Coilovers - even ones that use spherical bearings (as they should) to locate the upper pivot - should not be any noisier than any other shock. Certainly they should never clunk or bang.

Troubleshooting:

1) Ensure that the top of the strut is properly tightened, and that the spherical bearing is properly cinched up tight. You can check this by piching the upper mount nut with your fingers such that the pads press on the nut/bearing part line, and then bounce the car. You will feel any relative movement very easily.

Upper mount lock designs where the spacer portion that fits into the ball is attached to the upper nut, and so screw down into the ball, seem particularly vulnerable to the nut flange galling a little on the ball bore and not getting tightened all the way up. It may be better to drop the upper mount out of the car and assemble the shock to it on the bench.

The ball should never be loose! If there is any slop in the spherical bearing, it must be replaced (and is a pretty good sign that a cheap bearing was used - a PNB-T series Aurora bearing should never wear out)

2) Ensure that the upper mount plate is properly tightened.

3) If the spring does not force the suspension all the way into full droop, it is possible for the spring to unload and rattle, especially in the rear and at high-g corners. Fitting a flat-coil "helper spring" can keep the spring seated and stop the rattle.

4) All other suspension components (a-arms, sway bars, and the like) should be checked for tightness.

5) Check the wheel and wheel bearings for tightness. I wonce had a weird noise on my Talon that turned out to be a snapped hub.

6) Remove the spring, move the suspension through its range of motion, and check for bottoming/binding and witness marks. If none are found, do a zip-tie travel test.

7) If the shock is removed, there should be steady resistance to both compressing and extending the shock, and when compressed, the shock shaft should self-extend. If there is any odd change of force in the shock as it is compressed and extended by hand, if it does not self-extend, or if there is no resistance to movement in the shock at all, then the shock is dead.

DG

 

sorry to bring it back from the dead but this is my story.

installed tanabe coilovers about 2 years back with no issues what so ever. about a month ago i installed a 27mm H&R rear sway bar. the rear suspension, esp the RR started clunking like an SOB. it was mostly when i took tight or really fast tight left hand turns. so i bought some perrin end links thinking it may solve something. well it did do shizit.

so nowwhen driving, the rear suspension makes a clunking noise that u can feel over bumps. also when taking tight left hand turns, a loud clunk occurs in the right rear.

i have taking the wheels out, adjusted the suspension, adjusted the sway bar, made sure everything was tight, and nothing!!!! im to the point where im about to get a new suspension. one thing i did find was the the upper spring perch was like stuck and wasnt seating right, so i fixed that and still clunking. im not sure wtf to do anymore. i have also tried moving the hubs thinking it was a bearing or something but again, nothing.

note that this only started to happen when i put the bigger rear sway bar in. i bought this from Tire Rack and they dont know what to tell me. the only thing i havent done, is take the new bigger sway bar out and see if it still makes the noise.

what can i do?????

 

Since it's the only thing changed before and after the clunking I would try removing the RSB and see what happens. At least it's not hard to remove like the front one.

 

Why don't you reinstall the stock sway bar to see if the problem goes away? If it does, then you'll know it caused the problem. Troubleshooting is a process of elimination.

Some larger aftermarket sway bars rub the subframe. If you see rub marks on the sway bar, it could be causing your noises.

 

well its the top of the rear spring perches. i looked at them today and i noticed that they had some actual metal, not shavings but like a sliver. i lubed them up and nothing. im soo confused as to what the **** is going on.

 

update. well i replaced my Tanabe's with megan coilovers. the left hand turn clunk went away but now over bumps of any kind we have clunks. now from both sides of the rear. it really really sounds like something is loose but i have checked everything. the only thing i can possibly think of is wheel bearings.

so how can i check if they are tight?

 

I have the same on my Megan coilovers. Sounds normal to me

 

yea , i got it too ,, megan street coilovers,,
don't like the noise at all , took it off when with the tein flex..

 

anyone know what the **** this KAAA KLUNK noise is? im putting my car in the air this weekend and im making sure everything is tighter than a virgin. im kinda concerned about bearings. last week i jacked up my car in my work p-lot, pushed, pulled and tried twisting the wheel to see if the wheel bearing is dead, wheel didnt move at all. anyone think it could be like axel bearings?

im really at the end or my nerves with this damn car. i just want to leave it somewhere with the keys in it and let them steal it. with the suspension and my damn P0300 code, i hate this ****ing thing right now.

 

wow had the same thing happen to me....went with springs insted

 

i just spent $900 on a brand new set of megan coilovers so there is no way im buying any springs, shocks and struts.

 

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same ka klunk noise for me front left and right - HKS Hypermax coilovers.. going to dealer tomorrow.

 

i think i found mine!!! refer to my H&R thread.

 

i have the same problem, i asked lot people, they said it is normal, so......