After market Tension Control Rods

[maj Andres]

So how many of you with after market tension rods get a "clunk" when you hit your brakes and the weight of the car is shifted forward?

I can only assume it is the rods since that is the only thing that is aftermarket in the front. Besides the JF braise that is installed. Plus, when i'm underneath my front end I can shift them at the spherical bearing making a metal on metal contact.

S14 with megan tension rods. Don't bash me for getting megan, I bought them before i knew better.

[Eddiemac]

I would think that if you can move them by hand you should tighten them up a bit. Ive had several different brands, I just set them even with the OEM ones or a turn or two tighter to preload them. Ive never had any noises but I would assume its from the bolt that goes through the pillowball having too much play.

[im_looking_for_a_240sx]

you definitely shouldn't be able to move the (pillowball joint) end at all. tighten it and see if it keeps happening

[Sushibandito]

I definitely heard some clunkage after I installed my Tein tension rods on my S13, but it went away after a week or two, I would assume they were just getting broken in.

My logic would say the clunk is from the contact points shifting, since there is really no way to have a smooth transition from looking at how they fit together.

Oh, and I tightened mine down on the threaded bolt section with two crescent wrenches, as much force as I could muster by hand, but then again, its recommended you get alignment done after suspension changes, and I have also changed hubs + wheel set-up and haven't been in, so possible its related

[maj Andres]

you definitely shouldn't be able to move the (pillowball joint) end at all. tighten it and see if it keeps happening

It's not like it moves freely, it takes some force to shift them back and forth when they are unattached to the LCA. I'm pretty sure they are on their tight, but next time I am underneath I will chek them with a torque wrench.

[BrianHarte]

I do not get clunking.

[OutToWinPAHC]

Are they set incorrectly. Did you have it on a rack at all?

[nifares240]

i used to get a clunk when braking. after I replaced the front sway bar bushings, no more clunk sound when braking. this is before I replaced my tension rods.

[maj Andres]

I do not get clunking.

Which ones are you running?

Are they set incorrectly. Did you have it on a rack at all?

Got it aligned soon after they were installed. They didn't really adjust much though.

i used to get a clunk when braking. after I replaced the front sway bar bushings, no more clunk sound when braking. this is before I replaced my tension rods.

I got the ES bushing on the sway.

[SirSilvia]

I'm starting to hear a clunk again, way back when. I found the problem being the sway bar links shifting up and down in the control arms. The metal retaining washers was what it was. Now hearing the same knocking. Going to diagnose this again when I get time. This thread helps because i didn't expect it to be the Tension rods.

[BrianHarte]

I have run Battle Version and currently I have Parts Shop Max.no clunking.

[Legion76]

I've had Megan tension rods on my S14 for 3 or 4 years and I never had a clunking noise or any other problem with them.

[nifares240]

I noticed in your pic, the tensiod rods are not even flush to your front brace. I have the spl ones, and they fit flush on my stock brace. tensiod rods have the tedency to twist when braking and hitting bumps. you might be getting side to side play.

[LayNLow240]

I had PBM on my old coupe and they clunked a bit so I got under it and started looking around. Found out that the bolts holding the tension rod brace to the chassis were loose. Tightened them and it went away for like a day then came back. Still tight though. But I dont think I ever found out wtf it was.

[gumby74]

I have run the Tein (my personal favorite) and currently an older model of the Kazama rods that I lucked out on. Thick steel rod, very stout. No clunking caused by either set. I may however suggest you check your balljoints, and control arm bushings.

[94_240sx]

Simple. They went bad. Housing that holds the bearing got stretched due to weight shifting or bearings are damaged somehow, so there's play inside. Replace them with better ones. You shouldn't get any clunking noise or movement and that's the whole point of having pillow ball joint tension rods. I have Kazama ones and they are good.

[maj Andres]

I noticed in your pic, the tensiod rods are not even flush to your front brace. I have the spl ones, and they fit flush on my stock brace. tensiod rods have the tedency to twist when braking and hitting bumps. you might be getting side to side play.

Not really sure what your talking about. I took that pic when I was finishing up installing that brace, so the bolts aren't all the way in. I just posted it so people would get an idea of what I was talking about...and people are more likely to click on your thread if there's a picture

I have run the Tein (my personal favorite) and currently an older model of the Kazama rods that I lucked out on. Thick steel rod, very stout. No clunking caused by either set. I may however suggest you check your balljoints, and control arm bushings.

Looks like the higher quality rods don't have any issues (go figure ) My ball joints and LCA bushings are new.

Simple. They went bad. Housing that holds the bearing got stretched due to weight shifting or bearings are damaged somehow, so there's play inside. Replace them with better ones. You shouldn't get any clunking noise or movement and that's the whole point of having pillow ball joint tension rods. I have Kazama ones and they are good.

That's what I had figured but i wasn't sure since nobody had posted anything about it. Just wanted to verify. Looks like this gives me an excuse to get some SPL

On another thought, has anyone just replaced the pillow ball joints in their tension rods? (whatever brand)

[martins_240sx]

hey merry christmas man. On my coupe it did this on hard slow turns and braking hard. it spent like 2 hours on the lift at the hobby shop but couldnt replicate it. then when i finally installed them on my hatch i got the same popping. im thinking its just binding up since the stock ones had huge rubber bushings and these are all metal???

[maj Andres]

Which TC rods do you have?

[martins_240sx]

On the hatch they are circuit sports and the coupe is biggest beastiest no names I've ever seen.

[gumby74]

A friend of mine recently picked some up from Ebay for something like $80. These things are dark age weapons. Solid steel rods over an inch in diameter, huge spherical bearing ends.

[SirSilvia]

A friend of mine recently picked some up from Ebay for something like $80. These things are dark age weapons. Solid steel rods over an inch in diameter, huge spherical bearing ends.

pics?just interested

[martins_240sx]

sounds like the ones i was talking about... let him know he should paint them if they are the bare metal because they will surface rust. but they are huge...one of those weigh about as much as both of my circuit sports.

[martins_240sx]

these are the huge ones...and they are actually on my hatch not the coupe. if you look in my sig you can see one installed

[SirSilvia]

sweet, mine are beefy but not like those. might get some for my other coupe.

[martins_240sx]

i just pulled that pic from ebay...they are only 69 bucks dont know about shipping. as for how they work, I havent had any problems besides the popping and surface rust, then again in the past 1.5 years i have driven it 5 or 6 times.

[gumby74]

I think those are the ones. And yeah, he sprayed them with some clear.

[DRIFTKNIGHT_240]

i got the REVO too and is about 5 months and they work real good.+1

[fourLUG_hero]

I have Cusco.

No clunking.