If your new struts make clunks, creaks, or grinding, check mounting and torque first because improper installation often lets parts move or contact metal. Inspect the upper mount and bearing for wear or misalignment, verify studs and nuts aren’t damaged, and confirm lower bolts and top nuts were torqued with the suspension resting on the tires. Also rule out adjacent worn parts like ball joints or wheel bearings; re-torque and lubricate spring seats, and continue for more diagnostic and fix steps.
Quick Tips
- New strut noise often comes from loose or incorrectly torqued upper mounts or studs allowing metal-on-metal clunks.
- Improper installation sequence or tightening with the suspension unloaded can deform mounts and create creaks or knocks.
- Worn adjacent components (wheel bearings, ball joints, sway bar links) commonly mimic new-strut noises and must be inspected.
- Incorrect spring seating or damaged insulators produce popping, thumping, or rubbing; lubricate rubber seats with silicone grease.
- Recheck and retorque fasteners with the vehicle resting on its tires, replace damaged studs/mounts, and test drive for persistent sounds.
Why New Struts Can Still Make Noise
Although you’ve just installed new struts, they can still make noise because installation errors, component defects, and interactions with other suspension parts all affect how the assembly behaves under load.
You should check mount alignment and bearing condition, confirm correct torque after lowering the vehicle, inspect adjacent bushings and sway links, and allow a short break-in while monitoring for persistent clunks or grinding.
Improper mounting during installation can generate noise, so always follow proper procedures and torque specifications to avoid mount damage.
Regular inspections are important because worn components like wheel bearings and ball joints can cause similar noises and affect overall safety.
Common Types of Noises After Strut Replacement
When new struts make noise after installation, you’ll want to know the specific sounds to identify likely causes quickly, since different noises point to different faults in the strut or nearby suspension parts.
Metallic clunks suggest bearing or mount issues; creaks point to worn bushings or mounts; popping/clicking signals spring seat or bearing shifts; thumps, leaks or loose seats; buzzing implies damping or fluid problems. Replacing worn components promptly can prevent further damage and restore safe handling, especially since worn struts degrade handling. Regular inspections can also help spot related issues like a failing starter or solenoid that can cause electrical problems if left unchecked starter motor.
How Improper Installation Causes Clunks and Creaks
When you hear clunks or creaks after a strut installation, check whether the upper mount is aligned correctly, because a misaligned mount lets the strut shift and the metal parts contact under load.
Also confirm that each fastener is torqued to the manufacturer’s specification—over‑tightening can deform mounting plates and bearings, while under‑torquing permits movement that causes metal‑on‑metal impacts.
If you spot uneven wear on the mount or loose bolts, replace the hardware and reset torque to spec to stop the noises and prevent premature failure.
If bolts show signs of rust or rounded heads, consider using rust relief or extraction tools before reinstalling to ensure secure fastening.
Upper Mount Misalignment
If the upper strut mount isn’t seated and oriented exactly as designed, you’ll usually hear clunks or creaks because the assembly can’t move or rotate properly under load.
Misalignment from wrong parts, distorted towers, or improper rotation binds the bearing, causes metal‑on‑metal contact, and transfers vibration into the cabin.
Inspect orientation, replace damaged mounts, compress and rotate safely, then recheck fitment.
Improper Fastener Torque
Because proper torque controls how loads transfer through the strut assembly, incorrect tightening of nuts and bolts often produces the clunks and creaks you hear after installation.
You should follow manufacturer torque specs and sequences, use a calibrated torque wrench, and avoid over- or under-tightening.
Damaged bearings, stretched studs, loose bolts, and altered spring preload all cause knocking, premature wear, and compromised handling.
Diagnosing Upper Strut Mount and Bearing Issues
How can you tell whether the upper strut mount or bearing is causing noise after installation? Listen for popping or clicking during stops/accel versus metallic grinding or squeaks when turning, inspect for play or misaligned upper seat, check bearing orientation and gap, and avoid reused or crushed mounts.
Follow proper installation sequence and torque to prevent premature mount or bearing failure and resultant noises. Also inspect adjacent drive components like the serpentine belt and tensioner for related symptoms, since a failing belt system can contribute to vibration and a rough idle serpentine belt maintenance.
Inspecting Mounting Studs, Nuts, and Torque Errors
You should check mounting studs carefully for stretching, bending, or cracks, because a damaged stud won’t hold the mount securely and can let the strut move under load.
Don’t fully torque the upper nuts while the vehicle is on a jack; tighten them loosely first, lower the car onto its tires, then follow the manufacturer’s sequence and torque specs with a calibrated wrench to avoid uneven loading.
Improper torque order or over/under-torquing can crush bearings, deform mounts, or allow play that causes knocking, so replace any compromised studs and re-torque to spec.
