Front suspension clunk?!?!

[Shinobi77]

Ok, can someone help me out. I purchased a 2019 CTR about a month ago and it was lowered on eibach sportline Springs. Last weekend I installed the stock springs on the car, because I wanted to put some 18x9.5 +38 gramlights 57DR wheels on it and the sportlines were just to low to run that size wheel with 265/35r18 tires.
So, I started driving the car after getting the stock springs back on and installing the new wheel and tire combo. I’m getting a horrible clunking noise coming from the front when I go over bumps or dips at low speeds. Also, the rear passenger fender scraped the tire when I went over a bump at super low speed turning into a parking lot.
My question is... since the car was lowered so far on the sportlines and I have now put it back to stock height, could my struts be shot since the car sat so low on the sportlines for however long? I’ve read that compressing a strut passed its normal compression travel distance and leaving it there can actually wear them out faster. The car only has 18500 miles on it and I’m unsure how many of those miles it was lowered on those springs. Could this be why I’m getting the clunk on both fronts and why the fender actually scraped the tire in the rear?
Any help or insight is greatly appreciated.
Thanks guys!

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[I82MUCH]

I’m not sure what it could be. But I’m on air and after I added -3 degrees of camber to the front, I started to hear a clunk or a rubbing when hitting bumps and dips. My guess is that it’s possibly the end link is pushing the sway bar down and hitting this other link. I went back to 0 degrees until I order shorter end links and no sound anymore.

I attached a photo to show what was touching.

 

[Vinsmoke]

I’m not sure what it could be. But I’m on air and after I added -3 degrees of camber to the front, I started to hear a clunk or a rubbing when hitting bumps and dips. My guess is that it’s possibly the end link is pushing the sway bar down and hitting this other link. I went back to 0 degrees until I order shorter end links and no sound anymore.

I attached a photo to show what was touching.

Any update on this and what end links did you go with and did you go back to camber the car? I installed coilovers and since I installed coilovers I've been hearing a clunking noise. Before I installed the coilovers I've had springs on oem struts like Shinobu 77 originally stated and there was no noise at all. I was even lower with the springs than I am with my coilovers. Thanks in advance.

 

[I82MUCH]

Any update on this and what end links did you go with and did you go back to camber the car? I installed coilovers and since I installed coilovers I've been hearing a clunking noise. Before I installed the coilovers I've had springs on oem struts like Shinobu 77 originally stated and there was no noise at all. I was even lower with the springs than I am with my coilovers. Thanks in advance.

I ended up going with Whiteline but it seemed like they were the same length as OEM at its shortest setting. I actually ended up selling the car not long after.

 

[Vinsmoke]

Thanks for replying. I also ended up ordering whiteline end links just waiting for it to arrive. I did some research and it seems the front end had to be loaded while installing the end links. Shop that installed my coilovers probably didn't load the front end when installing. I'm not sure if that makes a difference but a bunch of videos I've watched said to do that but they didn't explain why you should and what would happen if you didn't. I'm just going to wing it and hope that fixes it.

 

[NapalmEnema]

To keep it simple, when you swapped parts was the suspension unloaded, or loaded? I believe you may have tightened things unloaded which can cause this. Try putting car up on ramps / cups and then loosen and tighten things up again. Simple first thing to try

 

[Vinsmoke]

To keep it simple, when you swapped parts was the suspension unloaded, or loaded? I believe you may have tightened things unloaded which can cause this. Try putting car up on ramps / cups and then loosen and tighten things up again. Simple first thing to try

I had a shop do it and I believe it was unloaded because the car was on a lift and where I was standing I didn't see the tech putting the car on any ramps or used those tall jack stands.

