Need some help finding root cause
11-11-2010, 06:49 AM
#1
Need some help finding root cause
Hey guys. Lately I have been noticing some strange noises coming from the tail end of my car, and it only seems to be coming in at low speeds hitting some bumps and stuff. It makes a noise as if there is something in my trunk moving around on a bump. I recently put on my winters, and i dont recall hearing the noise before then. The winters i put on with the tire have pretty much the same total diameter as my OE setup, so as far as camber and such goes, no drastic changes, same with the actual car height and wheel gaps. I checked the torque on the wheels and also checked the torque on the endlink (actually now that I think about it, I only checked the torque of the endlink's connection to the rear tie bar, when the car was on the ground)
Anyone else have any tips on what I can try checking for?
And just to mention, no - i dont have anything in my trunk moving around
Anyone else have any tips on what I can try checking for?
And just to mention, no - i dont have anything in my trunk moving around
11-11-2010, 02:21 PM
#3
Extraordinary Engineering
Do your wheels require hub centric rings?
Did one get messed up and prevent your wheel from seating properly?
When you put winters on did you use the jack from the trunk?
Did one get messed up and prevent your wheel from seating properly?
When you put winters on did you use the jack from the trunk?
Last edited by DarkBrew; 11-11-2010 at 02:56 PM.
11-11-2010, 02:42 PM
#4
Most likely...endlinks..Especially if you car is dropped much. The OEM links are too long on a lowered car
Less likely...shock...check them out for leaks...or seepage
Check the spring perch on your coilovers.....
Check the rear suspension links as well...especially if you have hit a curb or anything
Less likely...shock...check them out for leaks...or seepage
Check the spring perch on your coilovers.....
Check the rear suspension links as well...especially if you have hit a curb or anything
11-11-2010, 05:29 PM
#5
Most likely...endlinks..Especially if you car is dropped much. The OEM links are too long on a lowered car
Less likely...shock...check them out for leaks...or seepage
Check the spring perch on your coilovers.....
Check the rear suspension links as well...especially if you have hit a curb or anything
Less likely...shock...check them out for leaks...or seepage
Check the spring perch on your coilovers.....
Check the rear suspension links as well...especially if you have hit a curb or anything
I will have to check the shocks, but the suspension doesn't seem to be responding any differently so i dont think its that, but its worth a check.
Thanks for the tips guys, keep em comin
11-11-2010, 06:50 PM
#6
Extraordinary Engineering
11-11-2010, 09:55 PM
#8
11-13-2010, 04:14 PM
#10
Shock body is fine, no leaking, no grease, just the usual dirt. Remounted endlinks today to see if that would help/hurt ... no dice ...
I took some video, maybe you guys can get an idea of the sound ... sucks but it sounds muffled, but maybe someone will know, running out of ideas here. It almost actually sounds like it is coming from the middle of the car, as if the body is flexing or something. And it only happens when i am going 5 - 15mph
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=392vHRTXNfs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoZOAPJuC7o
FYI, its not super loud like the video makes it out to be
I took some video, maybe you guys can get an idea of the sound ... sucks but it sounds muffled, but maybe someone will know, running out of ideas here. It almost actually sounds like it is coming from the middle of the car, as if the body is flexing or something. And it only happens when i am going 5 - 15mph
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=392vHRTXNfs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoZOAPJuC7o
FYI, its not super loud like the video makes it out to be
Last edited by paimon.soror; 11-13-2010 at 04:16 PM.
11-14-2010, 12:36 PM
#12
Voice0001.amr - 0.17MB
Voice0002.amr - 0.23MB
Some sound clips that might help. Pullin my hair out here. I've checked the bolts on the sump guard. The connecting bolts on each rear shock assembly. Sound is only there between 5-15mph. I even drove at 10mph and really jerked the wheel side to side, no noise whatsoever. Bouncing the car through the trunk and the front frame makes no noise either.
FYI its an AMR file from my android phone so you need quicktime if you dont have the wmp codecs.
Edit:
Not sure if it makes any difference, but the wheels are 17inch @ 7.5 w/ 215/55 blizzak tires. Hubcentric rings were used, and torqued down to 80-85ft/lb
Edit2:
Converting the AMR's to MP3's ... will upload soon
http://www.wikiupload.com/1LJ1KE5XA22CHJ2
http://www.wikiupload.com/26R1XSZ840120C9
Voice0002.amr - 0.23MB
Some sound clips that might help. Pullin my hair out here. I've checked the bolts on the sump guard. The connecting bolts on each rear shock assembly. Sound is only there between 5-15mph. I even drove at 10mph and really jerked the wheel side to side, no noise whatsoever. Bouncing the car through the trunk and the front frame makes no noise either.
FYI its an AMR file from my android phone so you need quicktime if you dont have the wmp codecs.
Edit:
Not sure if it makes any difference, but the wheels are 17inch @ 7.5 w/ 215/55 blizzak tires. Hubcentric rings were used, and torqued down to 80-85ft/lb
Edit2:
Converting the AMR's to MP3's ... will upload soon
http://www.wikiupload.com/1LJ1KE5XA22CHJ2
http://www.wikiupload.com/26R1XSZ840120C9
Last edited by paimon.soror; 11-14-2010 at 12:44 PM.
11-15-2010, 06:47 AM
#18
Something I found on the Stance website:
Question is, can the top locking nut become loose as the shocks start breaking in? I never touched them before.
Please be aware that pillowball bearings and solid mounts create a metal-on-metal contact so NVH will increase compared to OEM style suspension. It can also exacerbate existing noises that were masked by OEM suspension. However, if the coilovers are unusually loud, there may be a few reasons why your coilovers "clunk." The most common problem is the top locking nut is not torqued properly. The torque spec for the top locking nut is 55 ft/lbs for inverted type and 35 ft/lbs for non-inverted type. An impact gun on the low impact setting can be used for the inverted type damper only, otherwise hold the shaft in place so it does not rotate while torquing the top nut. Please make sure the shaft is protected so it does not become scratched.
11-15-2010, 03:34 PM
#19
So i dont have anything to hold the shaft while i try torquing the nut down. I tried today but couldn't find anything that would be safe to use. I might have to go to the store this weekend and get a strap wrench or something since i dont have an impact gun.
Other than that I checked the bushings and clamps that hold the sway bar in place to make sure thats not making noise, and those are on there nice and snug.
I am really running out of ideas folks, any and all help will be appreciated
Other than that I checked the bushings and clamps that hold the sway bar in place to make sure thats not making noise, and those are on there nice and snug.
I am really running out of ideas folks, any and all help will be appreciated
11-15-2010, 08:39 PM
#23
Nope and nope 
I wish it was something that silly. Keep em comin though. Its definately a clunking noise, like as if the sway bar was hitting against the lca or something, that kind of noise. And its weird because it mainly comes from the rear, then when i turn into my driveway it almost works its way up to the middle of the car. Its so obnoxious. Someone in another thread was saying that AM sways and endlinks make a good amount of noise.
I wish it was something that silly. Keep em comin though. Its definately a clunking noise, like as if the sway bar was hitting against the lca or something, that kind of noise. And its weird because it mainly comes from the rear, then when i turn into my driveway it almost works its way up to the middle of the car. Its so obnoxious. Someone in another thread was saying that AM sways and endlinks make a good amount of noise.
11-15-2010, 09:29 PM
#24
1- I believe the revised spec for the wheel lugs (at least the OEM ones) is 108ft-lbs? not 85.
