[moose00015]

I put what I was told is 04 wrx suspension on my 98 RS since it needed newer components. Everything is bolted on. I drove the car around the parking lot to see if everything was ok.

There was a loud bumping noise in the rear when I'd go over bumps. I pulled the rear seats and my buddy sat in the back when I drove it around again.

It appears the area where the bolt holds the tophat onto the rest of the suspension moves up and down going over bumps. The top hats are secured onto the car just fine.

How would I fix this? Is it a problem with the 04 springs and 98 top hats?

Thanks!

 

[Shaw]

Is it the full strut/spring combo from a wrx or just springs? Also I would check to make sure everything is secure. That would be where to start.

 

[Storm]

Sounds like the strut shaft nut is not fully tightened. Take the rears off and use a piece of sandpaper and vicegrips to hold the shaft while you fully tighten that nut.

 

[moose00015]

Is it the full strut/spring combo from a wrx or just springs? Also I would check to make sure everything is secure. That would be where to start.

Full strut and spring. I popped the tophats off of the old suspension and the new suspension and swapped them.

So remove and tighten is the consensus?

 

[Storm]

Yup. It used to be a common complaint back in the day. Sometimes the shaft doesn't sit just right when assembling the tophat against the spring, then the nut tightens up seemingly tight. Once it's in the car and goes through a few cycles, things center themselves and the shaft nut becomes loose because its sitting in a different spot (correctly seated).

 

[moose00015]

Thanks for the replies. I'll give that a whirl and post back my results.

 

[phate1229]

Well I tightened the center nut and it moved down the threads. Still have the noise though. The center nut in the shock stud moves up and down when driving.

 

[Officertyo]

Take the center nut off the strut while still in the car, place a washer or two down in there and re-tighten.

 

[phate1229]

Ok. I'm posting from my buddy's account at the shop. Thanks!

 

[elislider]

or use an impact to get it on there, since it needs to be tight. put your weight on the tophat and see if you can get it to move (if theres any play), if so, its not tight

 

[moose00015]

Well the sound didn't go away. Any recommendations for the size washers?

 

[Officertyo]

I had to use a thick washer on the struts in my wagon. (wrx struts & springs with 97 tophats) The key is finding one that has a hole big enough to fit around the strut rod and still go down in the tophat.

 

[moose00015]

I had to use a thick washer on the struts in my wagon. (wrx struts & springs with 97 tophats) The key is finding one that has a hole big enough to fit around the strut rod and still go down in the tophat.

I'm guessing no one has the size they used?

 

[WRXbeater11]

I'm guessing no one has the size they used?

You best bet would to just pull it apart and head to home depot and get some washers.

 

[wagonryan187]

currently dealing with this problem myself, but I have wrx top hats. Definitely gonna try the washers cause it's buggin the shit out of me haha. I went to a subie mechanic to see if he could help diagnose the problem, and he said its probably just because they aren't the right struts for the car/ theyre at weird angles yada yada bullshit. Good luck!

 

[moose00015]

I believe you're supposed to swap the tophats. That's what I did. I also ponied up and ordered the scoobie spacers from TIC.

 

[salvator_rizzo]

Depending on what year wrx strut use, you will have to use a spacer/washer in the back between the tophat and the top of the strut, the two components don't sit together correctly. I had wrx suspension on my last car for awhile, had the same exact problem as you, it went away after some spacers were installed

 

[moose00015]

The TiC spacers fixed my problem. No more noise!