Joe Yang

I've been hearing this annoying clunking sound every time I turn the steering wheel as I come out of drive way. I took the GT3 to the dealer and was told it's normal to hear this sound as it's coming from the coilover springs. Has anyone experience this? Is this normal and not to worry about? Thanks.

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Joe
'04 GT3 white
'05 Subaru Legacy GT Limited, white
'05 BMW 325i, white

supercup

Sounds like your sway bar may be loose. Stock suspension springs are not known to make clunking sound. Non stock springs can have that problem, but it would likely be every harsh bump you would hear it, not just the driveway.

Good luck,

JCM

NJ-GT

I did have noises on my stock springs. If the car is lowered to Euro specs or below that on the stock suspension, the space between the lower spring perche and the spring top (front axle) is larger than the springs at full extension. The car will have noises on the suspension.

Loose drop links are a very common cause for noises.

If the sound becomes annoying, you might be another victim of a too raw street car

mooty

i have those noises when the car was stock and continues to have them with moton.
it's the charm of GT3.
stop driving it on the street, come with me to laguna seca 1/30.

you need mpsc or corsa though. driving it on street tire is not fun with gt3.

RR

The clunking I comes from a loose sway bar or torsion bar.
The noise that the dealer is calling "normal" I think is the "boing" sound that the springs make on the GT3 if its been sitting for a long time, mine does that too, that is normal - but I would definitely check the clunk.
My clunk didnt occur everytime I hit a bump, the techs had a hard time finding what was causing it but they found it.

geoffucla

I recently had a loose knocking sound from the front left corner. I figured it was a loose sway bar, but when I put the wrenches to them, they were already tight. I took it in to the dealer, and they diagnosed it as coming from the inside of the front left strut, and replaced it under warranty. Weird, but now the sound is gone--

Geoff.

Joe Yang

Clunk, boing, doin...anyway it sounded like tension releasing from a rod. I do believe it's from coilover spring as the wheels turn somehow moves the coil slightly from the metal bushing contact (not rubber) and makes that sound. The dealer checked everything and re-torqued all the joins including sway bar. I am starting to ignore and get use to GT3 noises...

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Joe
'04 GT3 white
'05 Subaru Legacy GT Limited, white
'05 BMW 325i, white

roberga

Joe... good idea. If nothing else go to Laguna and watch and listen to Mooty and friends. Maybe get a lap or two in the right seat.

Jim H.

I have recently noticed that when I go over a small imperfection (manhole cover) that is maybe a 1/2" deep/tall I hear a definite "Thunk" as the suspension compresses. Not subtle and seems to be more prevalent if only one tire hits it. I was assuming this was something loose in the swaybar but what do you guys think? (Not talking a "boing" or spring related noise here)

Thanks.

viperbob

There are numerous items on the front that seem to get loose. First is the sway bar drop links. This can be either the upper or lower nut on the drop link. IF it loosens a couple of times, replace the nut as they are a locking nut. Next is the drop link mount itself. This is attached to the front strut. Many times this will loosen up. You have to tighten this with the sway bar drop link centered in the opening via the large ring on top of the mount. The next is the strut to the upper mount. I have seen these loose and making a lot of noise. A little tightening and it is fine.

As a matter of practice, I check these on every GT3 that comes into the shop for service. More often then not, one of these will be loose.

Joe Yang

Bob, thanks for your information! I don't know about other GT3 owners but how many of you actually work on your cars (besides changing pads & wheels)? I took the car to local Porsche dealer twice and they found nothing wrong. They assured me that the noise is normal for GT3. If you were me, would you take to another dealer for second opinion?

Contrary to typical new car owner experience, I start accepting noises are simple fact of life for GT3. I know Mooty, I've been warned... So the only noise I hear nowadays is my wife's nagging in the car.."You spend how much on this car..? Your car is broken you hear...&#@!"

Think I better get a Cayman for us and keep GT3 for my personal use

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Joe
'04 GT3 white
'05 Subaru Legacy GT Limited, white
'05 BMW 325i, white

mooty

You spend how much on this car..? Your car is broken you hear...&#@!"
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put your foot down and tell wife to SHUT up.

Fongster

trade it in for a new one...

viperbob

Joe I would take it to another dealer. I had a GT3 that had 145 miles on it in the shop. The guy drove from the dealer to me to drop it off. It had a noise coming from the front suspension. He wanted us to fix it as he never wanted to see the dealer again. Turned out that the lock collar on the sway bar mount was not just loose, but 1" about the mount on the threads. The car made a terrible noise with it like this. Now this was a car that was supposedly, checked at port entry, and checked by the dealer before delivery. NOT>>> FInd a good dealer and have them look at it.

johnfm

I have a few rattles and clunks here & there - I love to hear the LSD clicking away!!

But I do have one strange clunk coming from the front RHS - it almost sounds like its coming from inside the instrument binnacle. Its only on the RHS, so I doubt its supposed to be there - 'll let you know if I ever find teh problem.