UPDATE~~~ Suspension noise

1fast03pony · Mar 14, 2004

For those who remember about my steeda c/c plates, mach1 shocks/struts, and H&R SS springs-

I was having some major noises coming from the front suspension after a shoddy install by a no name shop.. clunking over bumps, thought it was improperly mounted struts on the camber plates

my uncle and i ripped apart the suspension and installed it the right way- its now tight as can be against the plate and the metal to metal contact noise is gone.

HOWEVER
there is still another noise- a loud clunking that was also there with the noise from the struts hitting the camber plates
after 3 hours of taking apart the suspension numerous times, we finally came across the noise. It is the rack and pinion- I turn the steering wheel side to side while the car is still, and it clunks just like it does over bumps. I felt the rack as my uncle turned the wheel and it is definitely that.
Im going back to the shop tomorrow, but how could they have screwed up the rack by simply doing an install!?!?!?????

YtnGT · Mar 14, 2004

Dude,
I too have experienced what I call the "Steeda CC plate noise". The noise occurs whenever there is a radical change in direction (vertical of course) of the spindle (strut moves with the spindle). In other words whenever I would hit a really big pothole the suspension would produce a nasty clunking sound. The sound came from the strut tower area (where CC plates are mounted).

I called Steeda to discuss this noise with them and they were thinking it might be the spherical bushing in the CC plates. So I started disassembling the suspension to check everything out... After removing the strut retaining nut and spacer I noticed a little metal powder on the bottom end of the spacer. To me this metal powder meant that there was play, slop, tolerance (whatever you want to call it) between the spacer and the strut nut. So I impacted the strut nut back on and the noise went away... temporality. It came back within a month and I impacted the strut nut again and the noise went away. Oh yea I was using red locktite on the strut nut every time.

As for the rack noise... I have always had some noise. It seems worse when the engine is not running and I move the steering wheel back and forth (no engine/exhaust noise to drown it out).

Let us know if you discover anything else.

01LaserRedCobra · Mar 15, 2004

1fastpony,

I was able to get my clunking noise to go away completly. One I got rid of the aftermarket caster camber plates all together. I took the stock pieces and redesigned them so that they would work better with the stock rubber dampers. the good thing is I can still adjust the stock caster camber plates to about
0 to -2.5 camber. I know I will get some movement going into the corners with the stock camber plates compaired to using the spherical bearing camber plates. However, I will take that over the clunky noise anytime. Besides I am not going to be racing proffessional. Plus it still grips the corners really good.

Skud · Mar 15, 2004

1fast03pony said:
HOWEVER
there is still another noise- a loud clunking that was also there with the noise from the struts hitting the camber plates
after 3 hours of taking apart the suspension numerous times, we finally came across the noise. It is the rack and pinion- I turn the steering wheel side to side while the car is still, and it clunks just like it does over bumps. I felt the rack as my uncle turned the wheel and it is definitely that.
Im going back to the shop tomorrow, but how could they have screwed up the rack by simply doing an install!?!?!?????

Nice!! I've been fighting with my car trying to find that noise for almost 3 months now. The dealer has replaced the front sway bar bushings and links twice now and the noise is still there.

I just went outside and turned the steering wheel with the car off and it makes the same sound as when I go over washboard and potholes.

So, I'm going to investigate further and see what I can come up with.

Riley

1fast03pony · Mar 15, 2004

Skud said:
Nice!! I've been fighting with my car trying to find that noise for almost 3 months now. The dealer has replaced the front sway bar bushings and links twice now and the noise is still there.

I just went outside and turned the steering wheel with the car off and it makes the same sound as when I go over washboard and potholes.

So, I'm going to investigate further and see what I can come up with.

Riley

Well, I had the car on a lift for an hour today. This is what i found:

Nothing is loose. Nothing at all

My only three options now are to change the struts themselves (in the front)
change the rack
and or/ change out the steeda c/c plates.

I still dont see how these plates can be making noise, it sounds like its now coming from the lower end of the car. I think i might first change the struts to koni.. because i pushed on the struts and they do clunk, and its not coming from the plates its the piston itself hitting inside the strut. what to expect from a 40 dollar strut from ford?

then if the noise is still there
ill change the plates to MM
then if the noise is STILL there
ill change the rack.

This probably wont occur for a long time, since i start my new job in april... I ll keep you all posted

mransr · Mar 16, 2004

YtnGT said:
Dude,
I too have experienced what I call the "Steeda CC plate noise". The noise occurs whenever there is a radical change in direction (vertical of course) of the spindle (strut moves with the spindle). In other words whenever I would hit a really big pothole the suspension would produce a nasty clunking sound. The sound came from the strut tower area (where CC plates are mounted).

I called Steeda to discuss this noise with them and they were thinking it might be the spherical bushing in the CC plates. So I started disassembling the suspension to check everything out... After removing the strut retaining nut and spacer I noticed a little metal powder on the bottom end of the spacer. To me this metal powder meant that there was play, slop, tolerance (whatever you want to call it) between the spacer and the strut nut. So I impacted the strut nut back on and the noise went away... temporality. It came back within a month and I impacted the strut nut again and the noise went away. Oh yea I was using red locktite on the strut nut every time.

thats' EXACTLY the same conclusion I came up with...the spherical bushing on one side has a lot more up/down movement than the other side...guess which side 'clunks' more often ...

