PISSED about c/c plate install and bad noise afterwards!!!

[ScortLX]

Sorrt everybody...I ned to vent and hopefully get some support here. I'm getting really tired of adding things to the Stang that are supposed to "help" and they do the exact opposite! I just got Pro3i caster camber plates installed on my '02 GT and now it makes a clunking/popping noise from the right front seemingly just when it feels like it. Before...with the stock plates and bad adjustment the car was just fine. I'm pissed that by trying to do something that would help the alignment, etc. I'm getting ANOTHER problem in return. Why would it not make a noise when it was farther from spec and now it makes a noise when its closer? The car drives me crazy sometimes. Everything seems tight. I installed the plates right and the alignment shop had no ideas other than the spring could be twisted slightly from the install. I guess I'll just have to go under there and see if that could be it..I'm just tired of making one step forward and then having to take two steps back. Sorry....if anyone could help..it would be great. Thanks for letting me vent anyway....


Nate

 

[984.6gt]

Mine did the same thing, they need to be tightened, it sounded like a BAD metal to metal CLUNKING, sounded HORRIBLE, but it will go away if they are installed correctly.

 

[mity2]

all of these PRO3i probrem i'm reading, I'm getting nervous. I ordered one few days ago...

 

[MustangStallion]

Mine did the same thing, they need to be tightened, it sounded like a BAD metal to metal CLUNKING, sounded HORRIBLE, but it will go away if they are installed correctly.

He's right..mine did the same thing. Turns out it was the strut nuts that needed a little tightening

 

[CottonBurnerz]

I'm planning on going with MM on mine.. do they have similar problem as the Pro3i?

 

[Hoppy]

NO

 

[984.6gt]

There is NO problem, just a poor install, tighten the bolts and move on.

 

[1fast03pony]

My steeda 4 bolt aluminums do the SAME THING

I had all my sh it tightened and it still does it. Not cool

 

[Carl]

I have the pro3i's and mine clunk like crazy, I have tightened everything up a million times and beleive me it's tight. It's just the metal spherical bearings, they are loud. You just replaced 4 inches of rubber with a piece of metal, it's gonna be louder and your going to hear all that suspension noise, it's just like putting those lca's in the back with the heavy duty bearings, it makes your car sound like a log wagon driving down the road.

 

[david97gt46]

Ive had cc plates for 3 yrs, with NO noise at all, I installed them myself, and then at the alilment shop he tighted everything down. If there is noise they are NOT tight. trust me.

 

[mity2]

is it possible that some peoples shperical bearing is just worn out? I mean they do wear out after while no?

 

[1fast03pony]

is it possible that some peoples shperical bearing is just worn out? I mean they do wear out after while no?

Either that or it came defective. Mine are brand new and made noise right from the beginning.

 

[ScortLX]

I've been paying attention to it now for awhile and it seems to happen at two distinctly different times. It happens once when you first start the car and turn the wheel either direction and it pops. Then, when going moderately fast over a speed bump it clunks up and down at the very top of the bump. Though, with the hood open, my gf didn't see the top nut moving at all to cause the sound. So...I don't know where to go from here. I just got outside at work and took some plyers and turned the top nut about 1/8 turn more so maybe that will help. I'm not sure how tight the top nut should be anyway. Lets hope that that may help! Though I don't know why that would make noise when I turn the wheel. They seem kind of unrelated. Anyway...thanks everybody for your replies!

Nate

 

[tfalk]

If you can turn the top nut of the strut with a pair of pliers, they are not
torqued correctly. I don't remember what the torque spec is, but they are
usually a bitch to torque because the shaft will turn when you try to tighten
the upper nut. Sounds like an install problem...

 

[ScortLX]

Keep in mind I was gripping the plyers pretty damn hard! But yeah...I'm just going to tighten the hell out of the nut to see if that helps. Would it make a noise when turning the wheel if it was the top strut nut? They seem kinda unrelated.

Nate

 

[01MineralGT]

Balljoints or Dust cover

I ran into the same situation with my Pro3i c/c plates. Come to find out, it was not the plates at all. If you had reused the stock dust boot, try and take that out. The dust boots bump up against the bottom of the c/c plates and doesn't allow the strut nut to tighten all the way. Once I fixed that, I noticed another type of noise coming from the front suspension. This time it was the balljoints, they were just worn out. Balljoints were replaced and the noise was gone. It was a totally different car.

 

[tfalk]

Unrelated? Not sure I follow...

When you turn the wheel, the stut rotates around the shaft, which is bolted to the
C/C plate on the top. As the car is turning, the weight shifts in relation to the angle
of the strut. If the top of the strut isn't tight up against the bottom of the plate...

I wouldn't just 'tighten the hell' out of the nut, I'd check to make sure it is torqued correctly
and that the top of the strut is tight up against the bottom of the C/C plate.

Or better yet, take it back to whomever did the install and have them make sure that
everything is installed properly and is torqued properly...

 

[ScortLX]

I wish I could just take it back to the installer...but that installer was me. So..I really don't have any ground to stand on. I tightened the nut all the way...and it still makes the noise. I'm thinking about taking it all apart again on Wednesday and seeing if I can re tighten all of the components. My car only has 33,000 miles on it. Could it be the ball joints? What other joints should I look at/tighten when I'm looking at the problem this week? Steering rack? Thanks everybody!

Nate

 

[01LaserRedCobra]

These are a pain and I am not sure where the noise is coming from. I have the MM plates and let me guess it sounds like this...

Message#12
http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=425042

(change the .txt extension and change it to .wmv) This will allow you to hear the file. Stangnet won't let you attach .wmv files

I have tried everything and I cannot figure this out. I had stock caster/cambers on with this noise... So I got some aftermarket ones (MM) thinking it would make the sound go away... Nope still there. My spacers are on correctly... the strut top is as close to the hood as possible with out hitting. The top strut nut is torqued good... so good in fact I #ucked up the top of my strut threads from the lock pliars. There is no movement at all from the bearings, and the spacers are solid tight from below and above. I also decided last night to see if all the bolts where tight... so I torqued the K-member, sway bar brackets, links, strut to spindle and lower control arms. Still nothing... still makes that same noise.

I did notice that if you adjust the strut to the softest setting the noise is less noticeable, but I would really like the tires to grip the road good... not float.

Thanks for any help you can give!!!