Coilover rattle after alignment

Post by **nissan_star** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:07 pm

I just got enduratech coilovers and have been driving them un-aligned for a few days, very very bad idea trust me. So i finaly got them to a shop that can accomodate my lower hieght with thier alignment machine, but when i get my car back my right front coilover rattles every time i hit a bump. It sounds almost like when your hood isnt seated properly and makes metal on metal contact. I have yet to figure out what the shop did to make this noise happen when they adjusted my alignment.

Any help is great. ty

Post by **Xj220gt** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:00 pm

For some reason, my AGX have been doing that also... I have not been able to figure out what it is either. I was guessing that its the actual spring, but have not confirmed...

Post by **darens13** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:09 pm

i dont have much experience with coilovers, but you should take it back and have them fix it. if they are a decent business they should do it free of charge.

Post by **EazyBreazy** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 6:13 pm

make sure the top bolt is tight, the most common source of rattling and clunking on coilovers is the top nut where the coilover connects to the pillowball mounts

Post by **nissan_star** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 6:20 am

EazyBreazy wrote:make sure the top bolt is tight, the most common source of rattling and clunking on coilovers is the top nut where the coilover connects to the pillowball mounts

Do you mean where the camber plate connects to the strut tower? or do you actually mean where the ball connects to the camber plate?

I still dont know how getting my car aligned could suddenly make one coilover rattle...

Post by **adrianfromthecastle** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:06 am

nissan_star wrote:
Do you mean where the camber plate connects to the strut tower? or do you actually mean where the ball connects to the camber plate?

I'd say check both.

nissan_star wrote:I still dont know how getting my car aligned could suddenly make one coilover rattle...

you'd be surprised how dumb some people are when it comes to aftermarket stuff... lol. I wouldn't be surprised if the alignment guy loosened the big nut to adjust camber.

Post by **nissan_star** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:32 am

adrians_s13 wrote:you'd be surprised how dumb some people are when it comes to aftermarket stuff... lol. I wouldn't be surprised if the alignment guy loosened the big nut to adjust camber.

haha, you are exactly right, the big bolt under the shock adjustment is way lose. He deffinatly tryed to turn it to adjust something.

This guy was deff. inbred or something. He called me to tell me that i need to buy adjustable screws... i was like wtf are you talking about. Then i realized that he had never opened up the hood to see how to adjust the coilovers. He also used a screwdriver to pry the suspension and left large gashes in my camber plate

Post by **darens13** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:38 am

wow, what an idiot. so are you going to do anything about it?

Post by **Arashi** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:48 am

Wow.. I think that counts as negligent damage, I'd pursue that and possibly get at least the cost of the alignment back

Post by **darens13** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:53 am

^at the very least, the cost of the alignment back.

Post by **ShereKhan** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 7:53 am

So where was loose on your coilover? im having the same issue and would really like it gone

Post by **nissan_star** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 8:54 am

ShereKhan wrote:So where was loose on your coilover? im having the same issue and would really like it gone

it screws into the top of the pilow ball. It would be right below how to adjust the dampening of the shock. Its like a 21mm nut on mine, i had to use an adjustable cresent to tighten it.

Arashi wrote:Wow.. I think that counts as negligent damage, I'd pursue that and possibly get at least the cost of the alignment back

This is a mom and pop auto service place, i know they are not going to do anything for me, it was only $45, front only no tax. I needed it done before i drove home for spring break and Big O Tires said they were the only place that could align my car becuase it was so low and they had a drive on machine instead of a lift.

Post by **adrianfromthecastle** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 9:20 am

nissan_star wrote:
haha, you are exactly right, the big bolt under the shock adjustment is way lose. He deffinatly tryed to turn it to adjust something.

This guy was deff. inbred or something. He called me to tell me that i need to buy adjustable screws... i was like wtf are you talking about. Then i realized that he had never opened up the hood to see how to adjust the coilovers. He also used a screwdriver to pry the suspension and left large gashes in my camber plate

lol

you gotta understand though, coilovers are race type suspension. I wouldn't trust any mom and pop alignment shop to do the alignment unless they are a race shop or something that specializes in race alignments. You'd be surprised the difference in the alignment if you take it to a specialty shop that can specifically adjust your alignment to your driving behavior.

that adjustment bolt the guy was talking about refers to camber on stock suspension.

Post by **ShereKhan** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 10:22 am

Thanks ill go look at that once i get my car back from the dealership. Replacing my seat belts for free ya the certain shops can do wonders. A guy in town takes his S2k to a place where they puts weights in the driver seat to acomodate for him being in it so its sets for his style

Post by **nissan_star** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 12:25 pm

adrians_s13 wrote:
lol

you gotta understand though, coilovers are race type suspension. I wouldn't trust any mom and pop alignment shop to do the alignment unless they are a race shop or something that specializes in race alignments. You'd be surprised the difference in the alignment if you take it to a specialty shop that can specifically adjust your alignment to your driving behavior.

This is the best i could do for Rolla MO. I am about to head back to St. louis where i might be able to get it aligned for realz. BTW, I called the shop guy up and told him he left a bolt loose and i had to tighten it, which changed the alignment. He gave me a full refund, and my car is aligned enough to drive home 90 miles. I think he knew that he didnt align it right cause he had no problem giving my 45 bucks back.

adrians_s13 wrote:that adjustment bolt the guy was talking about refers to camber on stock suspension.

It took him like 5min to tell me this is what he was talking about. It was almost like the phone was cutting out, except it was his brain or somthing...

Post by **adrianfromthecastle** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:14 pm

^ ROFL

well at least you got your refund.. that's good.

I guess I'm glad that I live in CA instead of MO, lol. Theres at least like 4-5 places around me I can name that can do multilink alignments... basically for almost 90-100 bucks, they ask what type of driving you do, and they adjust your alignment for it.

Post by **EazyBreazy** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 10:31 pm

Glad that fixed your problem, but you will most likely need to get an impact gun on that nut or a strap wrench around the shaft of the shock and a socket on the top to get it tight enough that it won't loosen again because the shock shafts rotate in the bottoms keeping you from getting a good solid amount of torque on the nut.

Coilover rattle after alignment

Coilover rattle after alignment

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