Koni Strut groan and rattle

[B2B]

No need to completely remove the sway bar. Just disconnect the end links and tie up the sway bar and end links so they don't flop around and go for a drive.

Without going to coil overs, the two most common options are Koni and Bilstein. I used Koni DA on my Fox and Koni Yellow on my S197 without any issues, but my Suburban managed to blow out a Bilstein 4600 strut within 30K miles. No off-roading, no jumping. Just street driving.

It just to show that all brands will have defective units. The key is to buy from a reputable vendor that will go to bat for you in case anything happens. Strano, Vorshlag, etc. will do whatever they can to help you if there is a warranty claim.

 

[jp1seattle]

No they are not. I spoke to Sam Strano at length before buying the components for my suspension and koni's aren't known for putting out a bad strut. Sure it happens with that much volume in production but it isn't common. Bilstein makes excellent products and may be more geared toward performance then a entry level dampner like the STR.T but if you are looking for a good upgrade over stock and want to use a lowering spring and not spend $800 to do it the koni's are perfect. Especially if you DD the car. Yellows are a better choice and on par with some of Bilsteins offerings as well.

Sorry man....but the reality is that there have been a TON of issues with the oranges making noise. They might not have been known for making a bad strut, but they have sure been putting out a lot of noisy ones the last couple years.

 

[01yellerCobra]

This thread is making me wonder if the creak I'm hearing is the strut or strut mount now. It can only be heard at low speeds. Parking lot, driveway, etc. I figured it was the GT500 mounts we installed with the Konis.

 

[jmauld]

Get a warranty replacement and sell them to some other poor sap.

 

[claudermilk]

This thread is making me wonder if the creak I'm hearing is the strut or strut mount now. It can only be heard at low speeds. Parking lot, driveway, etc. I figured it was the GT500 mounts we installed with the Konis.

Could be the control arm bushing also. I had a similar creak and had it warrantied before doing my suspension. It sounded like it was the drivers side, they traced it to the passenger side & replaced. I still have a groan over speed bumps, but much reduced--probably BOTH arms needed replacement.

 

[Jinx]

Could be the control arm bushing also. I had a similar creak and had it warrantied before doing my suspension. It sounded like it was the drivers side, they traced it to the passenger side & replaced. I still have a groan over speed bumps, but much reduced--probably BOTH arms needed replacement.

Would a bad bushing make it sound like a box of tools being jingled everytime I go over a rutty section of road at low speeds?

If it's possible, is there a front control arm bushing kit that has better bushings like poly/delrin bushing? Seems like a cheap fix if Im replacing things

 

[01yellerCobra]

Could be the control arm bushing also. I had a similar creak and had it warrantied before doing my suspension. It sounded like it was the drivers side, they traced it to the passenger side & replaced. I still have a groan over speed bumps, but much reduced--probably BOTH arms needed replacement.

This isn't related to suspension movement. It's only there when the wheel is turned. I can sit in my driveway and turn the wheel and hear it. I'm sure is always there. I only notice it at slow speeds because there's less noise.

 

[Jinx]

No noise for me from turning my wheel while stationary.


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[claudermilk]

Would a bad bushing make it sound like a box of tools being jingled everytime I go over a rutty section of road at low speeds?

If it's possible, is there a front control arm bushing kit that has better bushings like poly/delrin bushing? Seems like a cheap fix if Im replacing things

This isn't related to suspension movement. It's only there when the wheel is turned. I can sit in my driveway and turn the wheel and hear it. I'm sure is always there. I only notice it at slow speeds because there's less noise.

Yeah, that's not it then. The noise I was getting was a groan/creak going over speed bumps at slow parking lot speeds. Sounds like an old car that's never had the original bushings replaced. No rattling or noise just when turning--that does sound more like it's just a bad strut or strut mount/bearing.

 

[RazorbackMustang]

What exactly is the control arm TSB?

It literally started with the Koni install. I installed all this the week of mustang week.


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Not trying to link to a different site, but it's all I could find reasonably quickly.

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/foru...013-mustang-lower-control-arm-noise-tsbs.html

 

[Jinx]

I removed the front sway bar (I never driven a car without one). It was mostly to see what it would feel like with a sway bar delete and eliminate that the end links were the cause. Most just wanted to see how the car felt with it gone. I'm putting it back. Lol.

But here is a video of the strut groan. No sound on compression and big groan on rebound.

 

[BMR Tech]

After watching the last two videos, I honestly think you should go through the warranty steps to get a new strut.

I am not so sure the clunking in the initial videos is directly related to the STR.T....but the noise during travel is definitely louder than what it should normally be.

I would not recommend swapping them out for the Strange Struts.

If you are going to change them out to something else, I would personally just grab some Bilsteins. As far as non-adjustable struts for these cars, I do prefer the Bilsteins over the STR.T.

Let me know if I can help in any way!

 

[Jinx]

Why not the Strange Struts?


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[Jinx]

I don't want to spend that much on a strut that's not adjustable and I hate to reuse a strut by Koni if it gonna fail again a few miles later. What is the bad about Strange?


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[kona302]

If they aren't preforming as they should, get them fixed by Koni. If there isn't any brake dive and it's not leaking then they will not do anything. Ive been down that route before however mine was fixed and when I got it back (after 3 week turnaround) it was still noisy. I may said this already but that's the way it is. Just save up for bilsteins.

 

[Jinx]

I dont notice any change in performance. Just the unbearable noise. But then again I never driven the car hard enough yet to notice.

Still wondering why not the Strange Single Adj.? BMR used them on their 2011:http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=121409&highlight=strange+struts

Another thread I found with multiple people with issues with Koni STR.Ts :http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111814&highlight=strange+struts

 

[05gtowner]

This seems to be an issue with 11 and up mustangs. I know there was a thread awhile ago debating whether the 11 and up crowd should go with 11 and up struts and strut mounts or do the 05-09 struts and strut mounts. Like I said I have never had a sound from mine. Nor anyone at the meets I attend who have them in the 05-09 models. It sounds like it is more of a 11-14 mustang issue. I know there were some changes albeit small to the later S197 chassis. Could this be a thing with them.?

 

[Jinx]

Never heard of this. BMR was using Strange Struts on their 2011 and Strange has 11-14 specific struts. These Steeda Mounts never gave me trouble on my old 2005 and I dont think its a problem on this 11-14 version.

 

[jp1seattle]

The Konis I had were the 05-10 ones and they were noisy. I had Bilsteins in the past, so I went back to them and haven't looked back. The feeling is night and day compared to the oranges. Definitely a more "European" feel.

I'm sure lots of people have good luck with Konis.....I just wasn't one of them.

 

[claudermilk]

This seems to be an issue with 11 and up mustangs. I know there was a thread awhile ago debating whether the 11 and up crowd should go with 11 and up struts and strut mounts or do the 05-09 struts and strut mounts. Like I said I have never had a sound from mine. Nor anyone at the meets I attend who have them in the 05-09 models. It sounds like it is more of a 11-14 mustang issue. I know there were some changes albeit small to the later S197 chassis. Could this be a thing with them.?

AFAIK the only changes was the thread pitch and length of the threaded section on the strut shaft. I've read numerous threads of 11-14 owners using 05-10 struts by simply using an 05-10 strut mount.