Front Struts???

[ArcticCat650H1]

When I bought my new car (new to me) I was told it had new rear struts (i checked they are new), but the front one is starting to make the clunking noise. What struts do you guys recommend? How are the Monroe QuickStruts?

[sousa632]

Are you sure it's the strut and not a sway bar endlink(more likely)?

[ArcticCat650H1]

It sounds kind of like strut clunk, but it very well could be. I have not had a chance to look yet. Also when turning left at slower speeds I often get a rubberish constant squeek sound for as long as im turning? Not the power steering, it almost sounds like a dry rubber on metal or even rubber on rubber, but only when turning left at slower speeds????

[JohnSawyer]

I just did a bunch of research to decide which manufacturer's front struts to install in my 94 Taurus (the rubber in both strut mounts has completely deteriorated, causing clunks when going over bumps), but what I learned about Gen 1 and Gen 2 front struts might help you, if you're replacing the front struts in your 2001/Gen 4. The general consensus here and elsewhere is that for Gen 3 and 4 Tauruses, most low-to-medium cost strut assemblies/quick struts from most manufacturers (including Monroe, KYB, Moog, Raybestos, Gabriel, etc.) contain lousy strut mounts and/or bearings--often, either the bearings under the strut mount break down soon after installation, or start making annoying squeaking/grinding/clicking noises, and sometimes the mount's rubber tears. For some reason, these problems happen far less with the Gen 1 and Gen 2 Taurus equivalent strut mounts and bearings from the same manufacturers, so maybe it's not a matter of a different strut mount and/or bearing design between these generations, but rather something about the Gen 3 and 4 Tauruses that don't like "normal" aftermarket strut mounts/bearings. The recommended strut mounts and bearings for Gen 3 and Gen 4 are Motorcraft, since apparently only Ford is making strut mounts/bearings for the Gen 3 and 4 Tauruses which work the most reliably. Complete Motorcraft strut assemblies can be expensive, so a cheaper (but more time-consuming) approach is to build your own strut assemblies, which allows you to choose a Motorcraft strut mount, and your choice of less-expensive struts, springs, etc.

Here are a couple links to relevant threads here:

moog strut mounts

What's The Best Brand Of Strut Bearing?

Maybe someone else with more hands-on experience with this than me, can add more info.

[Automender12345]

There was a recent post on the forum about suspension noise. You could have a dry ball joint making the noise. I had one and I was spraying oil in the top part of the front struts thinking it was a strut bearing issue. Nope it was a ball joint that I injected grease into to solve. Look for the thread because it also had a you tube video with the actual sound. The clunk could be a badly worn and lose ball joint.

I have put Quickstruts all aroung on my taurus. I like them but you have to watch quality. Some places are selling Econostruts that are a cheap version on the Quickstrut.

[repairman54]

I put 90k miles on a set of Quickstruts, no issues and road fine when I sold the car. I'd use them again.
I did a full front end refresh at the time, ball joints, hubs, struts & sway links as it was at 120k miles at the time. Still tight 'n happy at 212k when I sold it.
All brand name parts, no cheapo AZ junk.

[taurusfan93]

I like the monroe's. Quick struts always make everything easy too.

[taurusfan93]

I like the monroe's. Quick struts always make everything easy too.