Northwest Members - Lower control arm making noise

I noticed at the end of last season I had a clunk on the passengers side under my back seat. I could hear it when I would go over bumbs in the road.

I jacked the car up under the SFC yesterday and took a look and noticed the nut on the LCA was loose. I put a boxed end wrench on the outside and used a 12" crescent wrench to tighten it while I was under there. I tightened it with all my strength.

I beleive they are Lakewood LCAs. I had them installed last year before racing season.

I don't claim to be a mechanic, so I am hoping I did the right thing.

I'm wondering if they need to be torqued down, and is it OK to tighten them with the car jacked up, or does it even matter?

I drove it and there was no more clunk, however when I really put my foot in it from a dig I could hear what I think is the adjustable torque arm banging the floor pan. Not sure how to adjust the torque arm.

Any input would be appreciated.

Yeah sometimes they clunk and need to be tightened. I think the suggested torque rating is like use all your effort to the last drop.

Pretty much seems that any non-stock LCAs "clunk". :(

I put on some boxed lower control arms a few years ago...all was good, then after about a year I started hearing a clunk under what sounded like the passenger seat. Checked bolts and all were tight, so I put up with it for awhile. I was at Turbo Tech, so they put it up on a lift and it was the weld on the passenger side lca where the bushing is, so they re welded it and all has been fine.

mine make noise too... oh wait... they're rod-ended... :jest:

mine make noise too... oh wait... they're rod-ended... :jest:

Oh, is that my problem? Because I got rodended instead of bushed? Should I get rid of the stiffness for sound comfort? ha! never! :jest:

Thanks Poik, that's what I needed to hear. If it does it again I'm gonna get a breaker bar and some good leverage.

And if you need any more insight, from BMR's site:
"NOTE: If a noise is present coming from the rear of the car while driving, this connection is not tight enough. This noise typically sounds like a "clunk" and occurs when driving over road irregularities. With the rear control arm reinforcements on BMR subframe connectors, it may be necessary to tighten the mounting bolts as high as 90 ft/lbs in order to compress the bushing enough to eliminate this noise."