Recently I purchased some low King springs and Monroe GT Gas shocks for my TE. I installed them and took the car for a spin. Brilliant, except for a knocking sound that was like the front end was loose and about to drop off which was coming from the front right. I took the car back home, took the strut out and rechecked all my work. Noise was still present. Drove the car to and from work for the next 2 or 3 weeks, spending what time I could searching for the cause. I thought surely it wouldn't be coming from a brand new Monroe. I checked everything I could think of and then checked it again. Eventually (after having pulled the strut out countless time already) I left my King spring in but installed the standard original shock back into the front right hand side and instantly the knocking was gone.

I took it back to the shop, got an exchanged new Monroe GT Gas shocky, installed that one and it was brilliant............ for about a week and a half. The knocking was back. I was puzzled and ticked off. Instead of hunting for the noise again, I immediately changed it with the original shock absorber and the knocking went. What the hell?

Back to the shop again and this time it's taking much longer to get another. I have been driving around now on my King springs, 3 Monroe shocks and 1 original shock for the past 3 days so far and the car hasn't even made a single noise. Am I just unlucky or have done something wrong?

sorry i have to ask have fitted bump stops

I would say you are unlucky. Monroe while certainly not a performance shock are still reasonable and better than say KYB and they seem to go ok with the Kings as well.

When you get this solved ask for a report on this damper from Monroe and will give you a better idea of the issue, remember that these are made in batches so may be that all of the same side damper in stock in that shop have the same issue

Yeah bump stops are the originals and were put back on. I received a phone call from the store who said they spoke with Monroe and although they are happy to replace it, they want my car checked out by a mechanic/suspension place, etc just to make sure it isn't a fault on my car that is causing it. I'm happy with that and can understand, although if it is a fault with my car that's causing the shocks to stuff up, then surely it would have ruined the original one way before now??? When I ordered the shocks I asked for Monroe GT's not realizing they have Monroe GT Gas and Monroe GT Sport. On the Monroe website it says GT Sport is designed to work with King springs. I have the GT Gas, so I wonder if that makes a difference? I will asked for the damper report though, cheers.

is the shock lined up properly? ie the top spring seat and the bottom spring seat are lined up?

Tie rod, for sure. Perhaps fiddling with the suspension has brought on damage from natural wear.

Make sure all wheel nuts on both front wheels are tight. Put the car on a hoist. See if there is any in/out free play, or wiggle in either wheel, like the nuts had come free again. If wiggle is present on either wheel you are up for new tie rod and rubber boots for that wheel.

Some years ago I fitted a set of Monroe to a Ford. They knocked and I contacted Monroe and was told there was a fault but they could not tell by batch numbers as some gave the problem and others didn't. Monroe said to take them back for an exchange. The new set did the same thing and the store got angry with me and I think they didn't believe me. The third set worked OK but that was the end of my relationship with my local auto store.

Tie rod, for sure. Perhaps fiddling with the suspension has brought on damage from natural wear.

Make sure all wheel nuts on both front wheels are tight. Put the car on a hoist. See if there is any in/out free play, or wiggle in either wheel, like the nuts had come free again. If wiggle is present on either wheel you are up for new tie rod and rubber boots for that wheel.

How can it be tie rods if the noise went away when refitting the standard shock?

How can it be tie rods if the noise went away when refitting the standard shock?

Exactly. Changing struts puts you nowhere near tie rod anyhow.
More likely to be a bad batch of struts. Quality control was asleep that day. lol

Exactly. Changing struts puts you nowhere near tie rod anyhow.
More likely to be a bad batch of struts. Quality control was asleep that day. lol

If you put in another Monroe strut that works fine then it is obviously the strut. I always use new gabriel struts and have never had an issue with them. They are of a similar calibre as monroe.

Well, well. I've just had my car checked today after work by a tyre and suspension place and they said the car is all good, strong, nothing is bent etc. Other than typical wear for the age of the car, the car has nothing that will cause damage to a shock. I went to the auto store who sold me the springs and shocks who told me they are still talking with Monroe. They said that Monroe are now saying that I probably have the wrong shocks in and as my car is on King Spring Low's, I should have Monroes lowered shocks in.

The auto store are now saying I have to buy a set of Monroe lowered shocks. I told them, that this probably wouldn't happen as I ordered King Spring Lows and Monroe shocks. If they (the auto store) supplied the wrong part, I shouldn't have to buy another set of shocks). I was told Monroe is calling the store tomorrow so I told them to get Monroe to phone me as I want to talk with them as well.

Once this is over, I will never A) go to that auto store again and B) will never use Monroe again.

Some years ago I fitted a set of Monroe to a Ford. They knocked and I contacted Monroe and was told there was a fault but they could not tell by batch numbers as some gave the problem and others didn't. Monroe said to take them back for an exchange. The new set did the same thing and the store got angry with me and I think they didn't believe me. The third set worked OK but that was the end of my relationship with my local auto store.

