FRONT SHOCKS ON A 4TH GEN NEED HELP! - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

phillip72699 · 11-06-2009, 08:51 AM

Alright Guys help me out with this one. I bought new shocks from Autozone for the front of my 2002 Z-28. Everything seems to be order....no loose bolts, brand new bushings, Drivers side is good.....the passengers side is were I am running into some issues.....it keeps making a rumbling noise when I drive, it's as if my passenger side front is loose.....just feels loose....had my buddy sit in the passenger side and he said it felt like the wheel wanted to come off....so I checked again and the wheel is on perfectly...not loose or anything......my theory is I bought a bad shock.....what do you guys think?

S8ER01Z · 11-06-2009, 08:58 AM

Could be a bad shock but it could also be the sway bar, loose a-arm, etc...

Sometimes you get focused on something and miss others... just curious if you have hunted around that side completely? Did it rumble before the shock was changed? You could always try pulling the shock and making sure nothing is out of order.

phillip72699 · 11-06-2009, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S8ER01Z

Could be a bad shock but it could also be the sway bar, loose a-arm, etc...

Sometimes you get focused on something and miss others... just curious if you have hunted around that side completely? Did it rumble before the shock was changed? You could always try pulling the shock and making sure nothing is out of order.

The sway bar is tight....I tried shaking it and several other things and the noise seems to come from the top of the shock mount...not underneath....no it wasn't making the niose until after I switched the shocks out....a pain in the butt for sure to do.....

*CamaroSpike23* · 11-06-2009, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phillip72699

The sway bar is tight....I tried shaking it and several other things and the noise seems to come from the top of the shock mount...not underneath....no it wasn't making the niose until after I switched the shocks out....a pain in the butt for sure to do.....

did you reuse the upper bushing or did you replace it?

S8ER01Z · 11-06-2009, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamaroSpike23

did you reuse the upper bushing or did you replace it?

Great question!! Also what shocks did you put in (part number/name/brand?) could be some length issues or problems with the design.

phillip72699 · 11-06-2009, 10:47 AM

I bought some Gabriel ultra shocks....the number on them I don't have with me....as far as replacing the upper bushing.....no I did not.....man maybe that is what the problem is. It sounds like it is coming from that area right up under there....looks like I will have to take the shock out and replace it....wish there was a simple way to change that thing out. Hopefully that fixes it.

S8ER01Z · 11-06-2009, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phillip72699

I bought some Gabriel ultra shocks....the number on them I don't have with me....as far as replacing the upper bushing.....no I did not.....man maybe that is what the problem is. It sounds like it is coming from that area right up under there....looks like I will have to take the shock out and replace it....wish there was a simple way to change that thing out. Hopefully that fixes it.

Yeah that whole process was more involved than I expected. A GOOD spring compressor goes a long ways. Good luck.

02 WS6 TA · 11-07-2009, 07:52 AM

I'm going with the upper isolator being loose.

EdRedCamaro2 · 11-07-2009, 07:13 PM

I hate to say it, but the Monroe replacement struts that I have on the front end really suck. I wish I would not have let the shop talk me into buying them.

I have Bilstein shocks that I installed on the rear and they are fantastic.

fastdoc436 · 12-06-2009, 11:03 PM

I put Bilsteins in my '97 SS and the passenger side strut mount was falling apart...driver side was fine. Replaced both mounts with KYB mounts and rides/handles nice without noise from the front end. Also had alignment done after changing the struts.

phillip72699 · 12-08-2009, 10:29 AM

See I had a alignment done as well after doing it. I am pretty bad though I haven't gotten up under there to fix the problem....This time of year is always busy for me...hard to find time...thinking about going and having someone just do it for me....another thing I noticed is that when I go over a bump the front end wants to drop down to far.....Could this be because of a bad shock? Has to be right? I even had my buddy who owned a 97 LT1 Z-28 come check it out and he thinks it's just a bad shock....going to try this weekend to pull the thing off and look to see what the deal is.

02 WS6 TA · 12-09-2009, 08:25 AM

Upper. Shock. Mount. Is. Loose.

phillip72699 · 12-18-2009, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 02 WS6 TA

Upper. Shock. Mount. Is. Loose.

I am going with the upper shock mount is loose...sounds good.

