Strut/spring pop?
Mar 22, 2008, 12:58 PM
#31
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I apologize ahead of time for the resurrection of this thread. It's not TOO old 
Back when I had Tein S-techs I developed this problem. I installed Swifts a few weeks ago and greased the strut hats and never heard the noise. The past few days, the noise has returned with a vengance. I regreased the strut hats, but it only made a slight differance. Maybe not even a differance at all.
As far as my front sway bar endlinks go, they have a lot of play (I thought this was normal in my previous posts). Are they supposed to have play? I work on Hondas and their sway bar end links have ZERO play what so ever. When I checked out my Evo, they were loose as all hell. Are the end links the culprit? So loose they're allowing the sway bar to contact the frame?
I read in another thread about it possibly being an axle. I don't think it's an axle because it makes the noise in a straight line. Axles and CV joints tend to only click and pop when making slow turns, and it's usually a consistant noise. This noise I'm hearing is INconsistnat and defiantly feels and sounds like a suspension component.
Any more help? I thought the sound was gone for good with the Swifts, because I didn't hear it for weeks, but it just suddenly came back
Cold weather? It's been fairly warm since I've had the Swifts and it was cold tonight, and the pat few days (when it came back suddenly). Like I said I re-packed the strut hat with grease. We'll see if that helps :-/
Back when I had Tein S-techs I developed this problem. I installed Swifts a few weeks ago and greased the strut hats and never heard the noise. The past few days, the noise has returned with a vengance. I regreased the strut hats, but it only made a slight differance. Maybe not even a differance at all.
As far as my front sway bar endlinks go, they have a lot of play (I thought this was normal in my previous posts). Are they supposed to have play? I work on Hondas and their sway bar end links have ZERO play what so ever. When I checked out my Evo, they were loose as all hell. Are the end links the culprit? So loose they're allowing the sway bar to contact the frame?
I read in another thread about it possibly being an axle. I don't think it's an axle because it makes the noise in a straight line. Axles and CV joints tend to only click and pop when making slow turns, and it's usually a consistant noise. This noise I'm hearing is INconsistnat and defiantly feels and sounds like a suspension component.
Any more help? I thought the sound was gone for good with the Swifts, because I didn't hear it for weeks, but it just suddenly came back
Cold weather? It's been fairly warm since I've had the Swifts and it was cold tonight, and the pat few days (when it came back suddenly). Like I said I re-packed the strut hat with grease. We'll see if that helps :-/
Mar 22, 2008, 10:12 PM
#33
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I'm sorry, but what is the strut isolator? I'm sure it's just a different name for a part that I'm already aware of, but I have never heard that term before. The top mount? I did re-grease the top mounts and it did nothing.
I'm convinced it may be the end-links because now that I remember when I had the sound before I pulled the sway bar away from where it was contacting the frame, the sound went away. Now it has come back, I'm thinking the sway bar slid back over. I could be totally wrong here. My sway bar, when the suspension isn't loaded, will slide back and forth with ease. I was going to try wrapping the sway bar with foam tape or something soft and test it out, or even just disconnecting the end links altogether to test. The end links do have a good amount of play. More than I would think is normal.
If the strut isolator isn't the top strut mount as I'm suspecting it may be, is it something I need to remove the entire assembaly to do? I don't feel like re-aligning my car, because getting my car on the rack is a pain. I just put the springs on and I'm too lazy to do it all again, haha
I'm convinced it may be the end-links because now that I remember when I had the sound before I pulled the sway bar away from where it was contacting the frame, the sound went away. Now it has come back, I'm thinking the sway bar slid back over. I could be totally wrong here. My sway bar, when the suspension isn't loaded, will slide back and forth with ease. I was going to try wrapping the sway bar with foam tape or something soft and test it out, or even just disconnecting the end links altogether to test. The end links do have a good amount of play. More than I would think is normal.
If the strut isolator isn't the top strut mount as I'm suspecting it may be, is it something I need to remove the entire assembaly to do? I don't feel like re-aligning my car, because getting my car on the rack is a pain. I just put the springs on and I'm too lazy to do it all again, haha
Mar 23, 2008, 07:56 PM
#34
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I've been doing more searching and have found the possibily of the sound being blown struts. My struts are not leaking and don't ride as if they're blown. I've driven cars with blown struts as well as witnessed many leaking struts. My Evo rides perfect. It still has all it's handeling characteristics it always had and does not ride at all bouncey. This clunk noise is not at ALL affecting handeling. The car still handels great.
Again, it's just a VERY light clunk/pop noise when slowing down (-20mph), or turning over an uneven surface (at about 10mph). Even on a smooth surface it does it at times.