I'm having the exact thing happening to me. I'm about to hopefully receive my 3rd Monroe shock, the auto store is getting angry, and I'm having people not believing me and accusing me of not fitting them correctly or that my car is faulty. I can't wait for it to be over.

Wow, never expected this of Monroe. Never had this issue with kyb or Gabriel so it will be interesting to see how it pans out.

I am using monroe gt gas shocks on king low springs not a single problem. i think maybe you got a bad batch.. i hope it gets sorted in your favour..

Danny..

I received another call today at work from the auto store. They told me that they have yet again, were just on the phone with Monroe and that Monroe said to send the "bad" shock to Monroe for testing. Meanwhile I just have to wait 3 - 4 weeks while they send it over, conduct tests and then decided to give an answer or something? I was also told I have the wrong bump stops fitted and that I'm meant to have larger ones fitted because my car is lowered. ???? So at the moment I don't get squat!! I'm still driving around on 3 GT Gas and one bog stock original shock. No noise, no knocking, no rattling, nothing. The only issue I have at the moment is the old original shock is a bit softer and so that corner likes an extra bounce than the rest of the car.

I got a bad batch, stuff happens, just give me another to replace it and all is good. But for some reason this is being drawn out. First I was accused of not installing them correctly, then my car was accused for being faulty and causing them to become damaged, and now I've been told I have the wrong parts fitted. And I thought this would be a fun, simply swap.:cry:

Thanks mate. I didn't see a problem with it either (for the very short period when I had all four shocks in). I just wanted the car a little lower to close the gap between the wheel and guard and to stiffen it all up a smidgen.

wrong bump stops what a crock of s#%t.. mine is running gt gas shocks on the stock bumpstops off my old stock shocks that also had lowerd springs on.. and i have never had a problem..i sure hope you get a good out come from this and i would be giving them hell if they come back and say you broke them..

Danny..

Dear Das Trojan, you note that the auto store gets angry with you & me but no one seems to care that you & I had to refit the shocks three times when it should have been right the first time.

Dear Das Trojan, you note that the auto store gets angry with you & me but no one seems to care that you & I had to refit the shocks three times when it should have been right the first time.

Ah yes, an excellent point Petergoudie. Actually, including the double and triple checking I've done, I've taken the whole thing in and out more times than I care to remember. I've actually started to memorize every size of bolt and nut, (3 x 14mm nuts up top, 2 x 17mm nuts down the bottom the shocky bolt is held in with a 19mm nut). I shouldn't be doing this that many times that I can remember this stuff. lol

I'll be phoning Monroe tomorrow as well. I'm not waiting 3 weeks just to get the OK to get my 3rd shocky.

Geez, i was concidering monroe as i have ordered some kings lows, maybe not, whats the next best thing then, Koni'sprices arent too bad , maybe ill give them a go?????

Mate and I thought I had bad luck!! I also have a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder with a 2 inch Old Man Emu lift and had 5 (YES 5) faulty front passenger struts in 18 months. Boy was I peeved off!! The good thing was that ARB who owns OME replaced it everytime and have now rectified the busted seals in the struts and so far no problems after a couple of years!! Cheers!!!

Just an update for those who maybe interested. I got a bit sick n tired of the back n forth between myself and the auto store and being told something different each time. All of course being things that blame me, my car, etc. Anyway I phoned Monroe myself and spoke with the same guy the auto store has been dealing with. Unfortunately, it still ends up I have to wait 3 weeks because Monroe won't release any more shocks to me before they test the last one I had.

I'm fairly ticked off. I didn't pay money for 4 King spring lows, and 3 new shocks!! I can't understand how come it's all being dragged out. The answer is as plain as day. The Monroe's I have installed are work brilliantly, no problems. My car has been inspected by a qualified tyre and suspension centre and got the tick of approval. So obviously it comes down to receiving a bad pair of shocks. Ok, it's annoying but no biggy, these things happen. Just give me another replacement and let me be on my way. Guess that's a bit to easy.:headbange

Oh, and I'm still being questioned as to how exactly did I install them, what bump stops am I using, and what sound the car was making while the shocks were playing up. Seriously? Doesn't anyone have a pen and paper to right this stuff down anymore when they are told the first time?

Mate and I thought I had bad luck!! I also have a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder with a 2 inch Old Man Emu lift and had 5 (YES 5) faulty front passenger struts in 18 months. Boy was I peeved off!! The good thing was that ARB who owns OME replaced it everytime and have now rectified the busted seals in the struts and so far no problems after a couple of years!! Cheers!!!

5 WTF!!! Are they Monroe's? Oh dear, looks like I'll be taking that strut out a few more times then...... :(

Yes mate. 5!! Hope it all works out for you!! Cheers, Ben!!