Hey guys, so i took the RC 6" lift off of my 2002 1500 2wd, all new suspension parts up front, new struts, no issue up front.

On the rear of the truck all i did was take out the 3" spacer block and put NEW stock length Monroe Gas-Matic LT Truck Shock Absorber on, got them from advance auto parts. I immediately noticed a noise coming from the rear of the truck when I'm on any surface thats bumpy, and when i go over speed bumps and the like.

So i got under the truck and had a buddy jump up and down in the bed. Well the bushings in both ends of both shocks are loose, as in they don't seem big enough to fill the space between the bolt and the ring that holds the bushings. The play is in the direction of the axis of the shock, not side to side. I held pressure on the shocks with my hands to eliminate as much of the play in the bushings as i could and had my buddy jump again, that stopped the noise.

I put the shocks on with an impact wrench as tight as i could so I don't think it's the bolts being too loose. And it's on both ends, of both shocks so there is clearly one thing causing all 4 to be a problem. I used the stock bolts, everything is stock except the shocks. I haven't found anyone with this problem on google or searching this forum so unless i managed to get two defective shocks I'm stumped.

Any Ideas?

- Thanks!
Alex

 

there should be a bushing and a sleeve you could be missing the sleeves

 

the sleeves are in there too, by sleeves i assume you mean the metal sleeves that the bolt goes through...

 

Crappy shocks. Get some Bilsteins. The bushing should be snug around the bolt. Is the bolt snug in the mount holes? If so, then the problem is the shocks and they should be returned.

 

yeah the bolt is snug... i was 99% sure it was the shocks but i was hoping i was being stupid and missed something

well time to shop for some shocks i suppose. Are bilsteins the BEST option for these trucks, or are they the best reliable shock thats affordable? I don't want to spend a ridiculous amount because i'm just trying to get my truck back to stock for as little as possible, but you do get what you pay for.

 

They may have just come with the wrong bushing sleeves. You might have them get you another pair and see if they are the same. I like the Bilsteins that I put on my 08. I thing I gave about $68 each shipped at www.eshocks.com. Not sure what you gave for Monroes. I never really cared for them much. I like Gabriel and Bilstein myself.

 

I purchased the same shocks from Rock Auto this fall, with the same issues, noise in the rear. These have a lifetime warranty on them, so I am waiting for spring to come and I will change them out. Good to know that I am not crazy, I have been trying to figure out what it has been for some time. Replaced rear bearings at the same time, so I didn't know which repair was causing the noise.

 

From what you are describing, it sounds almost like the nuts have bottomed out on the threaded part without clamping down on the bushings themselves allowing end-end play? Sounds like the wrong lengthed bushings! You could just but a pair of bushings and stick them in there if you wanted? but then you would have an issue on the bottom end where the bushing cannot be replaced. If the bottom bushing is loose, then you need to return them for new shocks;however, there is always going to be some loosness to the bottom bushings as they do need to move and cannot be rock solid.

 

I have a 2005 Magnum. I try to do all the work I can on it myself. I had the noises you speak of in the back and the front. I had the shocks, struts and strut mounts replaced by a local mechanic. I had noises in the front and the back after the replacement on even the smallest of bumps in the road. I replaced every part in the suspension in the front (wheel hub bearing assemblys, sway bar links, inner and outer tie rod ends, upper and lower control arms) and the noise only stopped after I did a couple of different things in the front and back. I know this is going to sound obsurd, but it's worked for me. In the front, the new bolt stems diameters on the new shocks weren't an exact fit for the holes the manufacturer had. So, there was play when it was buckled under a moving load like a speed bump. You could hear it shift. I couldn't find washers anywhere that were an exact fit for the gap. So, I used an epoxy resin. I tightened it down before it set and let it sit for a few hours. No more noises. On the back, I was determined not to be the idiot who replaced each and every part before thinking outside the box. I noticed that the bottom half of the new shock absorbers would move (twist slightly) inside their seat. I wanted to fill that gap for ****s and giggles, just in case it was the culprite before I started replacing everything else on the back end suspension just like I did in the front. I went to AutoZone and purchased silicone washers and threaded them with soldering wire (I tried thread first, but it broke away too easily) after removing the bottom fastening bolt. I used a screw driver and a hammer to try my best to keep the plastic washers in place on each side until I got the hole in place for the bolt to pass through. I took it on a test drive and no more noise.. whaalaaa.. I'm a damn genious.. who'd a thunk.. Be sure to support the spring shock underneath with a jack and the rear frame of the car with a jack stand and do whatever you need to to be safe. This worked for me and I hope you have the same luck. Steve.

 

[QUOTE=Tx91z28;2406886]Hey guys, so i took the RC 6" lift off of my 2002 1500 2wd, all new suspension parts up front, new struts, no issue up front.

On the rear of the truck all i did was take out the 3" spacer block and put NEW stock length Monroe Gas-Matic LT Truck Shock Absorber on, got them from advance auto parts. I immediately noticed a noise coming from the rear of the truck when I'm on any surface thats bumpy, and when i go over speed bumps and the like.

I have a 2005 Magnum. I try to do all the work I can on it myself. I had the noises you speak of in the back and the front. I had the shocks, struts and strut mounts replaced by a local mechanic. I had noises in the front and the back after the replacement on even the smallest of bumps in the road. I replaced every part in the suspension in the front (wheel hub bearing assemblys, sway bar links, inner and outer tie rod ends, upper and lower control arms) and the noise only stopped after I did a couple of different things in the front and back. I know this is going to sound obsurd, but it's worked for me. In the front, the new bolt stems diameters on the new shocks weren't an exact fit for the holes the manufacturer had. So, there was play when it was buckled under a moving load like a speed bump. You could hear it shift. I couldn't find washers anywhere that were an exact fit for the gap. So, I used an epoxy resin. I tightened it down before it set and let it sit for a few hours. No more noises. On the back, I was determined not to be the idiot who replaced each and every part before thinking outside the box. I noticed that the bottom half of the new shock absorbers would move (twist slightly) inside their seat. I wanted to fill that gap for ****s and giggles, just in case it was the culprite before I started replacing everything else on the back end suspension just like I did in the front. I went to AutoZone and purchased silicone washers and threaded them with soldering wire (I tried thread first, but it broke away too easily) after removing the bottom fastening bolt. I used a screw driver and a hammer to try my best to keep the plastic washers in place on each side until I got the hole in place for the bolt to pass through. I took it on a test drive and no more noise.. whaalaaa.. I'm a damn genious.. who'd a thunk.. Be sure to support the spring shock underneath with a jack and the rear frame of the car with a jack stand and do whatever you need to to be safe. This worked for me and I hope you have the same luck. Steve.