I'm making a trip to the dealer on Tuesday to have my drivetrain fluids changed (due to my own laziness) and I'm going to mention this problem. I expect one of three things. Either "It's normal", "can't duplicate the problem" or They just throw a whole bunch of parts at it hoping to fix it. I'm hoping it's more of a, "we've seen this a few times before" and it's a simple repair, such as the upper strut mount.
I can do the repairs myself, as I'm the one who installed the springs, but I JUST replaced the S-techs with Swifts and don't feel like doing it all over again. I'd rather just pay for them to replace whatever needs replaced. I bought the car with the S-techs. I'm not sure how long they were on the car before I bought it, but I drove the car about 8k with the S-tech's before I got fed up with their crappiness. I'm hoping it's not a strut issue due to the Tein's
I tried to do the trick where I'd pull the sway bar away from the subframe (which I did before I thought I saw sucess from) but that didn't work this time. So, I'm doubting it's sway bar or end-link related. I'm leaning more towards an internal strut issue or the upper strut mount. I tried to grease it up twice (through the little caps) and that didn't do the trick. Hopefully it is infact the upper mounts because they're cheap, and easy to replace.
Can the upper strut mounts make noise in a straight line? I don't see why not, but, I only hear complaints of them when making turns, causing "spring binding". From doing alot of searching, many people seem to say that this is the fix and that there is indeed a problem with the upper strut mounts prematurely wearing. I'm just concerned that, with this being the internet... all these "clunk" noises people are describing may be completly different in reality. Mine is more of a soft inconsistant "pop pop pop....pop....pop pop.....pop...............pop...pop pop" when slowing to a stop or slowly turning.
I know I'm going to the dealership to have it checked out, but before I do, can anybody give me SOME sort of piece of mind so I don't drive myself insane? I know there are a lot of "clunk" threads out there, but little of them have an answer. Just the same old "I'll repond later and tell you how it works" and you never heard from them again
Help? PLEASE?
Again, it's just a VERY light clunk/pop noise when slowing down (-20mph), or turning over an uneven surface (at about 10mph). Even on a smooth surface it does it at times.
I'm making a trip to the dealer on Tuesday to have my drivetrain fluids changed (due to my own laziness) and I'm going to mention this problem. I expect one of three things. Either "It's normal", "can't duplicate the problem" or They just throw a whole bunch of parts at it hoping to fix it. I'm hoping it's more of a, "we've seen this a few times before" and it's a simple repair, such as the upper strut mount.
I can do the repairs myself, as I'm the one who installed the springs, but I JUST replaced the S-techs with Swifts and don't feel like doing it all over again. I'd rather just pay for them to replace whatever needs replaced. I bought the car with the S-techs. I'm not sure how long they were on the car before I bought it, but I drove the car about 8k with the S-tech's before I got fed up with their crappiness. I'm hoping it's not a strut issue due to the Tein's
I tried to do the trick where I'd pull the sway bar away from the subframe (which I did before I thought I saw sucess from) but that didn't work this time. So, I'm doubting it's sway bar or end-link related. I'm leaning more towards an internal strut issue or the upper strut mount. I tried to grease it up twice (through the little caps) and that didn't do the trick. Hopefully it is infact the upper mounts because they're cheap, and easy to replace.
Can the upper strut mounts make noise in a straight line? I don't see why not, but, I only hear complaints of them when making turns, causing "spring binding". From doing alot of searching, many people seem to say that this is the fix and that there is indeed a problem with the upper strut mounts prematurely wearing. I'm just concerned that, with this being the internet... all these "clunk" noises people are describing may be completly different in reality. Mine is more of a soft inconsistant "pop pop pop....pop....pop pop.....pop...............pop...pop pop" when slowing to a stop or slowly turning.
I know I'm going to the dealership to have it checked out, but before I do, can anybody give me SOME sort of piece of mind so I don't drive myself insane? I know there are a lot of "clunk" threads out there, but little of them have an answer. Just the same old "I'll repond later and tell you how it works" and you never heard from them again
Help? PLEASE?
Mar 24, 2008, 03:52 PM
#35
I'd be interested in what you find. I have a clunk but with it being so cold I haven't gotten under my car to see if it's the exhaust yet.
It's random for me as well, mostly when making a slow turn or going over lumps in the road. Kind of like the filling caps in the ground at a gas station when the car tips left/right unevenly. It happens seldom enough that I don't think it's an issue but I want to be sure.
'03 evo, original suspension, 65k miles.
It's random for me as well, mostly when making a slow turn or going over lumps in the road. Kind of like the filling caps in the ground at a gas station when the car tips left/right unevenly. It happens seldom enough that I don't think it's an issue but I want to be sure.
'03 evo, original suspension, 65k miles.
