stretchum

hey guys got a quick question. i have a 97 ek hatch and i been hearing werid sounds all week comeing from the rear end. today i hit a pretty good hump in the road and heard something smack the plastic in the trunk. i pulled over and looked in the trunk and the rubber peice that sits inside the top hat shot out. only thing there was the strut and nut holding it on. question is why would that peice shot out like that?

MRGRIM

iTrader: (1)

seized shock or bottoming out the shock
rubber fail due to old age
but id look at shock 1st

stretchum

ok thanks. ill start by looking at the shock. how would i know if the shock is bad? there isn't any fluid comeing out or anything. i did fell to say i just had new shocks put on by the way.

jbpnoman

Easiest way I've found to test a shock or strut is the bump test. Push down on the corner of the car a few times, get it bouncing, and then let go. If it takes more than 3 up/down motions to come to rest, something's blown.

MRGRIM

iTrader: (1)

^^^ if i did that test on myn there all seized it dont move ... lol

MRGRIM

iTrader: (1)

where they ment to be stiff ..if so then that would be the cause
did the top hat rubbers get replaced at the same time ??

98civdx

The assembly was put togther wrong.

Remove the shock from the car.

my guess is that the ring that is under the top mount is not there.

It slides onto the piston, and the mount sits on it. if you look at the shock, you will see the bump stop, then the ring(if it's there)

EDIT- Post a picture

dumafit

post a picture so we can get a better idea of what is wrong

stretchum

There was no ring. The ring ur talking bout looks like a washer right the driver side has one and the one that popped out doesn't. I called the guy back at free tire and service and he said he forgot to put it back on lol. Damn near screwed my damn car up but he did say sorry lol. I'll never deal wit them again.

98civdx

Yep it looks like a washer. Not putting that back in allowed the bump stop to travle up and smack the lower bushing in the top mount, causeing the upper to pop out.

Simple fix. Make sure he doesn't charge you for his screw up.

jbpnoman

Then you need to work your puny arms and put more pressure into it. I've yet to see a car in the shop, modified or not, that I couldn't bounce test. It's a standard part of VA state inspections.