Strange suspension "clunk" after all new parts

wht93gtEd · Oct 6, 2005

Here's a list of the new parts that were installed:
- Steeda aluminum upper/lower control arms
- all urethane rear bushings
- Eibach pro-kit springs
- Tokico premium performance shocks/struts (the blue ones)
- Steeda caster/camber plates
- urethane sway-bar end links
- full length (from firewall to rear sub-frame, with seat supports) sub-frame connectors; fully welded.

I have no idea what I'm doing with suspensions, so I had Wild Rides Race Cars do ALL of the work. They also set and adjusted everything.

Here's what's happening: when I'm taking a fast turn (like a jug-handle for us New Jersey-ite's) and hit a bump (i.e. pot-hole) there's a loud bang. Like something is bottoming out or clunking...I have no idea. I don't feel anything in the steering; like a ball-joint or tie-rod.....it's just a loud banging noise. It could just be that I'm not used to the new suspension??

I though it was comming from the front, but my girlfriend said it was comming from the back. I've been wrong before about the location of strange noises, so it could be comming from the back.

Have any of you guy's experienced this? I don't want to call Wild Rides before I find out if this is something normal.

hotrodnut · Oct 6, 2005

It could be the snubber over the front of the differential, I cut mine down an inch because it was bottoming out on the big dips. My springs came with a shorter poly one but I wanted to retain the rubber so if it did bottom out it would be a bit softer.

wht93gtEd · Oct 6, 2005

hotrodnut said:
It could be the snubber over the front of the differential, I cut mine down an inch because it was bottoming out on the big dips. My springs came with a shorter poly one but I wanted to retain the rubber so if it did bottom out it would be a bit softer.

I thought about that, but the Eiback springs came with a new one. Although I'm not sure if they replaced it. I'm going to crawl under my car and check it out.

So I can just cut it down a little bit, if it's too big? Or I could give them a call and see if they have it still in their shop somewhere.

hotrodnut · Oct 6, 2005

wht93gtEd said:
I
So I can just cut it down a little bit, if it's too big? Or I could give them a call and see if they have it still in their shop somewhere.

Yes and yes.

RsStanG1987 · Oct 6, 2005

Maybe your tailpipes are bouncing off of something Mine did that in my other Gt for a month then i fixed it.

wht93gtEd · Oct 6, 2005

this is strange, because I really think it's comming from the front. It seems like whenever I hit a dip in the road, carrying some speed, my front suspension is "bottoming out"...if that makes sense.

Nothing is hitting the ground, and my tires aren't hitting the fenders; but if I hit the dip, something is hitting something. I have no idea.

It's not like I "slammed" my car, just the Eibach pro-kit. It actually looks really nice; not too low, not too high.....just right!

hotrodnut said:
It could be the snubber over the front of the differential, I cut mine down an inch because it was bottoming out on the big dips. My springs came with a shorter poly one but I wanted to retain the rubber so if it did bottom out it would be a bit softer.

I crawled underneath my car and checked up on this. They didn't change it, but it looks like I have about 2-3 inches of clearance between the axle and the bumper. I would agree with you on it hitting this, but it really feels like the front of the car and not the back.

I need someone who lives in NJ to come for a ride in my car to help me figure this out.

hotrodnut · Oct 6, 2005

wht93gtEd said:
this is strange, because I really think it's comming from the front. It seems like whenever I hit a dip in the road, carrying some speed, my front suspension is "bottoming out"...if that makes sense.

Nothing is hitting the ground, and my tires aren't hitting the fenders; but if I hit the dip, something is hitting something. I have no idea.

It's not like I "slammed" my car, just the Eibach pro-kit. It actually looks really nice; not too low, not too high.....just right!

I crawled underneath my car and checked up on this. They didn't change it, but it looks like I have about 2-3 inches of clearance between the axle and the bumper. I would agree with you on it hitting this, but it really feels like the front of the car and not the back.

I need someone who lives in NJ to come for a ride in my car to help me figure this out.

