Is this normal? I replaced the struts a while back. Now I am getting some thumping and sqeaking. This is what I found. The picture is of the car on level ground. Every picture I can find shows no gap. Thanks.

Hi there,

The squeaking, creaking and thumping is typical of worn front upper spring seats, I've personnaly replaced mine both side on my car last spring. I know exactly what it is, the gap on my mines were exactly like yours before the replacement. The thumping/clunking could also be your swaybar links but according to your pic, the spring seats are the culprits.



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Ken

The gap is normal unless it inceases as you push up and down on the car. Mine have the gap after a strut, spring seat, strut mount change and also before.
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1998 S70 T5 Emarald Green Metallic (125K), 2004 V70 2.5T Ruby Red (45K), Previous Owner of Black '94 850 Turbo Wagon (Sold at 140K and miss her). My cars have been running so well lately they've got me worried.

Probably it's different for a S70 because the gap on mine completly disappeared on both side with the new spring seats.
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Ken

That's normal. Sounds like your strut bushing is bad.

drewb,

My S70 (same as the 850) has a gap.

If the spring seat is gone you will get a thumping noise on bumps because the shock is bouncing around.

Did you replace the spring seat with the shock?

Bryan

Mine both have this gap and don't make any noise. Gap disappeared on one side when the upper strut mount and bushing went bad (with noise) and reappeared after replacement. I would try to eliminate all other sources of noise, particularly swaybar links.

Not okay,
If you have a torque wrench tighten this nut to 48 ft. lbs.
Bushing should be seated in sub-frame mount.
Armie
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Luck favours the prepared.