I think Im suffering from the rear shock knock that I’ve been reading about on here on my 02 STI.

I can hear and feel a single or 2 consecutive knocks from the rear when slowing down and nearing 10 mph or as I pull away from stand still. It’s has the same feeling and sound as the boot lid being closed gently, a very faint thud.

However I never feel this when cornering or at speed which also makes me wonder if this could be a rear calliper binding a little and not releasing correctly, seeing as its happening at times when the brakes are or have just been applied.

If it is shockers what options are the most obvious

1 – New shocks all round
2- New shocks and springs, seeing as the shocks are being done.
3- Coil over package as I plan to keep the car for many years.

 

Ive just gone down the road of getting this http://www.scoobyworld.co.uk/catalog...oducts_id=1578

Getting it fitted at the end of the month.

 

Mine started doing this and I just removed the shock and took the gas insert out, cleaned out all the gunk, packed with fresh grease and refitted. It's quiet now.

The gas insert itself is usually fine and the noise comes from the insert moving inside the strut where the original grease is hard or missing or it's now full of dirty water.

 

Sticking struts are quite common on STIs and MY05 on WRXs... as above, pretty easy to sort out. There's a post somewhere on NASIOC with a step by step guide on how to do it.

 

happy to be proven wrong by those with more experience, but if it only happens on braking and never at speed, it sounds more like brakes than shocks, no ?

Could just be worth checking caliper bolts are tight, pads are a snug fit, and maybe even get the pads out and give the calipers out and give them a clean. Just to rule that out , for free, before diving in and spending hundreds.

Incidentally, those who have suffered with noisy shocks and solved it by re-greasing : what sort of knocking did you get and when ? I think I may be getting it. Getting a knock when hitting bump or pot-hole, seems to be worse when car is cold. But on the weekend and had the boot full, suddenly no knocking at all. I guess its the weight that is pushing down the rear suspension, but does that help identify whether it is or is not related to the shocks issue ?

Cheers

 

No its the shocks, the first sign is usually a clonking as you come to a halt as the rear settles back down. Then you start to get progressivley more creaks and clonks.

What you report doesn't sound like the classic STi (or WRX post 2005) strut clonk, do you have an STi (or WRX post 2005) if not the advice on here isn't for you as the struts are fundamentally different.

I regreased mine 2 years back, were fine until about a month ago, just redone them and they are silent again (and the ride is better as well!)

Simon

 

Mines an 04 STI. The rear struts were replaced by main dealer a couple of years ago but accept could have failed again since then. It doesn't clonk when coming to a halt, its when hitting a bump or pot-hole. and as mentioned before, no noises when boot fully loaded. Anyway I will strip EVERYTHING out of the boot including the boot floor, try that, and also have a look for the obvious underneath, ARB bushes etc.