As I posted here before, I had a hotchiss sway bar installed on my xB. Total suspension mods include the front and rear bars, Strut bar and also Koni shocks.

When I first start my car in the morning, and then take a left out of my parking spot, I hear a little clunk-clunk sound in the front-end. I don't seem to notice it after driving for a while.

I took the car to the Scion Dealer today to see what's up witht he clunk-clunk, and their answer is standard DEaler-speak:

"You modded your suspension, that's why is goes clunk-clunk. "

What I wanted to hear was something to the effect of, "your wheels are going to fall off in a turn, don't sweat it."

Anyone have any ideas as to why the car makes this noise -- assuming that it is related to the hotchkiss bar?

 

Take the hotchiss bar off and see if the the Clunk Clunk goes away. If it does you have a starting point!

 

i'm betting the strut isnt assembled correctly.

 

Can you elaborate on that point?

 

Try re-tightening the upper strut bolt. The one in the center under that rubber plug. I've had mine come loose and cause a clunk.

As far as why you replaced your stock front bar is beyond me. All it needed was the outer bushings replaced with the Energy polyurethane bushings. And a Progress,TRD or Whiteline rear bar installed.

 

the top of the strut shaft has 2 flat spots on the sides that MUST line up with the flats on the top spring hat. If these are not lined up correctly when assembling the strut, you can get a clunk.

 

Are you implying that Scion may have assembled the car wrong? I don't believe I've ever had that stuff apart.

BTW, I got the clunk today when pulling straight out of a parking space, so turning the wheel doesn't seem to matter.

 

Take it to the dealer and let them deal with the "clunk"

 

You said that you have Koni shocks. So somebody R&Red the struts. Who did the work? Scion? I have seen some major screw ups from dealership mechanics.

 

yeah well i got the same response from the dealership about my car. when i go about 60mph and turn the wheel to the right slightly the car vibrates bad in the floor and pedals. i've taken it to them twice now and their response is that it is the trd springs and shocks. that since i've lowered it its going to do that. so i said "why doesn't it do it turning it slightly left?' their response" i don't know." obviously they know something is wrong and don't want to deal with it cause factory lowering options won't make you sound and fell like you're going over a rumble strip on the side of the road.

 

^^Dealers get VERY slippery when it comes to having to address warranty stuff. They will use every excuse to not fix stuff if anything is slightly modded. The worst part is they think someone will pay for warranty stuff just because they say so. Ha Ha Ha!