easy to resolve, but a little time consuming. Our good friend, @72bluNblu covers the procedure well in post #3.

Most likely. But the OP never said what kind of noise, just noise. I doubt it will change anything at all, but every once in while the omission changes everything LOL.
 
Most likely. But the OP never said what kind of noise, just noise. I doubt it will change anything at all, but every once in while the omission changes everything LOL.
Correct....and as usual. Par for the course around here that the most important info of all gets left out. That's why you've not seen me post on "help" threads near as much. It's gettin old.
 
Correct....and as usual. Par for the course around here that the most important info of all gets left out. That's why you've not seen me post on "help" threads near as much. It's gettin old.

Yup. I try to remind myself that people who need help often need it because even describing the problem well is a challenge without experience.

The only kind of noise I can imagine showing up with a strut rod change is due to the heim joints, but I could also see an installation error or loose fasteners or improper adjustment causing a problem too. I also wonder if other parts might have been changed at the same time?

At work, 99% of our customer service responses are "do you have photos of the parts in question?"

If OP doesn't see or find an obvious issue with the heims, then pictures would be the next step to help rule out other possibilities.
 
Yup. I try to remind myself that people who need help often need it because even describing the problem well is a challenge without experience.

The only kind of noise I can imagine showing up with a strut rod change is due to the heim joints, but I could also see an installation error or loose fasteners or improper adjustment causing a problem too. I also wonder if other parts might have been changed at the same time?

At work, 99% of our customer service responses are "do you have photos of the parts in question?"

If OP doesn't see or find an obvious issue with the heims, then pictures would be the next step to help rule out other possibilities.
Maybe if he didn't get the "steps" of the steel washers in the holes in the K frame? Hell who knows at this point.
 
Maybe if he didn't get the "steps" of the steel washers in the holes in the K frame? Hell who knows at this point.

That's a great thing to rule out too. Would result in it feeling tight during install, but then winding up loose after a few load cycles.
 
Correct....and as usual. Par for the course around here that the most important info of all gets left out. That's why you've not seen me post on "help" threads near as much. It's gettin old.
Well, Darn it Rob, I'm have to blow up Yer inbox til Ya send me Yer Ph# Lol ! Brother, Your Help has ALWAYS Been a BLESSING to me. And for that, I am Greatful. Thank You, Sir!
 
Well, Darn it Rob, I'm have to blow up Yer inbox til Ya send me Yer Ph# Lol ! Brother, Your Help has ALWAYS Been a BLESSING to me. And for that, I am Greatful. Thank You, Sir!
I thought you had it already?
 
The heim jointed strut rods shouldn't make any noise when adjusted properly.
Common style Heim ends all rattle after use. You can hear them very well when driving next to the guard rail with Caltracs or any other suspension use. Get in a sprint car and tell me they don't make noise.
 
Sorry guys, don't get all cantankerous. I drive a truck and sometimes can't get a minute to get on here. The metal bushings are installed correctly. As far as the sound goes, well it sounds like squeaking tbh not really sure if its metal on metal or something else. I'am just guessing at this point because I have never used or have any experience with these adjustable strut rods. Now if y'all hang on I'll get a pic of how the pivots are angled. Also could I get a direct link to the adjustment procedure? I wasn't able to find it.. Thanks !

D side.jpg


D side2.jpg


P side.jpg


P side2.jpg
 
Sorry guys, don't get all cantankerous. I drive a truck and sometimes can't get a minute to get on here. The metal bushings are installed correctly. As far as the sound goes, well it sounds like squeaking tbh not really sure if its metal on metal or something else. I'am just guessing at this point because I have never used or have any experience with these adjustable strut rods. Now if y'all hang on I'll get a pic of how the pivots are angled. Also could I get a direct link to the adjustment procedure? I wasn't able to find it.. Thanks !

View attachment 1715952240

View attachment 1715952241

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Install guide: https://www.qa1.net/assets/uploads/..._guides/52311_52312_rev_dynamic_strut_bar.pdf

It does look like the one side is tilted the wrong way. When I installed mine the tops of both heims angled toward the center of the car, slightly. There's no "right" angle though, but you have to make sure it does not bind during movement.

Mine make no noise once adjusted properly. The heims probably do have a bit of play, but with just a touch of preload it gets taken out and still no bind.
 
Install guide: https://www.qa1.net/assets/uploads/..._guides/52311_52312_rev_dynamic_strut_bar.pdf

It does look like the one side is tilted the wrong way. When I installed mine the tops of both heims angled toward the center of the car, slightly. There's no "right" angle though, but you have to make sure it does not bind during movement.

Mine make no noise once adjusted properly. The heims probably do have a bit of play, but with just a touch of preload it gets taken out and still no bind.
What side looks off? most my noise is coming from the P side it seems
 
What side looks off? most my noise is coming from the P side it seems

Driver's looks off to me, but it's really tough to tell by photo alone. That's why I mention that the tops of my heims are biased toward the inside a bit.

When I set mine up, I jacked up either side and kept an eye on the heim and tried to minimize any rotation, or at least make sure it was about the same start/finish to ensure it didn't run out of travel through the arc. If it does, the rod will essentially become solid and I imagine it would make horrible noises on a normal road, or bust something if you hit a hard enough bump.
 
Driver's looks off to me, but it's really tough to tell by photo alone. That's why I mention that the tops of my heims are biased toward the inside a bit.

When I set mine up, I jacked up either side and kept an eye on the heim and tried to minimize any rotation, or at least make sure it was about the same start/finish to ensure it didn't run out of travel through the arc. If it does, the rod will essentially become solid and I imagine it would make horrible noises on a normal road, or bust something if you hit a hard enough bump.
I think I understand. Yeah I am going to go through and watch the travel of the suspension and see how its acting. I do believe it is the orientation of the joints that are giving me problems
 
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