Author Topic: suspension overhaul gone wrong! (Read 4470 times)

nofear3544 · « **on:** April 09, 2011, 06:25:09 PM »

I decided to lower my car last week with m3 springs and billies.After i was finished I took it to the mechanic to have it aligned and he said i needed new tie rods. I went back and replaced them. After doing this, this is when the noise began. i was left with a thumping noise when i turned the wheel. it only happens when the car is stopped or at very low speeds. sounds as if the spring recoils then pops back into place.

I decided to take a closer look today to make sure i did everything properly.
After putting my car back on the lift I found I was missing a washer on the driver side strut. After replacing the washer and realigning the spring and strut I bolted everything down with an air gun.

after lowering the car it still made the noise.. you can feel it in both strut towers and it sounds like the spring recoils and the pops back into place. there was also a sound that felt like metal and rubber rubbing together. not sure whats going on.

I did replace the tie rods and the noise started after that was completed so I check to make sure i ordered the right ones and I did.

The only thing i have left to try at this point is to bring it back to the alignment shop who told me to get new tie rods in the first place.

Anyone have any ideas?

DesktopDave · « **Reply #1 on:** April 09, 2011, 07:46:10 PM »

I'm not that up-to-date on front overhauls, but I'd guess it's the tie rods. If you didn't replace the suspension arms, the ball joints have moved to a new position due to the lower springs and may be giving you that thumping.

Did you replace the rubber insulators on the coil springs? How did the top "hat" bearings feel? Are you sure both the new tie rods have good joints? It's not impossible that one is bad. What brand did you buy? I had a bad joint on a brand new suspension arm from FCP Groton once.

nofear3544 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 10, 2011, 03:08:01 AM »

the rubber top hats were replaced a year ago and the rubber insulators were not replaced. they looked fine. the tie rods are twc i believe. how can you tell if a joint is bad?

DesktopDave · « **Reply #3 on:** April 10, 2011, 08:31:22 AM »

My mechanic uses a pry bar, but I've never seen him test a tie rod. Swap the old ones back if you get a chance (and if you haven't tossed them yet), that'd test it by elimination.

nofear3544 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2011, 08:26:20 PM »

After driving the car today it was still making the noise. I decided to get it back up on the lift and go over everything one more time. After looking at a diagram on real oem i realized my washers were in the wrong place. I probably should have looked at this first.

Im glad it was my own stupidity and it was an easy fix.

Ill get u guys a pic of the new wheels.. I want to know what you guys think.

a930rocket · « **Reply #5 on:** April 23, 2011, 06:54:46 PM »

So post pics of what was arong and how you fixed it.

I was going to say some type of coil bind due to worn spacers or top hats.

I've got to overhaul all my bushings, control arms and shocks, so I'm looking at what everyone has done.

mr.vang · « **Reply #6 on:** April 25, 2011, 03:38:48 PM »

Quote from: a930rocket;103280

So post pics of what was arong and how you fixed it.

I was going to say some type of coil bind due to worn spacers or top hats.

I've got to overhaul all my bushings, control arms and shocks, so I'm looking at what everyone has done.

missing or wrong placing of a washer...very common problem for new e30 owner since they don't put the washer back in after lowering it..

gearheadE30 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 26, 2011, 11:43:06 AM »

What you're hearing, if it was anything like mine, was the spring hat hitting the rubber of the mount. the popping that you hear is the metal skipping on the rubber as the strut rotates.