Okie,

I have the Hotchkis TVS stage 1 (springs, front, rear sways) and Im on stock shocks/struts and have 18" Axis mod 7s. Last week or so, my stereo went out due to a pulled remote wire... During the period of silence that lasted until i repaired it, I noticed a cha-thunk sound coming from my front driver side of the car when i was on a bad road or going over speedbumps. my car is at my mechanic atm getting an oil change and i told him to look into it. Later today, he said that he was 95% sure it was the strut. So, what do you think my options are? This is how i see it. I could:

1. buy a set of koni yellow's and have him install them.

2. but TRD shocks and prey they last/dont blow

3. but a set of stock struts/shocks and just replace the front left one and drive a little easier on it.

4. Take the car to the dealership and say "fix it bish"


I have had the car for about 18 months and it has 27k miles on it (about 24k on the new hotchkis springs).


Next question: do i have any alternatives other then these? different shocks?

 

I have the same setup(except I have TRD struts/shocks) and same mileage and am expriencing the same thing. I am going with number 4. Approach it as, "Hey, wtf is wrong with my car?" Then, let them fix it.

 

hmmm....i have hotchkis springs and been on them for over a year now on stock shocks since. I havent had any problems besides the loud CLICK comming from the front (or it sounds like it is) but nothing else? I go over some harsh bumps and dont hear it anything besides my dash rattle. I have TRD shocks but their awaiting install ATM. Im not too sure on what else it could be? I doubt the dealer would fix it cause they would probally just say its your springs and we cant do nothing about it? Just my .02. Good luck tho!

 

narrow the problem down first, make sure it IS the strut. If it is, get koni adjustables. Now it will be like your on coilovers (except no ride hieght adjustment) The konis with tein s-techs is my plan.

 

I went with the TRD shocks and struts since my cousin said I would destry the stocks with the aftermarket springs. I forget exactly what he said was the cause, but he is a mechanic at Toyota.

 

because the stock shocks are made for stocks springs, nothing lower. Anything lower will put more stress on them and ruin them as time passes.

 

Wyatt_Herb, let me know what happens when ya take it in

 

Ok, i went with option 5...

5. Your mechanic finds that the front left strut is loose and impacts it down. All is once again well in the world. This costs you $30.

yep, it turned out to be a loose strut.

 

$30 for a 2 second job!!! I need to go to UTI and become a mechanic...

 

well, he did have the car on the rack several times. He also kept it for over a day. Checked out and tightened/stopped rattles in a few other places. So, overall for the amount of information that i got out of it b/c he overlooked a obvious cause. i think it was worth it... hehe, he inadvertantly solved a few other things that were bothering me while trying to determine 100% if it was the strut

 

always take it to mother! she knows best!

 

Dude, I am glad that all turned out well for you... I got a similar problem... I am on S-techs though..... I have checked all the bolts and cannot figure out the f-n problem... car is going back to the mechanic in the morning...

 

well turns out that it was the top strut nut that was loose.... I was like wtf.... and just fixed it myself....

Spending all day drinking budwisers - 20 dollars. Finding out it was a small thing and not needing to replace struts - "priceless"

 

well i am having a similar problem..... except both struts are making the noise..... i am on ground control coil overs. so yeah; today i impacted the ____ out of the strut but it turns out hte ____ing shock is spinning along with the nut..... iuno what to do. i dont know a mechanic here in northridge and i do not want to take that ____ to ____ing hamer toyota. but yeah thats my last resort.

 

umm.... it's SUPPOSED TO SPIN

he's talking about tightening the 3 bolts that actually hold the strut to the car, that's where the clunking comes from, the top bolt on the stut is just to hold the tophat onto the strut.

Glad the OP got the problem fixed.