***Suspension Trouble Shooting HELP Needed***
10-19-2003, 06:35 PM
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***Suspension Trouble Shooting HELP Needed***
OK, a little off topic but I figured you guys here in autox would know suspensions better than other forums in here.
I installed new struts and springs(Tokico HP & Progress Auto Springs)
I have one strut, Passenger Front that is making clunking sounds over bumps much like a bad strut would. I've removed the wheel three times to inspect everything and nothing was loose. I removed the strut, damper fork, spring & hat and checked everything over before putting it back in.
The only thing I noticed was that the steel boot / dustcover for the strut appears to be rubbing the strut. It's not bent or anything but sits kind of cocked. While the strut was out I compressed the strut all of the way and the dust cover cleared it fine when I guided it.
When everything was installed I had the car on jack stands. I compressed the spring / placed a load on the suspension by placing a jack under the spindle / knuckle and jacking it up... I then tightened all the nuts and bolts starting at the damper fork then the pinch bolt and finally the strut tower nuts.
I've done this twice now and the thing still clunks on bumps and dips.
What could be causing this to happen with brand new struts and springs? Could it just be the steel dust cover making all that noise; should I just try using a rubber one like on the rears?
What could it be... HELP
I installed new struts and springs(Tokico HP & Progress Auto Springs)
I have one strut, Passenger Front that is making clunking sounds over bumps much like a bad strut would. I've removed the wheel three times to inspect everything and nothing was loose. I removed the strut, damper fork, spring & hat and checked everything over before putting it back in.
The only thing I noticed was that the steel boot / dustcover for the strut appears to be rubbing the strut. It's not bent or anything but sits kind of cocked. While the strut was out I compressed the strut all of the way and the dust cover cleared it fine when I guided it.
When everything was installed I had the car on jack stands. I compressed the spring / placed a load on the suspension by placing a jack under the spindle / knuckle and jacking it up... I then tightened all the nuts and bolts starting at the damper fork then the pinch bolt and finally the strut tower nuts.
I've done this twice now and the thing still clunks on bumps and dips.
What could be causing this to happen with brand new struts and springs? Could it just be the steel dust cover making all that noise; should I just try using a rubber one like on the rears?
What could it be... HELP
10-19-2003, 07:33 PM
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I think my clunking was from the exhaust rattling around since you now have a stiffer suspension. Try shaking that. Does it come close to anything?
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10-20-2003, 04:00 AM
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No, this is definitely coming from the right front strut.
What you said could be an explanation for the occasional noise I hear in the rear though.
What you said could be an explanation for the occasional noise I hear in the rear though.
10-20-2003, 02:31 PM
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Are the springs shorter than stock? If so then two possibilities:
1) You've changed the geometry enough that the sway bar is whacking something
2) If the spring is short enough then it might be unseating slightly when the strut extends over a bump. When it compresses afterwards it reseats with a clunk. this is very common with drops of more than 1"
If not then I would look again at the fork and the brake line ring that goes around the shock. They can appear properly seated when they are not.
Also, and I know this sounds stupid but its happened to me. Are you absolutely sure that your lug nuts are torqued? Loose lugs can sometimes appear like all sorts of other suspension maladies.
I like Mike's idea about exhaust components. Do you have aftermarket exhaust or headers? I would check anything that's not stock.
1) You've changed the geometry enough that the sway bar is whacking something
2) If the spring is short enough then it might be unseating slightly when the strut extends over a bump. When it compresses afterwards it reseats with a clunk. this is very common with drops of more than 1"
If not then I would look again at the fork and the brake line ring that goes around the shock. They can appear properly seated when they are not.
Also, and I know this sounds stupid but its happened to me. Are you absolutely sure that your lug nuts are torqued? Loose lugs can sometimes appear like all sorts of other suspension maladies.
I like Mike's idea about exhaust components. Do you have aftermarket exhaust or headers? I would check anything that's not stock.
10-20-2003, 08:00 PM
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Thank you both for offering your ideas...
I figured out my problem though. After bouncing the car up and down while the hood was open, I could see excessive play with the piston shaft in the bushing at the strut tower. I backed the lock nut off of the shaft and pulled out the top bushing and to my amasement, the lower bushing that sits inside of the spring collar between the collar and the top of the dust cover was missing. Also missing was the 1" tube spacer.
h:
I remember assembling all of the bushings and tube spacers and inserting them in the spring collar but apparently one of them fell out prior to getting the collar over the shaft and on top of the spring.... so basically every time I hit a bump the strut would come up and send the steel boot/dust cover slamming into the spring collar and the shaft would rattle back and forth making all of that noise I heard.
I can't believe that's all it was and even more I can't believe I didn't notice the bushing and spacer fall out when I was assembling everything.
Anyhow she handles much better now and there's no more cringing at bumps.:thumbup: .... now on to the rest of the suspension
I figured out my problem though. After bouncing the car up and down while the hood was open, I could see excessive play with the piston shaft in the bushing at the strut tower. I backed the lock nut off of the shaft and pulled out the top bushing and to my amasement, the lower bushing that sits inside of the spring collar between the collar and the top of the dust cover was missing. Also missing was the 1" tube spacer.
h: I remember assembling all of the bushings and tube spacers and inserting them in the spring collar but apparently one of them fell out prior to getting the collar over the shaft and on top of the spring.... so basically every time I hit a bump the strut would come up and send the steel boot/dust cover slamming into the spring collar and the shaft would rattle back and forth making all of that noise I heard.
I can't believe that's all it was and even more I can't believe I didn't notice the bushing and spacer fall out when I was assembling everything.
Anyhow she handles much better now and there's no more cringing at bumps.:thumbup: .... now on to the rest of the suspension
10-22-2003, 08:22 PM
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Maybe someone can shed some light on my troubles: When I first put on my 2in eibachs/tokico illumina there was a clunking sound when making turns and bumps. After a day of hard driving the noise went away. Then one day I pulled the e-brake around a corner and the next time i turned the, the noise came back. I then got on the hwy and when i got off 3hrs later all was well. Its been a couple of weeks and no clunking. Its very odd to me. I want to blame it on the stabilizer since the noise came somewhat for the middle. Help me out if u had a similar problem.
10-23-2003, 07:09 AM
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From what I discovered and after talking to a few people at dealerships and performance shops, usually if there is a clunking noise coming from the suspension area that is has to do with the top side of the strut where it mounts to the strut tower. Open your hood and bounce the car up and down. If you see that one of your strut piston shafts and bushings seem to be moving around then somehting is not right (missing bushing, spacer, washer, bumpstop, etc.). When you bounce your car up and down there should be very little to NO movement from the struts piston shaft. If you here even the slightest noise when bouncing the car, it probably has to do with the top bushing area of the strut.
In my case, I was missing a bushing and spacer that had fallen out when reassembling the strut. This caused the struts piston shaft to just wobble around making a clunking sound. Also, did you cut your bump stops in half?
In my case, I was missing a bushing and spacer that had fallen out when reassembling the strut. This caused the struts piston shaft to just wobble around making a clunking sound. Also, did you cut your bump stops in half?