Stretched or Damaged Studs
When a strut makes noise after installation, stretched or damaged mounting studs and their nuts are a common but sometimes hidden cause, so you should inspect them carefully before assuming the strut itself is faulty.
Check for bent, elongated, or cracked studs, stripped threads, and corroded bases; rotate and flex studs for play, replace damaged nuts, and loosely seat fasteners before final tensioning.
Improper Torque Sequence
Stretched or damaged studs can be an obvious cause of post-installation noise, but improper torque sequence often creates similar symptoms by introducing uneven clamping forces that stress the same components.
You should follow manufacturer torque patterns and incremental steps, verify stud alignment and clean threads, use calibrated torque tools, and replace damaged nuts.
Uneven or excess torque leads to loosening, deformation, bearing wear, and noise.
Checking Spring Seats, Insulators, and Lubrication
As part of post-installation checks, inspect the spring seats, insulators, and lubrication thoroughly, because these components play a direct role in preventing creaks, squeaks, and clunks after new struts are fitted.
Check spring seats for cracks, deformation, or wear; make certain insulators sit correctly and aren’t hardened; apply rubber-safe grease where spring meets seat and insulator to reduce friction and noise.
Sway Bar Links and Bushings: Hidden Noise Sources
Though often out of sight, the sway bar and its end links and bushings play a big role in post-installation noise, so you should inspect them carefully after fitting new struts.
Check links for play or worn ball joints by moving them; worn links cause clunks and affect handling.
Inspect bushings for cracks, dried grease, or gaps; replace degraded parts, preferably both links together.
Correct Installation Sequence to Prevent Post-Install Noise
When you’re installing new struts, follow a deliberate mounting sequence to avoid post-install noise and premature wear: start by loosely fitting the upper mounting nuts so the strut assembly sits without loading the bearing, then align the lower mount with the steering knuckle and insert the lower mounting bolts, secure those bolts before lowering the vehicle to rest on its tires, and only with the suspension loaded torque the lower bolts to the manufacturer’s specified values; finally, tighten the upper nuts in an alternating pattern with a calibrated torque wrench to the specified torque.
After torquing, inspect mounts, bearings, and new hardware for proper seating, confirm spring seats and insulators are positioned correctly, and make certain all fasteners meet specified torque to prevent noise.
Tools and Techniques for Safe Strut Assembly
You should pick the right tools before you start, like a heavy-duty spring compressor sized for your coil and a calibrated torque wrench that matches the manufacturer’s specs.
When compressing springs, secure the compressor evenly around the coils, wear eye protection and gloves, and follow the tool instructions step by step so the spring’s stored energy stays controlled. Use the correct sockets and extensions to apply precise torque to retaining rings and mount bolts, then recheck fasteners after releasing the spring to make certain everything sits and tightens without play.
Correct Tool Selection
Picking the right tools for strut assembly can make the difference between a quiet, long-lasting repair and repeat work, so start by choosing kits and pieces designed specifically for shocks and struts.
Use pass-through sockets sized to the rod nut, pair ratchets with proper wrenches, clean threads, apply light lubrication, and keep torque wrenches handy to prevent overtightening and damage.
Safe Compression Technique
Compressing a coil spring safely takes planning and the right tools, so treat it as a controlled mechanical operation rather than a quick shortcut.
Use matched compressors opposite each other, tighten slowly alternating sides, and never use impact tools. Lock safety pins, wear goggles and gloves, inspect and lubricate threads, or use a floor jack method with secure supports for controlled compression and safer disassembly.
When to Re-torque or Reinstall Strut Components
Frequently, you should plan to re-torque or reinstall strut components shortly after the initial installation, because proper sequencing and final tightening with the vehicle resting on its tires prevents distortion and premature failure.
After the first test drive, check for creaks or clunks; if present, lower vehicle, follow manufacturer torque specs with a calibrated wrench, retorque in alternating pattern, and replace damaged mounts or studs.
Preventive Maintenance to Keep New Struts Quiet
After you’ve torqued and settled new struts correctly, regular preventive maintenance will keep them quiet and extend their service life, so don’t stop at the wrench.
Inspect mounts, bearings, bushings, and fasteners regularly; lubricate spring seats and insulators with silicone or suspension grease, avoiding petroleum products.
Check damping by compressing the strut, replace worn insulators, perform alignment, and protect components from corrosion.
Wrapping Up
You’ve learned that new struts can still make noise when mounts, bearings, or fasteners are installed incorrectly, or when parts aren’t torqued to spec. Inspect the upper mount, bearing, studs, nuts, and torque sequence; re-torque or reinstall if anything’s loose or misaligned. Use correct tools and safe assembly techniques, follow manufacturer torque and preload specs, and perform preventive maintenance like periodic checks and lubricating contact points to keep the suspension quiet and reliable.