Help me diagnose this noise:UPDATE

[WRXD]

ok...so I was driving my car around today, and it seems that when I hit a bump, I get a sharp clunk from the rear drivers side of the car. It sounds like my strut/spring. I just put new springs on this past weekend and a new perrin swaybar/endlinks. However I was very careful to torque all the bolts exactly to the manual specifications...there is an outside chance that the noise is a small bag of tools I carry around with me, but I doubt it. Can anyone give me some things to check get remedy this..thanks in advance.

[TimmahWRX]

I dunno...

bump for someone who knows

[Blackv6Stang]

i know on my brothers mazda it was the bushings on the rear swaybar and that sharp clunk sound is exactly how i would have described it. and since you just installed a swaybar maybe thats what it is

[WRXD]

after close evaluation on the way home, I am almost positive it is the swaybar...I can hear it from both sides of the rear when I go over bumps or I brake sharply. I dont know how to fix it though.

[Blackv6Stang]

you're bushings may have broken or you may just need to adjust it

[99SL2_Modder]

I know with mine after a poly bushing swap, I had to get end clamps for the bar because it allowed free movement side to side which would hit the rear knuckles and components, causing a non-damaging but very annoying clunk.

Also, did you think about strut mounts?

[TROLL]

lowering the car will change the angle that the endlinks sit at. stock or aftermarket endlinks? look to see if the swaybar is 1) centered and 2) making contact with the endlinks which would be evidenced by any wear marks in the area.
the other possibility is that the springs are not sitting correctly on their perches and that could lead to strange clunking noises as well...
bryan

[99SL2_Modder]

Originally Posted by TROLL

lowering the car will change the angle that the endlinks sit at. stock or aftermarket endlinks? look to see if the swaybar is 1) centered and 2) making contact with the endlinks which would be evidenced by any wear marks in the area.
the other possibility is that the springs are not sitting correctly on their perches and that could lead to strange clunking noises as well...
bryan

Also, lowering springs have a thing called "spring buzz" which is caused by bumps quickly loading and unloading the springs, causing them to shoot up around the shock and make a buzzing noise. Other times, they won't buzz, but instead clunk.

Definitely check perches as well. It's not so much of a telephone answer, it's more of something you have to see and hear in person.

[WRXD]

Originally Posted by 99SL2_Modder

I know with mine after a poly bushing swap, I had to get end clamps for the bar because it allowed free movement side to side which would hit the rear knuckles and components, causing a non-damaging but very annoying clunk.

Also, did you think about strut mounts?

I keep checking the swaybar but it doesnt appear to have any movement. I have the bar on the stiffest setting and the clunk is only noticable if I have the radio off and am listening very closely. I really hope it isnt the strut mounts because I was super careful with everything concerning the new springs--every screw went back into the same hole it came out of..and I torqued everything down to exact factory specs. I checked and double checked top hat position..spring seatment etc. I jope it isnt anything with the strut/springs because they were a beyotch to get in and out, especially the rears.

Originally Posted by TROLL

lowering the car will change the angle that the endlinks sit at. stock or aftermarket endlinks? look to see if the swaybar is 1) centered and 2) making contact with the endlinks which would be evidenced by any wear marks in the area.
the other possibility is that the springs are not sitting correctly on their perches and that could lead to strange clunking noises as well...
bryan

Should I reinstall and re-torque the endlink bolts since I lowered the car AFTER i did the sway/endlink install? I keep hearing I should get stronger endlink bolts instead of using stock so this weekend I may basically reinstall the whole swaybar, new endlink bolts, and regrease the bushings. I wish one of you guys could drive my car and tell me what you think. This is my daily driver and I get so worred that I seriously F'ed something up.

[blkbomber01]

the endlinks are a pain.... they will make a ton of noise. go under the car and tighten the HELL out of the endlink nuts, dont take a breaker bar to them but get a wrench and make them as tight as you can get them. if its still there, get one of your friends to sharply push down on the back of the car (to get the feel of a bump) and put your hands on everything under there until you can find out where the noise is

[WRXD]

Originally Posted by blkbomber01

the endlinks are a pain.... they will make a ton of noise. go under the car and tighten the HELL out of the endlink nuts, dont take a breaker bar to them but get a wrench and make them as tight as you can get them. if its still there, get one of your friends to sharply push down on the back of the car (to get the feel of a bump) and put your hands on everything under there until you can find out where the noise is

sounds like a good idea...the noise doesnt really bother me, I cant hear it with the radio on. However, I want to be sure I am not doing major damage to something. Thanks for the input guys, and any more suggestions are appreciated as well. TST rocks!

[vDevilu]

with VWs:
I know that I sometimes bounce on the stock Bump stops. VW has shorter "sport" verisons which will allow more travel, which I will replace soon.

[Gsxtacyno2]

Originally Posted by WRXD

ok...so I was driving my car around today, and it seems that when I hit a bump, I get a sharp clunk from the rear drivers side of the car. It sounds like my strut/spring. I just put new springs on this past weekend and a new perrin swaybar/endlinks. However I was very careful to torque all the bolts exactly to the manual specifications...there is an outside chance that the noise is a small bag of tools I carry around with me, but I doubt it. Can anyone give me some things to check get remedy this..thanks in advance.

once i lowered my car i heard a clunking sound for a few days... asked a tech at work and since my struts werent leaking and were still good he said it was just the springs on the struts adjusting to where/how they're supposed to sit on the strut... and the next day it stopped and i havent heard it since... so hopefully its something as simple and stupid as that... good luck man

[MuddyREX]

Try to re-lube the swaybar bushings. If you didn't get enough lube in there, they will get louder as time goes by.

[KrautFed20V]

Originally Posted by vDevilu

with VWs:
I know that I sometimes bounce on the stock Bump stops. VW has shorter "sport" verisons which will allow more travel, which I will replace soon.

i was going to say this same thing bumpstops PWN vw's

[RyanG]

WRX.. its the upper mounts. they are notorious for being horrible.

[WRXD]

Originally Posted by AREA1320

WRX.. its the upper mounts. they are notorious for being horrible.

do you mean this??






Or do you mean the bushing mounts?

[RyanG]

no not the sway bar mounts. The upper strut tops. they seem to love clunking.

[WRXD]

Originally Posted by AREA1320

no not the sway bar mounts. The upper strut tops. they seem to love clunking.

I torqued them all to spec...do you think should crank them even more???

[RyanG]

best thing to do and I know it sucks, take the struts out and pull off the tops. grease them and slap them back in and see what happens.
I would have a friend sit it the back and see if they hear the noise and where its from.