Clunk from one of my shocks

[Plays_with_Toys]

When my passenger side shock has to compress all of a sudden (bumps) it makes a loud clunk noise. I jacked up the car and all the connections are fine. However, when I thrusted the wheel up you can hear the clunk coming from the shock shaft near where it goes into the body of the shock itself. There is no dampening resistance until the clunk is felt/heard.

Is this shock toast? My other ones don't exhibit the same behavior. The strut is only 10k miles old.

EDIT: in case it matters, this came out of nowhere this morning and was not after I had hit any large bump or anything

[rougeben83]

Is there any oil leaking? Usually that kind of strut problem would be accompanied by oil and oil residue around the area.

It might be another suspension component? Is it the front or rear shock?

[Plays_with_Toys]

It's the front shock. It's eibach springs, and they are fully seated. I tugged on the unit pretty good and nothing is loose. I checked the sway bar mounts and the condition of the CV boot. Also looked at where the A-arm attached and everything seemed peachy. No fluid that I could see.

[rougeben83]

Hmm...you might want to also check the tophats...if it's old, the bearing section maybe causing the clunk.

[Plays_with_Toys]

I searched and most of the responses across most manufacturers and shock clunks came back to the top of the shock.

Different things to check are the conditions of the bearings, the top hat, the nuts that hold the top hats, and my culprit, the nut that holds the top hat to the shock shaft. It was a turn and a half out.

[rougeben83]

I searched and most of the responses across most manufacturers and shock clunks came back to the top of the shock.

Different things to check are the conditions of the bearings, the top hat, the nuts that hold the top hats, and my culprit, the nut that holds the top hat to the shock shaft. It was a turn and a half out.

Yeah, that's the usual culprit in a lot of cars driven in NYC, including my old Taurus (went through 2 sets of tophat bearings when we had it).

[Reason]

If you need top hats I'm selling my STi's.

[Huffer]

The top-hats would be my bet. It's likely the bearings inside have seized up.

[RadeOn]

And I'm also selling group N tophats ;)
Although, seems like the problem is solved for now.

[Plays_with_Toys]

I forgot to mention. Another thing to check is that your spring hasn't rotated a little bit. Especially those with aftermarket springs. That can cause a clunk as well.

LIke I said all is good now.