help me troubleshoot noise
02-13-2004 | 12:46 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 968
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area
help me troubleshoot noise
I've got this concerning noise coming from the front going over bumps at low speed.
It is independant of throttle, steering, and brakes.
It sounds like something fairly large clunking around against stuff, making muffled thud sounds that I can lightly feel in the pedals.
It is definately audible.
Its definately coming from the front of the car.
I would guess left side, but I'm not positive.
It seems to happen more when the car is warm.
So I've taken this thing to two good mechanic's both of whom say everything looks good.
They both said all the mission critical stuff checks out fine, but this noise is really bugging me.
All the steering assembly looks fine. The brake calipers were just removed and installed again, and everything torqued to spec (had no effect on the noise).
If anyone has *any* idea please send me some clue!
It is independant of throttle, steering, and brakes.
It sounds like something fairly large clunking around against stuff, making muffled thud sounds that I can lightly feel in the pedals.
It is definately audible.
Its definately coming from the front of the car.
I would guess left side, but I'm not positive.
It seems to happen more when the car is warm.
So I've taken this thing to two good mechanic's both of whom say everything looks good.
They both said all the mission critical stuff checks out fine, but this noise is really bugging me.
All the steering assembly looks fine. The brake calipers were just removed and installed again, and everything torqued to spec (had no effect on the noise).
If anyone has *any* idea please send me some clue!
02-13-2004 | 07:19 AM
#5
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,513
Likes: 0
From: Yakima,WA / Kaohsiung,TW
Do you have camber plates??? My ground controls did that untill I shimmed the milled out portion that held the spercical bearing. Grab the front of you car and pull up to see if the noise comes from those.
02-13-2004 | 12:59 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 968
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area
I will check sway bars again.
Thats been suggested several times, so maybe I missed something.
Jason:
I do have ground control plates.... hrm... will try your test immediately.
mumzer:
yep, independent of basically everything (except bumps)
When I go slow, I can swerve, brake hard, throttle hard, nothing!
except when I'm just going slow over small bumps then it starts.
Thats been suggested several times, so maybe I missed something.
Jason:
I do have ground control plates.... hrm... will try your test immediately.
mumzer:
yep, independent of basically everything (except bumps)
When I go slow, I can swerve, brake hard, throttle hard, nothing!
except when I'm just going slow over small bumps then it starts.
Trending Topics
02-13-2004 | 01:40 PM
#8
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 968
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area
Jason, I think you are correct! 
When i push on the strut tower or pull up on the wheel well, I get noise (only on the left side)
Could you got a little more in depth about what causes this, and how to fix it?
edit:
Jason's thread:
https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...late+spherical
unfortunately, the pictures are missing now.
When i push on the strut tower or pull up on the wheel well, I get noise (only on the left side)
Could you got a little more in depth about what causes this, and how to fix it?
edit:
Jason's thread:
https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...late+spherical
unfortunately, the pictures are missing now.
Last edited by turbite; 02-13-2004 at 04:33 PM.
02-18-2004 | 03:08 AM
#11
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 968
Likes: 0
From: SF Bay Area
Jason replied to me via PM.
Very useful info so I'm gonna paste it here:
Very useful info so I'm gonna paste it here:
Dirk,
I had some spacers (thin washers) machine at a fab shop to fit the inside of the camberplate. There is a sperical bearing that fits inside of the aluminum housing, what happens is that if the machining isn't perfect the bearing will slide up/down within the housing. The travel is only about 1/2 a mm but is enough to cause the clunking sound. It doesn't hurt anything except your nerves. Raise the front end of your car up with both front wheels removed. VERIFY that you have coilovers that dont need to be compressed before you remove the top strut nut, Then you will have to manually compress the shock to push to rod down thru the camber plate, it's kind of a bitch because it takes quite a bit of force to manipulate it down then around the outside of the bearing. Once out remove the 4 allen head screws the you use for camber adjustments (mark where it was before so on reassmebly you can get the same camber setting) Take this piece out of the car the locate the c-clip that holds the bearing in place, remove and shim as needed. Shim as much as you possible can then reassemble.
Good luck
Jason
PS- or your can send in the whole camber plate to GC and have them install the shims for free.
I had some spacers (thin washers) machine at a fab shop to fit the inside of the camberplate. There is a sperical bearing that fits inside of the aluminum housing, what happens is that if the machining isn't perfect the bearing will slide up/down within the housing. The travel is only about 1/2 a mm but is enough to cause the clunking sound. It doesn't hurt anything except your nerves. Raise the front end of your car up with both front wheels removed. VERIFY that you have coilovers that dont need to be compressed before you remove the top strut nut, Then you will have to manually compress the shock to push to rod down thru the camber plate, it's kind of a bitch because it takes quite a bit of force to manipulate it down then around the outside of the bearing. Once out remove the 4 allen head screws the you use for camber adjustments (mark where it was before so on reassmebly you can get the same camber setting) Take this piece out of the car the locate the c-clip that holds the bearing in place, remove and shim as needed. Shim as much as you possible can then reassemble.
Good luck
Jason
PS- or your can send in the whole camber plate to GC and have them install the shims for free.