New noise

[slater]

I created a youtube channel with videos of the noise. Video #3 is the best one with good audio of the rapid vibration. Vehicle speed is ~30mph in videos 2 and 3.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkZ...JSJ8-KJOBXqLGQ

Is it possible that 6 month old shock mounts have already gone bad?

Can I drop the shocks out at the back and reinstall (looks like it's 3 bolts on top and 1 on the bottom) w/o losing the alignment?

very strange... sounds just like that previous video you posted, though.

yes, you can absolutely R+R the shocks without affecting the alignment. i would start there - doubt they have gone bad, but i would check the top mount stack off the car (still connected to the shock at first) to see if there is play there. then disassemble and check the top mount stack order of washers, etc. it's entirely possible the top mounts konked out early, too.

[nsk040]

Slater - I assume you mean pull out the top of the the shock to inspect mount, gasket, etc. but leave the bottom connected to the wheel carrier so as not to impact alignment? Or can I totally remove shock from car with no impact to alignment?

Higher-quality shock mounts (linked in my first post) failing after only 6 months seems like a pretty low probability but I'll check.

Can someone confirm the order of the mount, gasket, and reinforcement plate? I'm thinking mount and gasket are fed up from below with gasket sandwiched b/w mount and chassis, and then just reinforcement plate and nuts (2 outside, 1 central) are what go on from the top?

[Sockethead]

They look like a similar design to the RE mounts. On those, if you don't have them tightened properly, they'll make noise. Also, the RE mounts can be mounted either way...

[nsk040]

The central nut on top, as well as the two outside nuts are all tight. Is there something else inside (i.e. not accessible from the top w/o dropping the shock out) that could be loose or is it likely that the mount itself is broken?

Hope this isn't a subframe issue...but from my understanding those are incredibly rare of '04s and beyond.

[Sockethead]

I'm not that familiar with that particular design so I can't really say. How about calling the folks that made it? (760) 644-2682

[nsk040]

Latest diagnosis from the shop is that it's a blown shock. Odd, as the shocks were new 6 months ago. Tech was in the back seat, seats down, watching the top of the shock - he seemed pretty confident in the diagnosis. New shock ordered...

Have you guys heard of shock failures creating noise? It seems that every shock failure thread I can find relates to leaking, not noise.