[cascade]

Hello all this is my first post here...i was trying to p[ost earlier but i couldnt

1 week ago:
1999 93 conv. So 1 week ago i had the right strut mount replaced due to the strut bearing failure at my local Saab specialist. Suspension felt really good after the service while driving from shop to work and then from work home doing about 60 miles total. The next day i notice some creaking on the right strut during slow maneuvers. It was like 1-2 creaks while accelerating and maybe 2-3 while turning more noticeable when turning left and putting weight load on the right strut. So i went back to the shop and ask them if they could take a look. They did and said that they cleaned the mount and apply some more lube and everything seemed to be fine. After two days of enjoyable driving in dry conditions we got some heavy rain today. Almost right after the car got wet the creaking came back but maybe slightly less noticeable than before. So at this point before going back to the shop for the second time or looking for a different mechanic i would like to ask for some suggestions.

1. Is light creaking somehow expected after putting in a new strut mount until parts get settled down or something? Maybe a couple of weeks of driving will solve the issue.
2. Could it be that they put in some not so good aftermarket mount?
3. Could it indicate that they used old support bearing or spring disk that don't fit well with the new mount.
4. any other suggestions?

Today:
I didnt go back to the shop yet but did some more investigating and what is happening goes like this:

Creaking is easily replicable when the car is in park and i turn wheels slowly from left to right and back..every time wheels get closer to fully turned position then the most apparent creaking (1-3 creaks) noise is happening on the front right around the strut mount (the new one)...i was able to get another person in the car and look at the mount and the strut while the wheels were turning...

it looks like the spring was kinda popping more precisely the upper part of it right when the creaking was created ..so i am guessing something is happening either on the upper spring seat or inside the mount housing and it is just being picked by the spring..maybe the trust bearing..i wasnt able to feel any clicking on the dumper rod or the top mounting...

so now i am thinking could it be(from top):
-strut upper nut (maybe too tight)
-cupped washer (nothing really to creak)
-top mounting (only if the thrust bearing is not ok..i guess..woudl it creak?)
-thrust bearing(not really sure how this could go wrong when putting in a new part)
-washer (suppose to be placed with its part number facing down - maybe this didnt happen..but would it creak)
-buffer (could it be on upside down?)
-the upper spring seat (fresh rubber..but this should be not happening with a new part..i would think)

i was able to feel with my fingers the end of the spring and it was placed on the seat end stop so i am guessing it fits ok...i also notice that on the left strut (the old one that doesnt make any noises) the spring seat end stop is towards the front but the end stop on the right is towards rear...is it normal or something got flipped over?

for now i just applied some heavy duty grease on the sprint seat and that killed the creaks but after car gets wet in the rain it will probably come back...

also do you think that using spring compressor i could compress the spring still on the car and have a better look on that seat..i didnt try it yet but it looks like i could only grab first and second coils (?)..there is just not enough room for the tool..would it be enough to bring it down so i could see the spring seat from underneath?

anyone suggestions...please

 

[hstanton]

Guesses in the order they hit me.
1. spring upside down
2. bearing and/or spring disk were reused
3. strut mount torqued properly

No easy way that I know to compress spring on car.
I've got springs and mounts at home, I'll check em 2nite to see which way they are supposed to point.

Q - what brand strut was used?

 

[cascade]

ohh myyy..feels much better ..guys over at saabscene didnt give me any clues yet and it has been over a week since i asked the same question

any way...only the strut mount was replaced..this is what the invoice says..dumper and the spring still oryginal...so i dont know if they put new washers and the spring disk...i paid around $360 for the service...didnt have time to ask about everything cuz when i was picking the car up it was top notch...but i am looking at Tuesday next week to go to the shop for the third time and be more specific and ask more questions...

the strut mount brand ..that i dont know..the top metal housing is black and the top 3 bolts are also black compared to the original ..ummm ..yellowish (?)..my first impression when i looked at it was that it wasnt yelowish like the original and looked somehow "cheaper"..as far as the direction of the spring i notice that the marks on both springs ..something like D1 or A1 cant remember now..are not upside down ...i mean the left spring has it just like you would read it ..and the one under the new right mount has it also the same way..as opposed to upside down text ..i dont know if it matters...

the second time i went back to the shop i guess it wasnt creaking enough to rise some red flags..so they said that everything was fine and they "cleaned" the mount area and put some more lube..but as of today ..even after applying some silicone and heavy duty lube around the mount it is still creaking...so whatever they didnt do to get it right is obvious now..:nono;

things like this just make me want to do the job myself cuz it is not the first time that i have problems when servicing my car in Orlando area..but sometimes i am just too busy to have a weekend off for myself and the car...to be honest i own the car for 5 years and it is 10 years and 99k miles young and it performs great and didnt have any major meltdowns on the way but 75% of service visits up to date resulted in after service visits to re-fix fixed things ..to name a few: oxygen sensors (looong story), windshield (priceless) and now the strut mount.. i dont even want to think what might happen if it needs a new headgasket......i am just a little upset cuz as my car gets new parts they are usually either lower quality then originals or put in place lazy way..:evil:

also..i noticed the other day some more vibrations and the steering wheel feels wobbly at highway 65-75 mph speeds...could it be coming from the mount issue..

btw ...i have an idea for a new tv show..WOULD IT CREAK....lets try to fix something and see if we can do it the right way or not so right lazy way

 

[cascade]

Doing some driving over the weekend and the creaking is getting more and more obvious...any more thoughts ?

 

[brewtide]

Honestly, I would retorque the bolts.

And if that doesn't work, I'd start questioning the reused bearing... (sadly, as to get it apart, you've got to take it all apart again...)

 

[cascade]

i seee...did anyone have that kinda service done..does ~$360 sound good for a strut mount replacement..and the question is would it cover new trust bearing and other washers...i am trying to figure out at that point if i was ripped off...cuz the service supposed to take care of a knock coming from the strut mount ( failed support bearing possibly)...so they replaced the mount (i have seen the old one out) and i assumed that putting new mount would require other parts to be new too..thesaabsite.com lists new trust bearing for ~$20 and new spring disk for ~$12...so doesnt look like much but if this is the cause of the creaking then the job was done lazy way..

also ...if the shop doesnt want to cooperate and i decide to do the hole repair myself would i be better off buying all new components for the strut top mount..i mean could the new mount be already damaged after 2 weeks of driving..orr alll other washers and the bump stop?

btw does the strut lock nut has to be new every time you put it back on..is it self locking?