question about quick strut problem

2000 3.8L

I replaced my struts with quick struts several months ago.

Recently my van seems to be very sensitive to steering. I just lift the front and shaked the wheels. There's a considerable play when I shake it horizontally and the spring seems to be rotated looking from the bottom. I did not tighten the big nut in the middle of the strut when I installed. Should I have done so? The play seems to be between the spring and the upper plate.

Thanks for your help.

I replaced my oem springs struts with the quickstrut and did not adjust the large nut on the top of the mount. I don't believe it needs alteration. You did torque the 3 smaller nuts to the proper value right? There will be a certain amount of movement of the spring as the wheel is moved from L to R. Did you by chance change either of inner or outer tie rod ends when you installed the quickstruts? I have a horror story about an inner coming undone that caused near devastating results.

Piper

I replaced my oem springs struts with the quickstrut and did not adjust the large nut on the top of the mount. I don't believe it needs alteration. You did torque the 3 smaller nuts to the proper value right? There will be a certain amount of movement of the spring as the wheel is moved from L to R. Did you by chance change either of inner or outer tie rod ends when you installed the quickstruts? I have a horror story about an inner coming undone that caused near devastating results.

Piper

The right strut on my van seems to have more play than the left side, which is the reason I think it is not normal. What's the proper torque for the 3 smaller nuts? And what's the role of the big nut in the middle.

I'm about to do my outer tie rods, but not inner ones. I'll make sure to read your story before this job.

Thanks

i'd check on the info that came with the quickstrut but IIRC the 3 smaller nuts at the top of the shock tower needed 35 ft-lbs. Please check though. I know it wasn't a ton of torque.