wheel grinding noise?

[Project S13]

Alright, I know that some of you guys must have experienced this before, so hopefully someone can help me confirm what this is. When drifting, if I countersteer much more than about 2/3 lock a somewhat high pitched grinding sound will occur, coming from the front wheels, sounds kind of like mis-shifting and grinding a gear or trying to start a car that's already running. Sounded to me like metal on metal.

I've heard other s13's make this sound before at full lock or if they spin out while countersteering (again close to full lock) but I have no idea what this sound is, just that it's coming from the front wheels. I don't think it's tires hitting the fenderwell because there's pretty decent clearance and I'm on the oem tire size. I guess it could be interference with the coilovers? There isn't much clearance, the wheel is pretty close to the spring but it doesn't interfere or make a noise usually. I'm running on tein he's with the stock wheels 15x6, +40 offset.

Note that there is no such interference when driving normally or when driving fairly fast grip style. Seemed only to do this when I was drifting.

[mmatl16]

its ur wheels hitting the fender lineing and/or the wheel well

[Project S13]

You think so? That just seems unlikely as there is 2 inches or so of clearance and the suspension is stiff so it's probably not leaning into the tire.

Also if that's the case then why wouldn't it hit during normal cornering, when I can cut the wheel all the way and nothing like that will happen?

No offense, but unless you know a reason for it, I have a hard time thinking that metallic sound was rubber against the fender, considering the above.

[Grip Gambler]

its ur wheels hitting the fender lineing and/or the wheel well

yep thats probaly the reason, ur car might be stiff but it probaly is still hitting

[240SicknessX]

have you played with your adjustable tc rods to gain more castor? if so or not, turn the wheel to the right and look at how much clearance you have between the tire and fender on the right side, judge if you think it would rub. if you belive that it still shouldnt rub, then rasie your ride height and see if it still dose it.

just run some lower profile tires, 50's or something. or raise your ride height a lil bit.

[gogg]

I always though the noise he's talking about came from the differential.

[Project S13]

I always though the noise he's talking about came from the differential.

It's coming from the front of the car, from the wheels so in this case it's not the diff.

[Project S13]

Thanks for the suggestions on checking that. I'll take a look at the clearance at full lock each way and let you guys know. I'm fixing to run 205/50's in the front, I'll raise the nose a bit and see if that helps. It's conservatively lowered, though the front sits a bit lower than the rear.

240SicknessX - I don't have adjustable tc rods, but caster is 7 or 7.5 degrees or so, I got it aligned about 2 1/2 weeks ago.

How do I fix it if that's the cause; anything besides raise the ride height/lower the sidewall height?

[mmatl16]

dude its the wheels hitting the wheel well. no doubt about it.

if u want to stop the problem get tein he's

[Project S13]

Lol I already had Tein he's =p

But anyway I raised the tein's a little bit and tossed on some 205/50's and it seems to be fixed so far.

[mmatl16]

if u rode those tein's stiff u should be fine. what setting did u have them on in the front

[Project S13]

5 or 6 front, 3 rear. They are stiffer than they need to be in some ways, plus I was just driving on the streets normally and then decided to play in a spot I heard about. I didn't get out to adjust anything because it was raining pretty hard. I haven't had any trouble in the dry so far so rain should be alright as well.

[Joe]

its possible its the power steering belt squealing for its life, check the condition of that.

but odds are its just tire rub.

[neagan]

Don't give any creedence to the couple of know-it-alls that are trying to tell you 'it's your wheel wells'. Take a look at some of their general past month's posts, especially that stuttering mmmmmtl16 guy. He just wades around this board every day looking for a chance to flame, poke fun, piss off, and generally waste most serious peoples time.

[mmatl16]

Don't give any creedence to the couple of know-it-alls that are trying to tell you 'it's your wheel wells'. Take a look at some of their general past month's posts, especially that stuttering mmmmmtl16 guy. He just wades around this board every day looking for a chance to flame, poke fun, piss off, and generally waste most serious peoples time.

lol are you really the much of an assclown that your going to try and "flame" me what a f*ag!! lolololol

[Project S13]

Don't give any creedence to the couple of know-it-alls that are trying to tell you 'it's your wheel wells'.

Yea I take everything with a grain of salt but there's nothing wrong with asking for suggestions. Some people don't come through so well online/text only though, and do sound as though they feel they know so much more than eveyrone else. I just try to give people benefit of the doubt, not like I'm taking anyone's word for it.

Most people don't make those observations, so hats off to you.

