skytower31

iTrader: (4)

So Rottluver and I installed some Pro Fab tubular poly/poly LCA's on Sunday on his WS.6. Install went fine and driving slowly through the neighborhood was fine also. However, after a few hard launches, there was a mild clunking or rattling noise coming from the driver rear. After a few more minutes, the passenger rear started making the same noise. By yesterday evening, they had both increase in noise so much, that simply backing the car out of the driveway made Rottluver uncomfortable simply driving the car.

Can anyone give us some insight into what is going on here? I have heard that the poly/poly can increase road noise, but not loud clunking and rattling like this! The bolts are VERY tight and we used a dab of lock-tite on each nut.

Thanks for any help you all can provide!

felton316

Clunking of the rear after control arms are installed usually suggests that they are not torqued down enough. Also make sure the suspension is loaded while torqueing them down.

skytower31

iTrader: (4)

Suspension was fully loaded on ramps when we tightened down the bolts. Can't fit a torque wrench onto either the nut or bolt head, so we just did them as tight as we physically could and put some lock-tite on. Is this a sign of crappy LCAs maybe?

P Mack

iTrader: (6)

Can you see if the brackets are squeezing the bushings tight? Since you have SFC's it might take some extra torque on the bolts to compress them. I have bmr sfc's and i tightened the bolts to 90 ft lbs.

skytower31

iTrader: (4)

Well it was a tight fit to slip the bushing into the bracket to begin with and we cranked them down pretty tight so I don't think there is any space between the bushing and bracket.

How were you able to get a torque wrench in there?

JL ws-6

iTrader: (50)

Mine don't clunk, but ther's an audible squeak when driving slow over bumps,and I greased the hell out of them to try to get rid of it, guess it comes with the territory

P Mack

iTrader: (6)

I used one of those beam type torque wrenches (not a clicker) with a shallow socket and there was just barely enough room.

Ferocity02

iTrader: (60)

I managed to fit a torque wrench in there and put them down to 105 ft/lbs.

Rottluver

iTrader: (3)

Jon,

I am going to put the car back up on the ramps today and try to use the torque wrench. Although, as you know, there was NO way to get those any tighter.........not unless the Gov. decided to lend us a hand LOL

skytower31

iTrader: (4)

Haha, I am the Torquenator!

Rottluver

iTrader: (3)

I just got back from a quick drive and it was REALLY weird. At low low speeds, there was a LOT of clunking but it wa VERY intermittent. Over bumps (like my garage exit) it would clunk, but not over potholes or dips in the road. While turning in a parking lot at very slow speeds, it would clunk, but not while turning a corner while going over a dip.............I am sooooo confused by this.

Oh yeah, when I was backing it into the garage, it was creaking like a **** too.......

JL ws-6

iTrader: (50)

As I stated earlier, my car does alot of creaking at slow speeds over bumps, if I step on the doorsill with the car stationary, it creaks. That's polyurethane bushings, I tried pulling the control arms and putting the stock back, and it went away. the spohn torque arm mount on my car makes a slight clunk when going from foreward to reverse, but everything is tight as can be. I think that the reason is because the torque arm is no longer attached to the tranny, and the mount is designed to adjust under accelleration/braking loads. A friend of mine has the same setup on his car, does the same slight creak/squeak oer small bumps, and when he shifts from reverse to drive (A4) it does it too, but not as audible, probably due to the auto. M6 cars hit alot harder on drivetrain/suspension, so I think that's the cause for the heightened awareness to the sounds from a stop. Easy way to check if there's a problem is to just put the back of the car up on jack stands and go under and look, or grab the tire and pull as hard as you can ( don't pull off the jack stands ) if nothing moves, and you go and look , and there's nothing bent/loose, you should be o.k. Remember, aftermarket parts are designed to enhance performance, and with that comes a sacrifice to some of the luxury and silence of a mushy bushing suspension system.

Rottluver

iTrader: (3)

You are absolutely right, to a degree. But in today's world with all the technology and advancements in materials, I don't feel that I should have to give up anything when I am not using a full on race part.

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to argue with you, but I think that when I get under the car in a couple minutes, if the LCAs are still securely bolted down, I am just going to swap the stock pieces back in and use this as a learned lesson. MAYBE I will get different LCAs some other time, but not right away. This experience has really removed my sense of humor about suspension pieces............at least ones that are not "needed" to perform well...........just my humble opinion.