Just BeClaus · 01-31-2010, 08:34 PM

Make sure that you tightened the shock post nut ALL the way. It will sound like the hole front end is comming apart if not all the down to stop.
PS I replaced that star bolt. I like to have that engineer who designed it this way to change the drivers shock.

11-06-2009, 08:51 AM	#1
phillip72699 Cams 4 life! Drives: 2002 Z-28 Camaro Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dallas/FT.Worth Posts: 155 View My Garage	FRONT SHOCKS ON A 4TH GEN NEED HELP! Alright Guys help me out with this one. I bought new shocks from Autozone for the front of my 2002 Z-28. Everything seems to be order....no loose bolts, brand new bushings, Drivers side is good.....the passengers side is were I am running into some issues.....it keeps making a rumbling noise when I drive, it's as if my passenger side front is loose.....just feels loose....had my buddy sit in the passenger side and he said it felt like the wheel wanted to come off....so I checked again and the wheel is on perfectly...not loose or anything......my theory is I bought a bad shock.....what do you guys think?

11-07-2009, 07:13 PM	#9
EdRedCamaro2 4BC Motorsports Drives: 2010 1SS Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Cincinnati OH Posts: 215 View My Garage	I hate to say it, but the Monroe replacement struts that I have on the front end really suck. I wish I would not have let the shop talk me into buying them. I have Bilstein shocks that I installed on the rear and they are fantastic. __________________ 1SS/RJT/Sunroof TPW 9/7/09 3800: 9/14/09 Arrived 9/24/09 "In racing, they say that your car goes where your eyes go...I know it's true; racing doesn't lie" The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

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11-06-2009, 08:58 AM	#2
S8ER01Z Drives: Camaro Z28 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NC Posts: 447	Could be a bad shock but it could also be the sway bar, loose a-arm, etc... Sometimes you get focused on something and miss others... just curious if you have hunted around that side completely? Did it rumble before the shock was changed? You could always try pulling the shock and making sure nothing is out of order.

11-06-2009, 10:47 AM	#6
phillip72699 Cams 4 life! Drives: 2002 Z-28 Camaro Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dallas/FT.Worth Posts: 155 View My Garage	I bought some Gabriel ultra shocks....the number on them I don't have with me....as far as replacing the upper bushing.....no I did not.....man maybe that is what the problem is. It sounds like it is coming from that area right up under there....looks like I will have to take the shock out and replace it....wish there was a simple way to change that thing out. Hopefully that fixes it.

11-07-2009, 07:52 AM	#8
02 WS6 TA Account Suspended Drives: GM Stuff Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Panama City Beach, FL Posts: 727	I'm going with the upper isolator being loose.

12-06-2009, 11:03 PM	#10
fastdoc436 Drives: 2010 2SS/RS,35thLE/SS,30thAE/SS Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Plymouth, Indiana Posts: 154 View My Garage	I put Bilsteins in my '97 SS and the passenger side strut mount was falling apart...driver side was fine. Replaced both mounts with KYB mounts and rides/handles nice without noise from the front end. Also had alignment done after changing the struts.

12-08-2009, 10:29 AM	#11
phillip72699 Cams 4 life! Drives: 2002 Z-28 Camaro Join Date: May 2008 Location: Dallas/FT.Worth Posts: 155 View My Garage	See I had a alignment done as well after doing it. I am pretty bad though I haven't gotten up under there to fix the problem....This time of year is always busy for me...hard to find time...thinking about going and having someone just do it for me....another thing I noticed is that when I go over a bump the front end wants to drop down to far.....Could this be because of a bad shock? Has to be right? I even had my buddy who owned a 97 LT1 Z-28 come check it out and he thinks it's just a bad shock....going to try this weekend to pull the thing off and look to see what the deal is.

12-09-2009, 08:25 AM	#12
02 WS6 TA Account Suspended Drives: GM Stuff Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Panama City Beach, FL Posts: 727	Upper. Shock. Mount. Is. Loose.

01-31-2010, 08:34 PM	#14
Just BeClaus Drives: 2000 camaro Z28 /1993 Z28 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Seminole, Florida Posts: 1	Make sure that you tightened the shock post nut ALL the way. It will sound like the hole front end is comming apart if not all the down to stop. PS I replaced that star bolt. I like to have that engineer who designed it this way to change the drivers shock.