I don't have any ramps or cups to use but what I tried to do is used another jack and jack up the driver side ball joint with a block of wood, with the wheel off. Loosen the end links and tighten it back up. I'm not sure if I did it right and repeated the same thing on the passenger side and still the same results. Clunk still there. While I had the wheels off I check the coilover coils for any play but it was tight also. I need to mention I have an upgraded front sway bar, eibach. But when I was lowered on springs there was no clunk. Now with these coilovers there is a clunk. Both springs and coilovers was installed by different shops. The Clunk you can feel whole driving slowly under 10mph over small cracks and uneven surface, you can feel it under your feet in the pedal depending on the Clunk. When going over 10mph over any potholes, bumps and etc, no Clunk what so ever. Sorry for the long post but wanted to make sure I cover all basis.

 

[Type-JZ]

check ALL of the above . If it was pounding on something, you'd see a mark. the axles could be pounding on the sway bar; end link not adjusted (load vs no load), shocks could be blown from lowering and driving hard..etc. Hard to see, but from the above picture there seems to be a dark spot on the axles vs the other dirtier areas. Check it. I track my car heavily and had or have all of the above that I try to resolve after every track day......

 

[Marc_Seegs]

I had a shop do it and I believe it was unloaded because the car was on a lift and where I was standing I didn't see the tech putting the car on any ramps or used those tall jack stands.

I don't have any ramps or cups to use but what I tried to do is used another jack and jack up the driver side ball joint with a block of wood, with the wheel off. Loosen the end links and tighten it back up. I'm not sure if I did it right and repeated the same thing on the passenger side and still the same results. Clunk still there. While I had the wheels off I check the coilover coils for any play but it was tight also. I need to mention I have an upgraded front sway bar, eibach. But when I was lowered on springs there was no clunk. Now with these coilovers there is a clunk. Both springs and coilovers was installed by different shops. The Clunk you can feel whole driving slowly under 10mph over small cracks and uneven surface, you can feel it under your feet in the pedal depending on the Clunk. When going over 10mph over any potholes, bumps and etc, no Clunk what so ever. Sorry for the long post but wanted to make sure I cover all basis.

have you figured out what was causing the clunk?

my cars doing the same exact thing. I’m on coilovers as well.

sometimes I can hear/feel the clunk when coming out of a dead stop as well.

 

[Vinsmoke]

have you figured out what was causing the clunk?

my cars doing the same exact thing. I’m on coilovers as well.

sometimes I can hear/feel the clunk when coming out of a dead stop as well.

Nope. I haven't figured out what's causing the Clunk. When you had your coilovers installed did you or the shop load the front end? I've watched videos stressing to load the front end when doing suspension/coiliver install. I think it's the endlinks touching the front sway bar. If you end up figuring out what causes the noise please let me know as well.

 

[NapalmEnema]

Buy cheap set of ramps
Drive front of car onto ramps
Loosen everything
Tighten from inside to out towards wheel
Repeat with rear

It’s been a billion years but eliminating clunk when modifying suspension is due mostly to tightening it down unloaded on a lift.

you don’t drive your car with the suspension unloaded, why would tightening things down when it’s off the ground.

good luck but this solved my issue on my 08 Sti back in the day when I did the whole swaybar / endlink upgrade

 

[Vinsmoke]

Buy cheap set of ramps
Drive front of car onto ramps
Loosen everything
Tighten from inside to out towards wheel
Repeat with rear

It’s been a billion years but eliminating clunk when modifying suspension is due mostly to tightening it down unloaded on a lift.

you don’t drive your car with the suspension unloaded, why would tightening things down when it’s off the ground.

good luck but this solved my issue on my 08 Sti back in the day when I did the whole swaybar / endlink upgrade

Thank you, I will give this a shot.

 

[StellarType_R]

Thank you, I will give this a shot.

Did you end up trying this yet? I’m Having a similar problem.

 

[Marc_Seegs]

Figured my issue out.

My passenger side lower ball joint was shot. Replaced with spoon zero bump steer kit ball joints and all my problems went away.

 

[Vinsmoke]

Did you end up trying this yet? I’m Having a similar problem.

Haven't got time, too busy with work and weather's been shitty. Might have to bring my car to a shop. Sorry.

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