I think I'm going to try some of the MAC C/C plates (when I've got $175.00 laying around doing nothing...they use a "stock-ish" looking rubber or urethane bushing...probably not the most precise, but I'll bet they are a lot quieter...

1fast03pony · Mar 16, 2004

mransr said:
thats' EXACTLY the same conclusion I came up with...the spherical bushing on one side has a lot more up/down movement than the other side...guess which side 'clunks' more often ...

I think I'm going to try some of the MAC C/C plates (when I've got $175.00 laying around doing nothing...they use a "stock-ish" looking rubber or urethane bushing...probably not the most precise, but I'll bet they are a lot quieter...

Let me know if this helps... because im about to throw out those struts and buy some koni's with MM c/c plates. Before i spend all that money i want to know if its just the steeda plates.

01LaserRedCobra · Mar 16, 2004

I had the same issue and I was using MM plates.

1fast03pony · Mar 16, 2004

01LaserRedCobra said:
I had the same issue and I was using MM plates.

I would like to keep the aftermarket camber plates but its not lookin good

mransr · Mar 16, 2004

these are the ones I was looking at: http://www.macperformance.com/store/product1.cfm?SID=3&Product_ID=274
I'd planned on using my tax refund fro 'em...but that didn't work out ...right now I'm living with the noise becasue it seems better than replacing tire every 6 months...

1fast03pony · Mar 17, 2004

mransr said:
these are the ones I was looking at: http://www.macperformance.com/store/product1.cfm?SID=3&Product_ID=274
I'd planned on using my tax refund fro 'em...but that didn't work out ...right now I'm living with the noise becasue it seems better than replacing tire every 6 months...

just curious what front struts do you have on there.

dew22 · Mar 17, 2004

I'm watching this thread carefully I have a simular noise in the front end.
My currenrt front suspension set up = Bilstein struts, Eibach pro kit strings,
M&M cc plates, Steeda x2 ball joint kit and pumpsteer kit, offset rack and pinion bushing. I beleive my noise is coming from the passenger side. I know there are alot of suspension wizzards on stangnet hopefully someone can help us out.

todd4566 · Mar 17, 2004

Aren't I unlucky.. I have a similiar "clunk" coming from the rack & pinion and my car isn't even lowered!

mransr · Mar 17, 2004

1fast03pony said:
just curious what front struts do you have on there.

Tokico "Blues" (Fox body lenght...)

1fast03pony · Mar 17, 2004

you know... im starting to think its the rack and pinion- it may not hold up to the tie rod ends being higher due to the lower car. Ill be swapping out my rack on saturday.. ill let you all know how it goes. maybe ill get a close ratio .. oooooooooohhh

mransr · Mar 18, 2004

...I don't know...at least on my car there is no noise with horizontal movements (like you'd get with a bad inner joint on a rack) but only during 'sharp' vertical movements...and I don't feel any movement thru the steering wheel associated with the 'clunk', again something that points to something other than the rack...

1fast03pony · Mar 18, 2004

mransr said:
...I don't know...at least on my car there is no noise with horizontal movements (like you'd get with a bad inner joint on a rack) but only during 'sharp' vertical movements...and I don't feel any movement thru the steering wheel associated with the 'clunk', again something that points to something other than the rack...

I have this strange feeling im gonna be changing the struts, plates and rack regardless of what i do... oh well.

hognutz · Mar 18, 2004

I know I have MM CC plates and bilstiens. there is not noise yet.

for those who think it could be cc plates one idea I would try is lossen the strut from the spindle. keept it tight up at the cc plates and see if you can produce any play in the spherical bering. use a rubber mallet and hit the bottom of the stut. if you get a loud noise somthing is going on.

if you think about it that is a metal to metal contact. any play at all will produce noise.

tfritz · Jul 2, 2006

I know this thread is like 3yrs old but I wanted to reply to this thread instead of creating a new one for referance.

I've been having an issue with clunking from the front left (driver's side) shock. I have Koni Yellow adjustables Eibach Pro-kit, urethane bushings and MM cc plates. It clunks alot during slower driving where I'm driving over rough road or bumps. Had the hood open and my father drive the car up onto the drive way on an angle to maximize the compressions and extension of the shock. At the same time I put my hand on the top of the ront left shock fealing for the problem. I could feel it clunking right away. Repeated the process on the front right and couldn't hear or feal a thing.

So I definately found the source of the noise from the front left shock. I've played with the adjustments on my MM plates but makes no difference. Has anyone come up with any ideas to the solution of this problem? Could it be a bad shock? Or something not installed correctly (mind you when it was installed I had no problems for about a year)?

Thanks

Kilgore Trout · Jul 2, 2006

This is an interesting thread, I just got through reading it. The thread starter is still an active member, maybe he has an update.

Anyway, there seems to be a lot of correlation to the steering rack. I wonder if anyone tried upgrading the bushings on the steering rack from the stock crap rubber ones? The steering rack problem is usually described as a creaking though and not a clunk.

I would suggest giving Maximum Motorsports a call in the morning tfritz, they are supposed to have excellent technical support and should support your CC plate install and answer questions about your clunking issue.

UPDATE~~~ Suspension noise

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