[Snappa]

For the last few weeks I have noticed an extremely noticeable sound coming form
the rear of the car, so loud it sounded as if there was something loose rolling around I'm the trunk. This was occurring at all speeds going over bumps. The noise is almost like that of an empty plastic bucket being tossed to the ground. So I was able to find out the source and recreate the extract annoying sound I've been
hearing for week. I reached into the wheel wells in the rear on both sides and manipulated this cylindrical cover with a bushing on top of it that's a part of the strut assembly in the rear. As it goes up and down it makes that sound as it tops out or bottoms out (when the bushing contacts the frame of the car or when the cover house down and contacts the bottom portion of the strut). Anyway, the dampening isn't effected and the car feels fine but is just loud. Is it normal
for these to move so freely and be so
loud? Anyone else experience this?

 

[jblackburn]

The rear of my car is pretty loud over bumps. Not so much shock noise, or really much in the way of what I would call rattling, but there is suspension impact noise. 1LT with Z-link rear setup.

 

[Snappa]

So no one knows of this strut dust cover is supposed to move like this??

 

[Blue Angel]

I'm looking at the pic and trying to understand what it is that's happening based on what you've written.

Your pic looks like the bump stop and rod cover are not positioned at the top of the shock rod, but have fallen down and are resting on the shock body instead... is that correct? Look at this photo, you can see that the bump stop and cover are supposed to be elevated above the shock body so that they do not move with the shock, and the shock rod is not visible:



Does this make sense? Am I understanding the issue correctly?

 

[Eddy Cruze]

The rear of my car is pretty loud over bumps. Not so much shock noise, or really much in the way of what I would call rattling, but there is suspension impact noise. 1LT with Z-link rear setup.

When I complained about my Rear end last month as you know I received an entire replacement trailing arm. What does the Z link do, and why are these rear suspensions so basic and poor in the CRUZE? I have given up on the noise even though its worse. Nothing left to replace? Sounds like the Wheel well, e brake cable area. Possibly a shock although not my first thought?

 

[Blue Angel]

What does the Z link do, and why are these rear suspensions so basic and poor in the CRUZE?

The basic design of the Cruze suspension is sound and shared by many cars. The Z link is just a lateral stabilizer that helps keep the rear located during high load corners.

 

[Gnfanatic]

snappa, If I was you I would go to the junkyard and get rear shocks for cheap off of a cruze. install them on your car and see what happens. It will take about 30 min a wheel, not even. If that fixes the noise buy new high quality shocks for the car.

 

[jblackburn]

When I complained about my Rear end last month as you know I received an entire replacement trailing arm. What does the Z link do, and why are these rear suspensions so basic and poor in the CRUZE? I have given up on the noise even though its worse. Nothing left to replace? Sounds like the Wheel well, e brake cable area. Possibly a shock although not my first thought?

http://www.steeda.com/blog/2013/08/steeda-mustang-watts-link/

^Stuff about the Watts link is applicable.


Sent from AutoGuide.com App

 

[jblackburn]

I think this is the same view as yours (the grey metal plate in back). Yeah, shouldn't be seeing that rod unless your car is up on a rack or something

.

Sent from AutoGuide.com App

 

[Blue Angel]

Checked my LR shock this morning, looks just like yours j.

 

[Robby]

Interesting thread,

The shock shaft shield (plastic cylinder) is supposed to be retained at the top of the shaft and in so doing, retains the bump stop as jblackburn's photo shows.
In your photo (OP) the whole shootin match is off the retainer and down on the shock body itself.

Try to firmly push the shield (and bumpstop) back up......it may re-engage the shaft retaining step with a snap type feel.
If it won't, and you are under 3/36 warranty, let the dealer either repair it or replace it......but, I really think you will be able to reset the cover as described unless the hole in the shield is damaged.......that would be new shock time.

BTW are both shocks showing this or not?

Rob

 

[Blue Angel]

Is it normal for these to move so freely and be so loud? Anyone else experience this?

Absolutely not. See the pics above, your bump stop and rod shield should not be falling down like that. If your car is still under warranty and this will be a warranty claim, I would argue to have the rear shocks replaced as well. The purpose of those guards is to keep debris from contacting the shock rod so it doesn't wear out the seals in the top of the shock. If you've been driving for some time with the guards down like that there's a chance debris has caused excessive wear to those seals, which is no fault of yours.

Actually, re-reading your post you say you "manipulated" the guard and bump stop. Did you have to pull them down, or are they falling down on their own? If they are staying in place in the upper position by themselves they are working properly. If this is the case and they are still making noise, well that would be a complaint to bring up with the dealer for sure.

 

[Blue Angel]

Interesting thread...

I'm wondering if this could somehow be related to the noises others are noticing with the rear going over bumps... wondering if the shield is "rattling" on the shock body or something like that. Depends if the OP's shield is falling down that way by itself or if they pulled it down fo rthe pic. Either way it's interesting that the described noise is duplicated by manipulating that shield.

 

[Robby]

I'm hoping the OP succeeds in repositioning the shield and stop to see if the noise is resolved myself.
Although, I would think this would make more noise outside of the car than inside.

Rob

 

[Snappa]

This is exactly whats going on. I don't understand how to reposition the shield. I plan on doing a tire rotation and will do it then, but how? What is the shaft retaining step? Are you referring to a groove or something within the metal portion that bolts directly to the cars body? And yes both shocks are doing this. Wat would cause something like this to even happen?? So no adhesive is involed in this being retained, just snap type fitting?

 

[Snappa]

Interesting thread,

The shock shaft shield (plastic cylinder) is supposed to be retained at the top of the shaft and in so doing, retains the bump stop as jblackburn's photo shows.
In your photo (OP) the whole shootin match is off the retainer and down on the shock body itself.

Try to firmly push the shield (and bumpstop) back up......it may re-engage the shaft retaining step with a snap type feel.
If it won't, and you are under 3/36 warranty, let the dealer either repair it or replace it......but, I really think you will be able to reset the cover as described unless the hole in the shield is damaged.......that would be new shock time.

BTW are both shocks showing this or not?

Rob

I didn't pull them down at all, they were already down. When i said manipulating, i meant that i attempted to move them back up and when it went up and back down thats when i heard the noise that i had been hearing for the last few weeks.

 

[Blue Angel]

I didn't pull them down at all, they were already down. When i said manipulating, i meant that i attempted to move them back up and when it went up and back down thats when i heard the noise that i had been hearing for the last few weeks.

Is the car still covered under warranty?

 

[Snappa]

Well i have the add on warranty which means 100 dollar deductable i believe. Just attempted to re-seat both of them and they just fall down. Its as if the bump stop in undersized. Could this possibly be caused by a drying out of those? Is there some type of lubricant that can be applied to cause them to swell back to size to they can fit back in tightly?

 

[Snappa]

Well i have the add on warranty which means 100 dollar deductable i believe. Just attempted to re-seat both of them and they just fall down. Its as if the bump stop in undersized. Could this possibly be caused by a drying out of those? Is there some type of lubricant that can be applied to cause them to swell back to size to they can fit back in tightly?

 

[Blue Angel]

I would see if your warranty will cover the repair, and as I said before try to push for new shock absorbers as well, though i don't know if they will go for that if there's no proof they've been damaged.

If you can't get the warranty to cover it, replacing those parts doesn't look too expensive:

They're #6 on that diagram, about $12/ea online, and not hard to replace if you have the tools/knowledge. You could try sticking them back into place with some epoxy or similar, but that may not be a robust long-term solution.