Rivulent

First car I've had with lowering springs, so I'm new to this whole thing, but something no one ever told me is with lowering springs, you will get a bit of a clunk when you hit a pothole or large bump. I don't mind so much but at first when I wasn't expecting it, it gave me quite a terror.

My question is, those of you with lowering springs, how often do you experience the "clunking" noise?

For a mechanical engineering student, I sure like to say clunk. I figure this noise is coming from my spring and struts losing tension momentarily while the wheel is forced downwards towards a pothole/ground. when the tension is regained and the car sits back on the springs, I would think that is when the noise is coming from. I'm not very experienced with suspensions, but I'm just speaking from logical theory (but theory and practice are two different things often times).

However, the clunking could be result of something else, such as loose strut bolt or possibly the chamber being way off. I can visually see my chamber is off a tad, so I will be getting the car aligned next weekend. Strut bolt is fine, and the front seems to do all the clunking while the rear is fine (different spring design though, too).

engifineer

Don't have the clunk with mine, so I am not sure what it may be. A bad strut will make a clunk, but I dont see it being that. I did not align mine afterwards and so far the tires seem to be wearing evenly. Best I could tell (and from what I have read) the TRDs may knock it off a degree or less, so not a huge issue.

I would check everything out underneath to make sure something isnt loose and keep a close eye on it.

I really like mine so far. I have had them on for around 4k - 5k I believe. Handling is nice, and the ride didnt suffer too much. So enjoy yours!

Rivulent

I see. Even when hitting large bumps at high(er) speeds doesn't cause any noises? That's good to hear (in the sense that I just need to find the problem). I felt my stabilizer bar link when the car was dropped and noticed it had a teeny bit of play, so I'm going to remove the wheel tomorrow and just tighten it better.

boostedscion

that's strange. I didnt read up on any other posts that have this problem. Double check your install just to make sure

Rivulent

I have the spring lined up pretty darn nicely, i might try turning it clockwise a little bit to pull it farther from the end of the spring to the end-of-the-spring crevace.

SmurfytC

I was wondering, those of you with trd springs installed, its the rear gap less than the front? THe rear is lower than the front for me. Is it suppose to be?

If so, that kinda suk if u have passengers in the rear. makes the car squat.

SmurfytC

Anyone else having the same problem of the front being higher than the rear after TRD springs installed?

BIGRKtC

I think that's the way the tC was made, so when you drop it it becomes more noticable. The TRD spring is an even drop front and back, 1.45 " i beleive. My friend has goldlines which are also an even drop, 2" all the way around. With his car its really noticable. The rear wheels are tucked and the front aren't. I have yet to drop my car but when I do I'm going with Tein S-techs because the front is dropped lower 2.4", and the rear 2". It's meant to provide a more agressive look but if you've seen pictures on this site, it seems to be the only drop with even wheel gap.

ack154

iTrader: (7)

Actually I think the tC is the other way around, stock. The rear is supposed to be higher than the front. That's why the Hotchkis springs are a larger drop in the back (~1.9") than in the front (~1.7").

z-lite

Perhaps the stock springs are not even in the front and back (higher springs in the back) so that when you do change to same-height springs, the rear looks higher?

SmurfytC

My rear is not higher than the front, its lower. and i have the TRD springs, suppose to be even drop all round. Oh well...

BIGRKtC

I get what your sayin' z-lite. That could be it. But looking at my tC which is still stock suspension I can kinda see that the front wheel well has more gap than the back, and there's nothing in my trunk. Oh and those hotchkis springs are for those who like the opposite look of lower in the back. I think those springs look stupid on a tC.

BIGRKtC

If you guys want proof, do a search for s techs and do one for goldlines and you will see the difference. The only reason I am still considering goldlines is because the s tech front drop of 2.4" will probably kill a front bumper. Especially gowing over speed bumps. I used to drive an Acura legend undropped and I scraped most speedbumps.

Rivulent

And the stock struts too.

Mr_Meaty

I think the test tC hotckis measured thier drop on had a problem with the rear, because stock, the rear looks lower then the front because the front wheelwell cutout is larger then the rear wheelwell cutout because the front has to compensate for wheels that turn. Many cars are this way if you look closely. The hotchkis has a clean, even drop, but the back will look a little lower, like other springs, cause of the different wheel well sizes. Springs that drop the front lower will look even wheel well wise, but the whole car will be angled forward slightly, which many peopel find attractive. Both look good to me, but I went with trd because it was a very sublte, even drop without dropping to low and getting bouncy.

Anyway, I dont' get any clunking noise. I had mine installed at the dealers (what a ripoff!), so if I did hear a clunk, I'd have them fix it. Then again, I dont' drive over any potholes here.

BIGRKtC

If you asking about the legend yes everything was stock.

BIGRKtC

If you asking about the legend yes everything was stock. I ripped the bumper off twice. 900$ to replace. It was my dad's car.

Rivulent

So anyway, I found where the clank is coming from. Something in the strut assembly. I can lift the car's wheel well by hand and shake the car and the rattle is there. I took off the wheel/assembly and looked at the order, and everything seemed to be normal. It went away when i first dropped the car, then drove about 10 ft and it came back when I hit the 2nd "test bump".

I am going to have to take it apart again and make sure that everything is good again, and look at what could be causing this noise.

If I remember the order correctly, that assembly is currently:

Strut - strut cover - bump stop (it is supposed to be able to move freely up and down the hydrolic lift correct?) - metal plate - 1 cm thick rubber gromit - top mount.

Sounds correct, right?

thescone

This could be two things, you are hitting the bump stop bushing, or the spring is not mounted correctly in the cup. I had this clunking noise with my MK2 supra and it turned out to be an incorrectly seated spring. Can you hear a springing noise when the clunk occurs? It kind of sounds like a tuning fork noise, "clunk then sproing" is the noise I heard. It is a very subtle noise, listen very closely.

Rivulent

Hmm, I will look at that tomorrow. It's possible, although I've seated it twice and made sure the top mounting plate was correct.