I think I stopped that damned "clunking"/"clicking" noise! Re: lowering spring
02-09-2003 | 06:31 PM
#1
Thread Starter
PIMP-strollin' on 'em!
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
From: Ya BACKYARD!
I think I stopped that damned "clunking"/"clicking" noise! Re: lowering spring
I had clicking with my Eibach Sportlines! It was from the rear passenger side. I took the strut out, tightened the lock nut all the way down and the clunking back there stopped!
But then I tried to tighten down the front lock nuts since they are easily accessible in the engine compartment. Seemed the front passenger side clunking got worse!
I didn't give it much thought b/c I knew they would be coming off to get replaced by the H&R OE Sport springs. I figured after a modest 0.75" drop all around, I would have not clicking/clunking issues.
WRONG! I put the H&R's on, and I had terrible clicking in the front passenger strut. I tried tightening the lock nut down from the engine bay AND IT GOT WORSE!
Well, I was reading in various forums how the clicking could be caused by the strut assembly not expanding enough when not compressed or something. Well, I didn't really know how to interpret that. But when I looked at the threads on the two front strut assemblies, I noticed more threads exposed on the passenger side shaft than were exposed on the driver side shaft. Since both struts are the same (Gabriel OE replacements from Autozone), I figured there shouldn't be a reason for one to be tighter than the next. So I counted 7 threads on the driver side shaft. Since it WAS NOT clicking/clunking, I figured I try to "loosen" the passenger side lock nut up to only 7 threads exposed on the shock absorber shaft/piston. There were probably 10 - 12 exposed, so I had to loosen it quite a few turns.
Well, IT WORKED! The clicking/clunking is no were NEAR as bad as it was. It is barely noticeable. So I will probably try fine tuning the thread count on both sides to see if I can get the strut expanded enough in its housing to eliminate all clicking/clunking for good! Probably need to give the rears a look as well--with the clicking/clunking soooo light now, it could be coming from the rears!
But then I tried to tighten down the front lock nuts since they are easily accessible in the engine compartment. Seemed the front passenger side clunking got worse!
I didn't give it much thought b/c I knew they would be coming off to get replaced by the H&R OE Sport springs. I figured after a modest 0.75" drop all around, I would have not clicking/clunking issues.
WRONG! I put the H&R's on, and I had terrible clicking in the front passenger strut. I tried tightening the lock nut down from the engine bay AND IT GOT WORSE!
Well, I was reading in various forums how the clicking could be caused by the strut assembly not expanding enough when not compressed or something. Well, I didn't really know how to interpret that. But when I looked at the threads on the two front strut assemblies, I noticed more threads exposed on the passenger side shaft than were exposed on the driver side shaft. Since both struts are the same (Gabriel OE replacements from Autozone), I figured there shouldn't be a reason for one to be tighter than the next. So I counted 7 threads on the driver side shaft. Since it WAS NOT clicking/clunking, I figured I try to "loosen" the passenger side lock nut up to only 7 threads exposed on the shock absorber shaft/piston. There were probably 10 - 12 exposed, so I had to loosen it quite a few turns.
Well, IT WORKED! The clicking/clunking is no were NEAR as bad as it was. It is barely noticeable. So I will probably try fine tuning the thread count on both sides to see if I can get the strut expanded enough in its housing to eliminate all clicking/clunking for good! Probably need to give the rears a look as well--with the clicking/clunking soooo light now, it could be coming from the rears!
02-11-2003 | 08:04 AM
#3
Bambi Killer
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 150
Likes: 0
From: Boston, MA
Just a thought, have you tried checking the torque on the nuts with a torque wrench to see if the thread count coincides with the ft lbs of pressure you've applied to it? I don't know spec on those things, but if you found a "sweet spot" in the torque range, I'd imagine it'd be a lot easier to torque them all the same than to sit there counting threads all day. :dunno: