Front Suspension Overhaul

[Ilya]

I'm on BC Coilovers and when I installed those 20k ago, I replaced the stabilizer end links as well. I'm dealing with some noise/clunking and I think it's the coilovers (strut mount), but I want to take the rest of my suspension out of the equation. Can't be that much for parts to overhaul it (I don't plan to replace the control arms).

What else should I change? My car has 120kmi and that was the only suspension work I have done. How hard are ball joints and sway bar links on this car? Can I do it myself if I was able to install the suspension?

Besides the ball joints and sway bar links...anything else I should change? Any bushings? 120kmi is a lot, time for a refresh.

[svard75]

Hey Ilyakol. When do you hear the clunk? Try to isolate the condition and see if you can reproduce it each time. Think about this process you are performing and what is affected then see if you can reproduce it with the car jacked up to follow the noise. That's the best advice I can offer you.

[Ilya]

Taken from another forum I posted on:

Recently (within the last 2-3 months), the car has started to develop a knocking/clunking sound when going over bumps or dips in the road where the travel of the suspension is great. On smooth roads or gradual dips, all is quite. But when there is a pot hole, a quick dip in the road where the suspension 'drops' (and then the weight of the car coming down on it), the noise occurs.

Everything looks tight/right on the car...and BC has agreed to honor the warranty once it gets warmer and I can record the sound going over bumps with my GoPro...but I was wondering if anyone here had any recommendations on what to check.

If it helps, the feedback in the steering wheel suggests it is at the top of the strut...and it also sounds like it's just under the hood. However, I could be way off. I did a check just now of the nuts holding the top of the strut and all was well.

The entire coilover is one assembly. The only thing I re-used when installing them was the cardboard/paper 'gasket' between the coilover and wheel well where the assembly bolts up to the car. Everything else came as one entire unit. I don't know how to take the coilovers apart to check the internals, etc. Is that what's needed to check the bushings/bearing plates or is there an easier way to check/access those?

You do bring up a good point...it did seem to start as temperatures got colder (and we all know this winter has been one of the most brutal in recent memory). However, I installed these in Feb 2013 (20kmi ago) and this definitely wasn't happening after the installation all the way up until the beginning of winter (very last part of 2013 - so I went roughly 15-16k without issues)...it only started when the temperatures dropped this winter.

I did the stabilizer end links at the same time as the install, so 101k...at 120k I probably should do the rest of the suspension like ball joints, sway bar links, etc. I guess I could loosen the end links and see how much play is in them...I have a lift with full assortment of tools so it would only take a minute. I'm sure if can install the ball joints and swar bar kit myself or if not, my father could definitely assist.

Noise is definitely in the front. I had noise in the back too, but I think I solved that for good (the rear is a different setup - the spring is separate from the shock). My rear left stabilizer link busted a nut (lol) so it was just flapping around held on by one nut (lol). I bought a new link and made sure it was all proper and the rear is quiet now. But the front sounds like it's driver side front more than anywhere...towards the top where the strut bolts to the car and I do feel feedback in my steering wheel when it clunks. It happens when going straight over rough road, even when going over speed bumps it'll do it sometimes.

I don't have spring lock/ping or whatever it's called...I had then when I first installed the kit but A.S.S helped me out and by tightening the collars, we got rid of that.

[cruzad3r]

do the wheel bearing first before you take the coil out. chances are, it's the bearing as coil don't crap out that fast/early.

[Ilya]

Wheel bearings/hubs were replaced like 30kmi ago (drive side) and 50kmi ago (passenger side - under warranty). I know the sound those make. IMO, this is 100% suspension related as it depends on bumps, etc. Wheel bearing would typically be associated with speed, etc.

[svard75]

So to be clear the noise occurs when the car enters a pothole (expansion) or when the wheel hits the other side (compression)? You said you checked all of the coil over connections right? What about the springs themselves, did you reset the preload now that they have settled? All springs sag a bit after time and the initial preload may no longer be valid meaning the spring becomes loose while the wheel drops going into a dip then during compression it makes the noise because it's realigning itself. Check preload now with all wheels off the ground.

[svard75]

Sorry just re-read the part where you already readjusted the collars. I'm not sure what to tell you except you could take the coil overs off two at a time and with the wheels hanging move the entire assembly up and down through its entire stroke. Remove the wheels to make it easier. Then play with the top part of the coil over to see if there is any play sometimes the upper mount can become bad and sound like that. Then remove the spring set the damper on max soft and push it through. Try to wiggle side to side. Look for oil leaks etc.

[Ilya]

So to be clear the noise occurs when the car enters a pothole (expansion) or when the wheel hits the other side (compression)? You said you checked all of the coil over connections right? What about the springs themselves, did you reset the preload now that they have settled? All springs sag a bit after time and the initial preload may no longer be valid meaning the spring becomes loose while the wheel drops going into a dip then during compression it makes the noise because it's realigning itself. Check preload now with all wheels off the ground.

Correct...noise happens when going 2mph or 200mph (lol)...it is dependent on the type of bump or pot hole I hit. Some dips don't make any sound, but some bigger ones will cause the suspension to clunk.

I have not reset the pre-load. I honestly struggle with the concept of coilovers adjustment which is why I had a local shop adjust the height/pre-load when I first installed them. I just can't seem to get a hang of it.

Sorry just re-read the part where you already readjusted the collars. I'm not sure what to tell you except you could take the coil overs off two at a time and with the wheels hanging move the entire assembly up and down through its entire stroke. Remove the wheels to make it easier. Then play with the top part of the coil over to see if there is any play sometimes the upper mount can become bad and sound like that. Then remove the spring set the damper on max soft and push it through. Try to wiggle side to side. Look for oil leaks etc.

My guess all along is that it is the mount of the coilovers...so I have been working with BC and they will honor the warranty (it expired last month) because I brought it to their attention before it expired. However, it's been too cold and crappy weather (snow/ice seemingly every other day) to do any troubleshooting with camera's (GoPro) to record the sound, etc. I want them to hear/see the wheel in action and I can't do that due to the weather at the moment...so we agreed to wait until it gets warmer.

[svard75]

That's great news! If you haven't re-adjusted the preload then that is where I would begin since the spring settles after a while even after a few months. I noticed a clunking noise when I was turning my wheel and the readjustment fixed that. I do hear some noise in the rear when I hit a bad pothole but that is because I removed the spare tire and the cover is flopping around. Stupid wheel spacers basically made my spare useless because of the protruding nuts. So why the heck should I lug that weight around if it's not going to work anyway.

[Ilya]

Okay. I'll talk to the shop that did it for me last time and have them re-adjust the suspension to the original setting/height (I think I told them 2").

[Ilya]

Update:

It was the sway bar/stabilized end links...I'm shocked they went at 20kmi (I installed new ones when I installed the coilovers) after the factory ones lasted 101kmi (or at least 70k, since I got the car with 30kmi). Oh well...these have a 3 year warranty so I basically got new ones from Advanced Auto for free.

Noise is gone.

[rxmclaren7]

say IlyaKol did you happen to have the part # for the end links?? my car is making the exact same sound you are describing and i wonder if mine are gone as well!!

[Ilya]

say IlyaKol did you happen to have the part # for the end links?? my car is making the exact same sound you are describing and i wonder if mine are gone as well!!

Sure. Check this thread, we discussed it here:

m35-suspension-overhaul-parts-t586602.html

You have two options in the thread.

[rxmclaren7]

thanks