For the record I think it must have had to do with tire clearance, it wasn't rubbing where people were suggesting but after thinner sidewalls and a ride hieght raise (I was going to do this anyway) I have had no problems Thanks everyone

[MainEvent212]

just so you know, it might be because you just have a ton of body roll...HE's arent really known for being the stiffest coilovers out there

and i see a bunch of people that seem to be new to this forum since i last visited who are uninformed, misinformed, or stupid

it is most likely your tires rubbing, just stiffen it up a little in the front...you could probably use aftermarket sway bars...

i personally dont have much rubbing and my front tread is inside the fender

you probably just need a few more adjustments up front (caster will help some) and you should be set

good luck though

[nismostate]

i've got ksports and I have a noise problem. it makes a clunk on the front right side "sometimes"... when i was drifting i didn't notice that noise.. only at random sharp left turn occasions, it'll make a clunk... i've checked all my bolts btw. is it my frame shifting?? i got F & R JIC tower bars and tein tie rods.. i have a feeling that it might be either my balljoint or tension rods.

[MainEvent212]

are your tension rod bushings good?

[nismostate]

nope. could that be the problem? they are toast.

[mmatl16]

just so you know, it might be because you just have a ton of body roll...HE's arent really known for being the stiffest coilovers out there

and i see a bunch of people that seem to be new to this forum since i last visited who are uninformed, misinformed, or stupid

are you serious?!

pretty sure that he's are a drfit suspension so they are gonna be naturally stiff......

[MainEvent212]

trust me, the HE's are stiff compared to like...FLEX (what an ironic name for a coilover system huh?)

but compared to real drifting coilovers the dampening isnt as good

my friend has HE's, on the same settings he gets more body roll then my Megan Racing coilovers. (which happen to be the cheapest real coilovers on the market)

EDIT:symptoms of bad tension rod bushings

1clunking on turns (so i hear, i've never had this happen)2car steers itself often (pulls very hard in ridges and grooves)3control arms twist with the wheel and rip off...

remedies:1replace rods w/ better ones or at least replace bushings2same as the first3replace all suspension components and repair all other damage to vehicle, this time remember to install tension rods

[Project S13]

My car occasionally "clunks" when I turn the wheel sharply. Usually I only do this at parking lot speeds though. While driving some mountain roads to my dad's house last weekend I was going 30 or so around a decently sharp uphill turn and I heard (windows down) a very audible clunk come from the front. Suspension was pretty compressed but I doubt it was the wheel/fender as I've already heard what that noise sounded like.

If it was the t/c rod bushing...what kind of danger is that to someone who autocrosses and sometimes drifts the car (definitely want to avoid breakage and suspension loss x_x)Not trying to take the cheap route, just a little low on funds and not wanting to replace them unless needed.

[nismostate]

1clunking on turns (so i hear, i've never had this happen)2car steers itself often (pulls very hard in ridges and grooves)3control arms twist with the wheel and rip off...

are you saying the control arms may rip off?? i've noticed that my power brace is toast too.. not sure if the tension caused it.. all i know is that my front end is all messed up.. also, my front driver side wheel sits in more compared to the passenger side. and no it's not the camber. the whole wheel literally sits in more.. on the driver side, my camber is almost all the way in but still has a negative camber of like 1.5, same as the passenger side. im pretty sure it's the lower control arm that's bent and causing it to sit inward like that. i'll have pics as soon as i remember to do so.

[mmatl16]

geez people can we let this thread die already....he fixed his problem

[Project S13]

lol it's not like there are that many new posts in the drift forum anyway.

Nismostate what is up with your car? It sounds like the front suspension is almost totally exhausted? You didn't wreck it or anything did you? =p Your car seems to be curious in the way it's been held together...you always get better results when the t/c rods and everything are not toast..

[nismostate]

hey, i bought the shell for 500$ what do you expect. the front end might of been wrecked but it said it was clean on carfax. the spot where the power brace attaches to the front was rewelded so im assuming it was in a minor front end collision. everything else have no signs of damage. i've been told that the first owner slid the car in a ditch. i still gotta get pics.

[MainEvent212]

you mean tension rod brackets or do you actually have a Nismo Power Brace?

either way, there is no reason besides crashing, more or less, for it to be "trashed"

your tension rods keep your suspension assembly from rotating along w/ the wheel/rotor under braking force (when the suspension becomes "attached" with the suspension thru frictional force). If the tension rods werent there, there would be massive amounts of torsional force applied to the suspension arms (in the same direction the wheel is turning) every time you hit the brakes. This would be bad...because yes, theoretically all the suspension arms, tie rods, brakes etc. could break off as one big chunk of scrap metal

[Project S13]

This would be bad...because yes, theoretically all the suspension arms, tie rods, brakes etc. could break off as one big chunk of scrap metal

Will the Nismo power brace help to resist this? I've seen one before but wasn't sure what it helped to stabilize.

[nismostate]

yes, i mean tension rod brace. My tension rod bushings are trashed not the rod itself. I plan on getting the nismo brace soon because the stock brace is slightly bent. Im also replacing my tension rod with an adjustable one.