loose strut nut and clunking shock
 

tried searching for a while to no avail.....

so i replaced the shocks and struts on my wife's 06 xb rs today. i used the monroe 5601 shocks for the rear. both went on without any issue. the driver's side shock would continually clunk, no matter how i installed it. the passenger side shock does not make a clunking noise at all. i have re-installed it numerous times, but no matter what i do it still makes a clunking noise. could it be a factory defect? for those that have done this install, i have one of the new metal washers go on the rod first, then a bushing with the smaller lip facing up. then i fed the rod through the body of the car, place a new washer on the rod with the metal washer on top. i finally wound up putting the old one back in - which does not clunk...

as for the struts, how in the heck do you tighten the top nut on these things? i used an air tool to get it on there, but they are both still loose. i took off the cowl so i could get to it while the new struts are on the car, but even with a hand tool the nut just keeps spinning with the rod...

i don't really want to roll out to a shop to fix this if it's something i can do on my own....

thanks in advance!!!

my new koni yellow developed hallow clunk in the rear. One of the shocks, no matter what I do, clunks going over potholes, cracks...I've done everything to eliminate bushings to no avail. Im doing warranty on the rears. My SWAG abut clunking rear shocks is lower eyelet bushing is to soft and flexes too much under load, if that isn't an issue, then internally shocks aren't right.
As for fronts, recheck top nut, proper alignment...etc...
Cheers!

Either use an air gun and hit it. Not continously cuz it will spin, tap it so to speaj with the gun a few times till it stops. The only other way would be to get a wrench to hold the strut rod and another to tighten the nut.