Clunkish noise??

[RelliMS3]

Last night I did a bunch of driving with my friends and right before i got home i started hearing a clunk noise. Over bumps, its not what you would describe as a hollow clunk its more of a opposite-of-hollow clunk (maybe the word i'm looking for is solid clunk). It sounds like its coming from the front and i checked the RSB. I just had koni yellows installed. Checked for anything obvious, any other ideas what it might be??

 

[GoFast]

Who installed the shocks? I am guessing that it has something to do with that. Either the spring inst seated properly or they didnt tighten every thing right/enough.

 

[RelliMS3]

Who installed the shocks? I am guessing that it has something to do with that. Either the spring inst seated properly or they didnt tighten every thing right/enough.

It was a professional tire/wheel/alignment shop but i've had them on for a few weeks now. i'm sure its possible that it came loose afters some time though

 

[derspi]

Most likely the springs are no longer seated properly or it could still be a loose swaybar endlink. It's pretty common for the rear ones to work themselves loose over time.

 

[RelliMS3]

Most likely the springs are no longer seated properly or it could still be a loose swaybar endlink. It's pretty common for the rear ones to work themselves loose over time.

I checked the rsb, its tight. is there anyway i can check the springs easily? like just remove the wheel and try to wiggle it? and if it does move should i try to fix myself or bring it back to the shop that installed the struts?

 

[HOBDisease]

If it's not seated right take it back to the shop, they installed it so it's a mistake on their part, they'll do it for free.

 

[RelliMS3]

Sorry about all these questions, but will it be easy to tell if its not seated right??

 

[RelliMS3]

Soo, just brought it for another ride with my friend. We decided it really isnt a clunk noise but its something very significant because i could feel the vibration of the noise throughout the whole car. I dont think its how the shocks or springs are sitting because it looks like the spring is sitting perfectly in the notch. Its definitely coming from the front and will make the noise whether its my left wheel or my right wheel or both wheels going over a pothole/crack. As i was leaving my friends house he said he heard a metallic noise when it happened. So prob two pieces of metal hitting each other. Could this be a loose front sway bar. Thats my best guess up until this point.

 

[zoomdoom]

I had/have the same thing happen to me check your endlinks. I let some s*** head place put on my springs. They stripped the passenger side end link bolt at the top part of the endlink. So the front sway is loose at that spot and makes it rattle/clunk over bumps. I got new endlinks comming though plus i ended up getting coilovers conviced by this shop that it was blown struts (doughpoke shop was autosportplus in canton ohio stay away from these st00ges

 

[RelliMS3]

I had/have the same thing happen to me check your endlinks. I let some s*** head place put on my springs. They stripped the passenger side end link bolt at the top part of the endlink. So the front sway is loose at that spot and makes it rattle/clunk over bumps. I got new endlinks comming though plus i ended up getting coilovers conviced by this shop that it was blown struts (doughpoke shop was autosportplus in canton ohio stay away from these st00ges

Hmm, thanks man, i'll look into it. I reached behind either wheel and grabbed my sway bar, trying to see if it was loose but the bar and the bolts seemed pretty solid. I should prob take off the rims to get a better look. Need to get an oil change ASAP anyway, so I'll have them check it out.

 

[CHIEFSMS3]

You need to put a wrench on those endlinks to properly check them.
Grab checking them is like looking at your tires to determine if the air pressure is low.
They can be loose enough to clunk but not feel loose when you grab them.

 

[derspi]

^^
+1

Yanking on them won't tell you anything. You gotta take a wrench to those bolts and nuts to determine if they're loose. Even just a few threads loose will result in nasty sounding clunks.

 

[Rizzant]

I have the same issue after dropping my car on coilovers. It only happens on really sharp edged bumps i.e. sunken or raised manhole covers, construction plates, uneven freeway transitions. Im thinking its the endlinks as I had the coils themselves checked out. Let us know what you find.
From what Ive seen in Mazdaspeed coilover reviews and looking at RE amemiyas coilover kit maybe its a good idea to get adjustable front endlinks after lowering, but not absolutely necessary.

 

[unicef]

I had the same issue after a drop spring install, trust me: check your endlinks. Mine came off and was rattling around my wheel well!

 

[RelliMS3]

PROBLEM SOLVED! Thanks a lot for the help guys. I just went out to my car and checked out the endlinks. It seemed like the noise came from the passenger side a lot more, so i checked that first. That was tight, so i figured it wasnt the problem, but i checked the driver side endlink anyway and that was indeed loose. I was able to tighten the bolt without even removing the rim, i just had to turn the steering wheel so i could reach behind it and see what i was doing. Its amazing that the bolt only need 1 or 2 full turns to make that much noise.

 

[Rizzant]

PROBLEM SOLVED! Thanks a lot for the help guys. I just went out to my car and checked out the endlinks. It seemed like the noise came from the passenger side a lot more, so i checked that first. That was tight, so i figured it wasnt the problem, but i checked the driver side endlink anyway and that was indeed loose. I was able to tighten the bolt without even removing the rim, i just had to turn the steering wheel so i could reach behind it and see what i was doing. Its amazing that the bolt only need 1 or 2 full turns to make that much noise.

Nice. Im gonna try this ASAP. No lift needed huh? Thanks for posting the results