My 2001 XG 350 makes a banging noise that has been suggested as the rear struts. This occurs when the car goes over bumps. I just replaced the rear tires which were badly cupped and made a howling noise while driving at highway speeds.

Are these struts prone to developing clunking problems with the strut mount? Can they be replaced by DIY or are specialized tools required?

Thanks for your help.

 

The rear upper strut arm is connected to the strut housing by 14mm bolts. The threads on the strut housing are welded in place these usually break causing the upper arm to move around when going over bumps. The only special tool you will need is a spring compressor.

 

Are the struts original? How many miles are on the struts? If they are original, it's time to replace the 8 year old struts.

 

If the tires are cupping, then probably the struts are bad and need to be replaced. Replacing the struts is a good time to check to see if any of the mounting bolts are loose, which is probably the cause of the banging. Skrag55 is correct, it's not a big deal to replace them yourself, you just need a spring compresser. I think Autozone will lend the spring compressor for free if you buy the struts there.