Top Mounts?

[reddevil]

Been noticing for a few weeks that my car is making a strange noise at the rear, figured it for the top mounts, but since I plan on a new suspension in the coming weeks decided to hold off.

Just been out and opened the boot, pressed down, the noise is the usual PPPSSSSTTTT noise that you get from a tired suspension, but when I push the car forward it moves and half an inch or so, same when the car is pulled backwards giving a total of an inch movement, there is a clunk noise coming from where I expect to find the top mounts but I have not yet removed the boot lining too see what I can see (it's dark). Does this still sound like the top mounts and am I daft waiting a few weeks till I can afford the new struts/springs, should I just do it now?, never jacked the car rear up before and don't want to do it twice if I can get away with doing all this once.

Thanks in advance for any advice or help.

Red Devil

[gcorky]

dont need to jack car up for top mounts,undo bottom shocker bolt ,undo 2 13mm nuts -shocker will come out complete with top mount..

iirc andy had top mounts done?maybe wrong

[reddevil]

Hi Corky, I know he had one of them done, but not sure about both, so thought I'd check too see if I can work out what the bother is (not that I really know what I am looking for), but there is a fair bit of movement there when pulling and pushing the car against the handbrake.

red D

[Brianmoooore]

Yep, top mounts can be done without jacking anything. Exhaust gets in the way a bit on the left side, but dead easy on the right.

[reddevil]

So this movement back and forward would sound like a top mount to your guys?, all the articles I've read suggest and banging up and down but not back and forth?, sorry if this sounds pissy, just I am reading some articles as gospel and since I know no better worrying myself.

red D

[reddevil]

Sorry to pester you again (probably Brian), but can I just check the required tools needed here,

2x rear top-mounts Part number 33526754096 x 2
17mm ring spanner - Will have to buy
Vice/Grips - Will have to buy - Will a monkey wrench do?
13mm socket
19mm socket/wheel brace.

Got these from the article in the technical section, no mention of anything else so all I need to buy are the two top mounts, 17mm spanner and some sort of vice or grips??? (God knows on that one). No gaskets etc?.

Cheers

Red Devil

[E30Mark]

You need the grips to hold the top of the shock absorber plunger steady when trying to undo the retaining nut at the top. A suitably sized spanner will also do. (8mm ish i think....)

You will also need to buy 2 off gaskets, pennies each from the dealer.

[reddevil]

lol, well think I'll see what damage I can do tomorrow, it sounds bad and I start a new job on Wednesday which I'll need the car for, so it's tomorrow or never really, fingers crossed guys.

Thanks for all the advice, feeling a little more confident now.

Red Devil

[Brianmoooore]

I didn't say you need new top mounts. You have to check them yourself.
Pull in the boot liner sides and see if you can move the threaded bit that sticks up through on top the wheel arches.
If it moves you need new top mounts

[reddevil]

Yeah, that's my first port of call before going out and spending, pretty sure that's what the problem is, but I'll be sure to check, will put my mind at rest if nothing else, not sure why that should give movement front and back, but fingers crossed.

Red D
Thanks again

[Brianmoooore]

Car moving over and back slightly with the handbrake on is just the handbrake shoes moving on their backplate. Perfectly normal.

[reddevil]

That would be even better if that were the case, does seem to be a fair bit of movement though, might just be me reading into it all since I'm pretty sure the top mounts are gone. Will post an update here tomorrow once I've stripped the boot lining out, I think that will confirm most things without even getting my hands dirty.

Thanks again

Red D

[320Touring]

You need the grips to hold the top of the shock absorber plunger steady when trying to undo the retaining nut at the top. A suitably sized spanner will also do. (8mm ish i think....)

hmm, never worked on any topmounts i've done, not to mention the danger of the jaws snapping...

TBH thats the hardest part of the procedure. I jack the car up to give some more space for doing the bottom bolts (as brian says, the LHS is a bit tight)

[dazleeds]

big adjustable is what i use

works everytime

[reddevil]

Well Guys, checked the top mounts today and guess what....NOTHING, no movement at all, the car does rock forward and backwards against the handbrake, but I guess it's just coming to rest against the rear pads as Brian suggested. There is a bang over some of the more serious local potholes, but I feel that this may just be down to the state of the whole suspension, it's buggered I think. So after all that excitement there was no mucky hands, though removing that boot lining is a serious PITA..

Red D
Ps. Thanks for all the tips, but I think this one is going to come down to a full suspension setup (once I have saved some pennies)