My Rusty's lift clunks when I turn **EDIT from the front**

rubigade · **Posted:** Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:16 pm

csukoh78 wrote:

Well, me personally, I didn't have any definite instructions, just cobbled together notes here, pics there. Once I got the strut out and tried to put the new one in (completed and uncompressed, there was NO way to get the spring compressor in there) I realized that it was going to be impossible to leave the suspension exactly like it was, torqued and everything, and force that new, longer strut and clevis bracket in there. Impossible.

So, where the sway bar meets that first pin (forgive my lack of jargon)that travels downward, I disconnected it there, the upper balljoint, and one other bolt. This let the suspension sag enough to get both the strut and clevis lined up.

No, the spring compressor sits on a stand or mounts to a wall. You take the strut out and, if you don't buy entirely new struts, you compress them in order to disassemble them to get the factory strut "seats" out. Was your strut pre assembled? I was unaware that Rusty's sold a pre assembled strut. Nonetheless, if I received a part that was "pre-assembled", I'd always double check it's "complete-ness" just in case. Those strut springs are very "stressed" and I can't help think they couldn't begin to settle a little with weight, even though they are designed NOT to. Retightening everything is always the best solution after a few weeks anyway.
You know, as I think of it, maybe that is the rattle... the strut spring in the aftermarket strut "seats" (top and bottom) may not fit tight enough. Check your factory strut ends (what I'm referring to as "seats") and see if they would work on the new strut springs. If so, it's only about $20.00 per strut to have a shop disassemble and reassemble them (and the miserable time to break your front end down again) and I'll bet they wouldn't rattle. Mine don't.

csukoh78 · **Joined:** Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:34 pm **Posts:** 501

Ok, so I fiddled around with that swaybar forever trying to get the thing to line up, when I finally took your advice. I completely disconnected it, loosened the clamp bolts, and let the Liberty down. Once down, I rotated the sway bar up 2 inches (!) and it bolted right up, no fuss no muss, and torqued to 100 ftlbs.

I remember when I disconnected it that i put my weight on it while getting up and it rotated downward. That whole time I was trying to torque it straight, which we all know just aint happening.

After trying to get it to line up, and then following your advice, I hope that this has solved the clunk problem.

Thanks

PS NEXT STEP If that doesnt solve my clunk, then I will get under it and loosen and retighten everything.

My Rusty's lift clunks when I turn EDIT from the front

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