Maybe when they put the rubber stops back in the front struts they may have needed to be trimmed down and those are bottoming out?? I cut mine down an inch before putting those on too.

wht93gtEd · Oct 6, 2005

hotrodnut said:
Maybe when they put the rubber stops back in the front struts they may have needed to be trimmed down and those are bottoming out?? I cut mine down an inch before putting those on too.

sorry to keep bothering you...but I'm still going to

Is there any way I can check these??? I do have the Steeda 4-bolt caster/camber plates, if that makes it easier to check?

hotrodnut · Oct 6, 2005

wht93gtEd said:
sorry to keep bothering you...but I'm still going to

Is there any way I can check these??? I do have the Steeda 4-bolt caster/camber plates, if that makes it easier to check?

If they put the strut dust shields back on I don't think you will be able to see the rubber stops. The stops slip over the strut rod itself and if installed and they have not been trimmed down, they could prevent the suspension from traveling it's full distance giving the feeling of the suspension bottoming out.

wht93gtEd · Oct 6, 2005

hotrodnut said:
If they put the strut dust shields back on I don't think you will be able to see the rubber stops. The stops slip over the strut rod itself and if installed and they have not been trimmed down, they could prevent the suspension from traveling it's full distance giving the feeling of the suspension bottoming out.

ahh..ok. I checked and the dust boot is back on. So I'm going to have to call the guy and ask him if they trimmed them at all. Except for the fact that he's not there until next week, because they're out racing this weekend.

I guess that I'll just try to avoid the dips.

wht93gtEd · Oct 9, 2005

bump

for other suggestions???

mob · Oct 9, 2005

k this is completly out there, but sway bar?

I disconnected my sway bar a few days ago, but never took it off cause i couldnt break the plastic clips, whenever i hit a bump, i hear the sway bar hitting something, or if i take a turn hard something hits it. I know theres a 99% chance this isnt it but maybe check to see if everythings connected?

Id just call the shop, i doubt clunking is normal, call them before its too late and they say you messed something up and wont fix it goodluck, sorry for my pointless post

jrichker · Oct 9, 2005

The older Steeda C/C plates came with different spacers for the top nut on the strut for use with lowered cars. Put the spacers in wrong and the struts can bottom out when you hit a really big dip.

The clue for the correct spacers with a lowered car is that there is probably about 1/2" or so between the bottom of the nut and the top of the spherical bearing. The spacer is clearly visable when it is installed properly.

9 Deuce GT · Oct 9, 2005

I also would look at the sway bar. See if they forgot to connect it to the control arms, or maybe one of the nuts came off.

wht93gtEd · Oct 10, 2005

mob said:
k this is completly out there, but sway bar?

I disconnected my sway bar a few days ago, but never took it off cause i couldnt break the plastic clips, whenever i hit a bump, i hear the sway bar hitting something, or if i take a turn hard something hits it. I know theres a 99% chance this isnt it but maybe check to see if everythings connected?

Id just call the shop, i doubt clunking is normal, call them before its too late and they say you messed something up and wont fix it goodluck, sorry for my pointless post

well, they installed brand new urethane end-links and i checked to make sure they were installed. So it's not that. But thanks for the suggestion!!

wht93gtEd · Oct 10, 2005

jrichker said:
The older Steeda C/C plates came with different spacers for the top nut on the strut for use with lowered cars. Put the spacers in wrong and the struts can bottom out when you hit a really big dip.

The clue for the correct spacers with a lowered car is that there is probably about 1/2" or so between the bottom of the nut and the top of the spherical bearing. The spacer is clearly visable when it is installed properly.

I think you're onto something here...the c/c plates are actually QA-1, which are made by Steeda. They even come in a Steeda box with Steeda instructions; but they're not aluminum, so they're probably the older design.

The spacer is definitely visible. I'll get a pic for you to check out. Thanks for the help!!!!! I really appreciate it guys

wht93gtEd · Oct 12, 2005

wht93gtEd said:
I think you're onto something here...the c/c plates are actually QA-1, which are made by Steeda. They even come in a Steeda box with Steeda instructions; but they're not aluminum, so they're probably the older design.

The spacer is definitely visible. I'll get a pic for you to check out. Thanks for the help!!!!! I really appreciate it guys

bump...read above!

Also, the Tokico HP premium performance (the blue ones) struts are OK for lowered cars? It's exactly 1.5" lower in the front...I don't think I should be bottoming out the struts. I really think its the c/c plates.

Strange suspension "clunk" after all new parts

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