Astral

I just had my sway bars installed by a reputable Miata guy two weeks ago. It was 37 degrees tonight (and I've driven the car in colder, 33 degree nights) and as I was getting to the highway onramp, I noticed a hitting/clunking type of sound coming from the bottom front left. I could even feel it a tad.

The sound would not even necessarily occur at hard bumps, just slightly steeper undulations on the highway and I was hearing the clunk. After hitting harder bumps you'd hear it along w/ the usual suspension noise, but then afterwards it would clunk once or twice.

It seemed that when turning on the highway, it wasn't really occuring, but I'm not sure about that.

Also, after I drove on the highway doing 65-70 for about 25 minutes, I almost stopped hearing it on the highway. But then when I pulled off the highway on the local roads to my place, I heard it again, pretty much on bumps to the left or the right side. At first I thought that the heat from the engine warmed up the suspension and expanded things a little, but maybe not enough for city driving?

What could be causing this? Are the bolts not tight enough?

Here's an audio clip from my camera I recorded doing about 70mph on the highway. Anyone hear something like this before?

tmak26b

just check the tightness of them

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Check that the end-links are on correctly...there have been a few on backwards...they bind...and break like that.

Like Tmak said...check that they aren't loose...and not hitting on the struts......

They will be a bit louder than stock...but shouldn't sound like that

CosmosMpower

End links are probably installed wrong or they are on their way out. The S2000 currently has the same problem, I need to get around to putting some new endlinks in so I don't have to listen to clunk clunk all day long.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

^^ I doubt they are dead after only 2 weeks

Astral

I just took a photo (sorry for the poor angle) of the front left endlink from the front of the car:



Comparing to this photo, which was taken from behind the front wheel, my end link is attached to the correct side.

Forgot to mention that I have Whiteline adjustable sways with the stock endlinks.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

What's the oil on the strut?? Is it leaking??...or oil from somewhere else??

Astral

No, that's probably just the strut drying up after driving in the rain. The car's been parked only for a few hours. .... or at least I hope that's not oil! Will try the finger swipe test...

Astral

OK, I haven't swiped my finger against it yet, but here is the same left front, but photographed from behind the wheel now... looks like that the mechanic touched the shock with greasy hands from the bushing (notice the white stuff):



Here's a similar shot but of the right side... notice a fingerprint on the shock and a smudge on the endlink near the top:

Astral

If it's just that things that need to be tightened up, how unsafe is it to drive with the clunk?

Which bolts should be checked for tightness first?

Also, I only have a 20-100ft/lbs torque wrench, so I'm not sure if I have the right tools to properly tighten up these... I may go back to the mechanic and ask him to give it a once over.

swoope

iTrader: (5)

more than likely the bolts that hold the bushing brackets down... they are in the back of the photos...

i think that size is about 35 ft lbs.. just make sure they are tight.

unsafe. not really, but get it fixed..

beers

92tsiawd

it could just be as simple as not enough grease on the bushing, that's what I'm having right now

Celronx

iTrader: (1)

I had the exact same problem, even down to kind of feeling it. I put new grease inside the bushings and no more sounds. It's very ease to do and only takes about 15-20 min for both.

Cel

CosmosMpower

He said he had the swaybars installed 2 weeks ago but he didn't specify if he got new endlinks with them.

Astral

OK, I stopped by the mechanic today, he put the car up on the left and we rechecked all the bolts.

The left endlink was not tight enough connecting to the swaybar. Looks like it wasn't tightened enough from the beginning. So he tightened that up real good and now no more noise!

All the other bolts looked good (bolts holding bushing bracket tight).

Thanks for everyone's help and ideas!

I probably ought to get some crowfoot wrenches and use a torque wrench on those endlink connections, just to doublecheck.

RX3+5

Try a little bit of Loctite on the end-link bolts. Worked for me.

Vince

Red Devil

What kind of sways? Look like Whiteline.

I have Whitelines and they creak and "clunk" here and there, but I've chalked it up to the urethane bushings and lack of grease over time. I've also tracked the car a few hundred miles and they, and the endlinks, are no worse for the wear.

In other words, if a few sounds come back here or there, I wouldn't be too concerned now that everything is tight.

Astral

Those are Whitelines indeed. I don't mind a little squeak, although I'm going to regrease the bushings in 15-20K (or whenever they start regulary squeaking).

The clunk though was very noticeable and wasn't the suspension hitting noise that you get when you hit a hard bump.

Thanks for the info. So far so quiet

Winning 8

get some red line grease, they are the best.

Spin9k

I've had WLs with those yellow urethane bushings for 2 yrs, never re-greased them, and no clunks or squeaks (w/stock links) ever. You must have someting going on there if yours are noisy, loose nut, loose bushing clamp, etc. There shouldn't be any noise.

elysium19

iTrader: (1)

I'm having the same problem (on the right side only), it started about a week after installing new sways. I'm going to check that the endlink is properly tightened tonight and let you all know...

I can probably find it, but does anyone know offhand what the proper torque spec is for the endlinks??? thanks...

paimon.soror

iTrader: (15)

Hate to revive the thread but same types of noises here. Getting them like crazy from the rear only when going over small imperfections in the road. I have done everything from remounting the endlinks, regreasing the bushings, tightening up the brackets for the sways, torquing down the lugs..... any of you guys get any more info? Or do we just tack this under "normal with aftermarket"

invasion08

iTrader: (7)

I would try some loctite. In my case I had to buy a new endlink nut and use loctite. Them problem has never came back and I have driven on some bad roads

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

I would never use loktite on the endlinks unless you want to deal with a major pita taking them off at some later date. I not only don't use any locking sealant I run a tap through my nuts to remove the OE locking feature. They have never come loose on their own and it makes swapping the endlink position on an adjustable swaybar super easy and quick. Otherwise you will have to use an Allen key and a wrench to take them loose rather than just breaking the nut loose with a ratchet wrench and unscrewing it easily with your fingers.

paimon.soror

iTrader: (15)

What can I do to see if the end link nuts are my problem? I have torqued them down to 44 fyi