rbrown81

iTrader: (3)

So I installed my suspension today. H&R springs and Illuminas. Everything went relatively well. Only trouble I had was trimming the rear bumpstops.

Ive driven the car perhaps 20 miles since the suspension was installed and Im getting all kinds of wonderful clunking noises from the front of the car.

Specifically:

I am getting clunks from front driver's and passengers sides when I travel over bumps

And - I am getting a consistent knocking noise coming from the front passenger side when moving. This seems to be happening constantly at ANY rate of speed, regardless of Bumps.

Are these common symptoms of a common problem? I reused my hardware on the front setup, since it was very clean.

-Rich

rbrown81

iTrader: (3)

So replying to my own thread.

I lifted up the hood and found that there was some play with the Strut piston rods. They were moving up and down inside the top hats. I had considered the possibility that we didnt tighten the nuts down far enough that hold the spring onto the strut... and that may be the reason why it is moving like that. I also started to pick up some clicking from the rear passenger strut also.

Anyone have any ideas?

kobalt

iTrader: (3)

When I installed my maxspeeds last week I had a clunk just like you mentioned above. I picked the front end up to change my wheels and the clunk went away completly. I think picking the car up gave the new springs a chance to re-seat themselves properly.

OOmaxSE

iTrader: (19)

1) i'm sure you already know this but the top hat where it says "out" has to be facing towards you (when looking at the fender)

2) make sure to tighten the three bolts very tight (is that where you mentioned you had play?)

3) the spring should be seated properly on the strut

4) torque the middle nut to at least 65 (forget how to measure torque!)

note: also, it's important to allow the springs to settle for a couple weeks, people have noticed the noise going away after this period of time. goodluck.

Puppetmaster

iTrader: (48)

From Housecor's site:

http://www.innerbean.com/housecor/strut_install.html


- strut upper mount nuts 39-54 N-m
- piston rod nut (nut that holds down top hat) 59-88 N-m <-NOTE: This is for a factory strut. Follow the torque specs for whatever aftermarket strut you're installing otherwise.


But are you sure that the springs being settled will change anything? Could ya please explain how this would cause the clunking to go away because I just don't see it. Thanks. IMO, if they are installed and seated right, being settled or not shouldn't make a difference since they are already "set" in place.

rbrown81

iTrader: (3)

Turns out the piston rod nuts definetly arent torqued down enough. Will be fixing that tomorrow.
w

OOmaxSE

iTrader: (19)

you're welcome. please search and look at housecor's site. he simply states it as one of the front suspension noise. please, look for yourself. 'doh!

"set" in place and "settling" are different, so that itself can make a difference. IMO.

http://www.innerbean.com/housecor/su...on_noises.html

Puppetmaster

iTrader: (48)

I know what Housecor says. I was asking for an explanation, not a restatement. Since you did not quote his site as a source, I assumed that you could explain why that was so. But I guess you can't, which explains the smart@ss comment.

I didn't say they were the same. My statement meant that assuming the springs are "set", ie installed and everything seated right (after lowering the car and driving around for a bit), I would think there would be no clunking. Some noise when the car is first lowered and driven is normal since all the components are still in some ways "getting into position" because they are now supporting the weight of the car. Now after this "setting" is done, whether the springs "settle" or not should not make a difference.

Btw, apparently springs don't settle:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....rings+settling