2- I was going to suggest the top locking nut on the shock tower, and was amazed to see that it already came up here. I DONT mean the four bolts in the trunk you wrote about, I mean the single nut on top of the tower, assuming your setup has one of those. I just had essentially that same problem a few weeks ago. Note that mine was just on a spring+shock combo I put together myself, which I assume is more vulnerable to this than a true integrated coilover. It was a loud "cracking" sound from the rear corner (sounded like it was coming from the rear stereo shelf) when going over bumps fast. If this IS the cause, remember it will only happen when going over a bump hard enough to compress the shock and free tension from the assembly for a split second, before the springs re-compress the assembly. Pain in the *** because you have to take the whole suspension corner out...
Was driving me crazy as well. Have someone sit in the rear seat. If it sounds like it's coming from the rear speaker, then you've found the problem. (I took the whole rear shelf speaker out trying to find the noise! For some reason the sound travels directly up there.)
2- I was going to suggest the top locking nut on the shock tower, and was amazed to see that it already came up here. I DONT mean the four bolts in the trunk you wrote about, I mean the single nut on top of the tower, assuming your setup has one of those. I just had essentially that same problem a few weeks ago. Note that mine was just on a spring+shock combo I put together myself, which I assume is more vulnerable to this than a true integrated coilover. It was a loud "cracking" sound from the rear corner (sounded like it was coming from the rear stereo shelf) when going over bumps fast. If this IS the cause, remember it will only happen when going over a bump hard enough to compress the shock and free tension from the assembly for a split second, before the springs re-compress the assembly. Pain in the *** because you have to take the whole suspension corner out...
Was driving me crazy as well. Have someone sit in the rear seat. If it sounds like it's coming from the rear speaker, then you've found the problem. (I took the whole rear shelf speaker out trying to find the noise! For some reason the sound travels directly up there.)
11-15-2010, 09:34 PM
#25
1- I believe the revised spec for the wheel lugs (at least the OEM ones) is 108ft-lbs? not 85.
2- I was going to suggest the top locking nut on the shock tower, and was amazed to see that it already came up here. I DONT mean the four bolts in the trunk you wrote about, I mean the single nut on top of the tower, assuming your setup has one of those. I just had essentially that same problem a few weeks ago. Note that mine was just on a spring+shock combo I put together myself, which I assume is more vulnerable to this than a true integrated coilover. It was a loud "cracking" sound from the rear corner (sounded like it was coming from the rear stereo shelf) when going over bumps fast. If this IS the cause, remember it will only happen when going over a bump hard enough to compress the shock and free tension from the assembly for a split second, before the springs re-compress the assembly. Pain in the *** because you have to take the whole suspension corner out...
Was driving me crazy as well. Have someone sit in the rear seat. If it sounds like it's coming from the rear speaker, then you've found the problem. (I took the whole rear shelf speaker out trying to find the noise! For some reason the sound travels directly up there.)
2- I was going to suggest the top locking nut on the shock tower, and was amazed to see that it already came up here. I DONT mean the four bolts in the trunk you wrote about, I mean the single nut on top of the tower, assuming your setup has one of those. I just had essentially that same problem a few weeks ago. Note that mine was just on a spring+shock combo I put together myself, which I assume is more vulnerable to this than a true integrated coilover. It was a loud "cracking" sound from the rear corner (sounded like it was coming from the rear stereo shelf) when going over bumps fast. If this IS the cause, remember it will only happen when going over a bump hard enough to compress the shock and free tension from the assembly for a split second, before the springs re-compress the assembly. Pain in the *** because you have to take the whole suspension corner out...
Was driving me crazy as well. Have someone sit in the rear seat. If it sounds like it's coming from the rear speaker, then you've found the problem. (I took the whole rear shelf speaker out trying to find the noise! For some reason the sound travels directly up there.)
2. I was thinking that, and actually called Stance about it, but i dont think this to be the case here. Mainly because at a high speed I can hit bumps and road imperfections and dont hear a thing. It is actually when i go over minor imperfections in the road at 5-15mph that i actually hear this noise.
Haha see how frustrating this is becoming for me
I am close to just accepting that this noise is normal with aftermarket...Btw: if it was my wheels, wouldn't i feel any vibrations or something in the steering?