Mar 25, 2008, 03:07 PM
#36
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I took my car to the dealer today. They couldn't find anything wrong. They didn't even hear to noise. It's understandable though because it doesn't happen ALL the time.
Thoguh, I think I may have found out what it is on my own. I opened the hood and put my hand on the strut tower mount, and tried to coompress the suspension. I could feel a little give in the tower mount and I heard my mysterious pop/knock noise. I'm thinking it's the upper strut mount, as many people have already suggested
Again, no differance in performance... just an annoying sound. I can live with annoying sounds if it's "normal", but if the sound is a worn or broken part, then it bothers me.
I guess I'll order some upper strut mounts when I get a chance and throw them it
In this image, which part do I order? 3 or 4?
Thoguh, I think I may have found out what it is on my own. I opened the hood and put my hand on the strut tower mount, and tried to coompress the suspension. I could feel a little give in the tower mount and I heard my mysterious pop/knock noise. I'm thinking it's the upper strut mount, as many people have already suggested
Again, no differance in performance... just an annoying sound. I can live with annoying sounds if it's "normal", but if the sound is a worn or broken part, then it bothers me.
I guess I'll order some upper strut mounts when I get a chance and throw them it
In this image, which part do I order? 3 or 4?
Mar 25, 2008, 06:44 PM
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part 3 is what you would want to replace. part 4 is just the upper spring perch.
you could try just greasing the living crap out of the bearings on the inside of it before you replace them entirely. generally when the spring binding occours it is because there isn't enough lube in there for the bearing to rotate easily.
it may or may not fix it (depending on the condition of the bearings), but it would be easier to waste 5 bucks in grease and find out, rather than just dropping the whole strut and replacing it to begin with. try greasing it and driving it for a day or so to let the lube work it's way down into the bearing.
or you could just order camber plates. they replace the upper strut mount entirely.
you could try just greasing the living crap out of the bearings on the inside of it before you replace them entirely. generally when the spring binding occours it is because there isn't enough lube in there for the bearing to rotate easily.
it may or may not fix it (depending on the condition of the bearings), but it would be easier to waste 5 bucks in grease and find out, rather than just dropping the whole strut and replacing it to begin with. try greasing it and driving it for a day or so to let the lube work it's way down into the bearing.
or you could just order camber plates. they replace the upper strut mount entirely.
Mar 25, 2008, 07:18 PM
#38
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My only concern is this not fixing the problem, since I not only hear the sound when turning but also at slow speeds going straight, since not many people complaint of the strut mount making noise when going straight. I felt the knock through my hand when I compressed the suspension with my hand on the upper strut mount. The struts aren't blown, end links are ok, sway bar is ok, tie rods are ok, ball joints are ok, it HAS to be the upper strut mount, haha.
I wouldn't mind getting pillow ball mounts but they're generally noisey anyway and much more expensive. I probably wouldn't use the camber adjustment much since I don't see much track, and when I do it's not competative. If and when I go competative, I'll contact Robi for some KW's, but the Swifts on the street are great
I wouldn't mind getting pillow ball mounts but they're generally noisey anyway and much more expensive. I probably wouldn't use the camber adjustment much since I don't see much track, and when I do it's not competative. If and when I go competative, I'll contact Robi for some KW's, but the Swifts on the street are great
Mar 25, 2008, 08:29 PM
#39
Are the springs seated properly inside the seats? Is it possible that the springs are turning/shifting when the corner is at full droop, becoming unseated, and then becoming "re-seated" when some amount of pressure is applied, such as during braking and/or compression of the shock?
Mar 25, 2008, 08:43 PM
#40
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I made sure when I installed them that they were perfect. I think the upper mounts are just worn. I'm looking into replacing them with Cusco's, but I'm just not sure. Stocks are SOOO much cheaper, but the Cusco's will performa better, look better and have more camber adjustment if I ever need it.
Time will tell what I decied. Since this doesn't seem to be a major issue so I'll make the decision in the next few weeks.
Time will tell what I decied. Since this doesn't seem to be a major issue so I'll make the decision in the next few weeks.
Mar 15, 2013, 09:08 AM
#41
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I made sure when I installed them that they were perfect. I think the upper mounts are just worn. I'm looking into replacing them with Cusco's, but I'm just not sure. Stocks are SOOO much cheaper, but the Cusco's will performa better, look better and have more camber adjustment if I ever need it.
Time will tell what I decied. Since this doesn't seem to be a major issue so I'll make the decision in the next few weeks.
Time will tell what I decied. Since this doesn't seem to be a major issue so I'll make the decision in the next few weeks.
reviving old thread ! sorry but i read through this entire thread plus a dozen more and this sounds exactly like my issue.. what solved the solution in the end for you mitsujdm if your still on the forums ? lol
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