jason2687

iTrader: (2)

I just bought a car with aftermarket LCA's (amond other suspension parts). I am hearing a loud CLUNK when I hit bumps, and I think I might need to retorque the LCA bolts...

Does anyone know the exact torque specs of aftermarket LCA bolts? Will the torque specs be any different than the stock LCA's?

jason2687

iTrader: (2)

Also, do I need to jack the rear completely off the ground to retorque these??? Thanks

mrx8200

iTrader: (1)

If it's making a clunk when you're hitting bumps, and you if you have wider wheels and tires than stock, check and make sure you're wheels aren't hitting on the bump stops. I kept getting that noise and thought it was my PHB, but that turned out to be the problem. Also is the clunking noise at low speed like in a parking lot or is it at higher speed?

jason2687

iTrader: (2)

The clunk comes from hitting any decent size bump or railroad tracks at anything faster that like 5mph. Also I hear the sound when backing out of my driveway (off of the curb) even if I'm going as slow as possible..

LilJayV10

iTrader: (39)

UMI says to torque them to 72 ft lbs. Make sure you bolt everything down with the suspension loaded.

jason2687

iTrader: (2)

So just bolt them as the car sits on the ground? Also, I was reading that you should torque both the bolt head and the nut, is this necessary?

Anyone else have any issues with this type of CLUNK??? Could it also be the panhard bar? Could this just be normal noise for aftermarket suspension parts?

LilJayV10

iTrader: (39)

It would be easier to put the car on blocks or put the jackstands under the rearend and under the front control arms. The easiest is to put the car on a drive on lift if you have access to one. I have always heard to torque the nut side but that doesn't mean I'm right.

mrx8200

iTrader: (1)

Well for me it wasn't the PHB that caused it. What was happening was that my wheels were catching on the bump stops so the axle would stick for a second then drop down. I didn't think that the bump stops would be a problem when I put the wheels on because they came off my buddy's 99 Z28 and he had not modified them. Was doing some other work at my friend's shop and we put the car on the lift. As it was going up we the axle clanked down. We thought at first that it had slipped off the lift, but it turned out to have just caught on the stops.

So all that to say is that it sounds like you could be having the same problem. That's what it sounds like to me, but without being able to hear it I can't give more information. It could be your LCA's and it could even be that your spare tire jack isn't properly put away.

jason2687

iTrader: (2)

I don't want to sound like an idiot, but what exactly are the bump stops?

LilJayV10

iTrader: (39)

No worries man. They are pieces of rubber, normally shaped in a cone or a point, that bolt in between the axle and the body. If the suspension compresses to much the "bump stop" will prevent the axle or other suspension components to come in contact with the body and damage it.

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

They are easiest to see with the wheels off the car, but the sit directly over the rear axle in the back and are held in place by a couple of bolts that go into the frame. They will physically stop the axle from coming into contact with the frame - they are made from a rubbery/foamy **** that is pretty damn hard, but still has a little give to it to keep the impact harshness to somewhat tolerable levels.

Without the bump stops, the axle could potentially come into contact with the frame, which would be a very loud clunk and might cause damage to either the axle tube or the frame (or both). The internal stops in the shock itself might keep contact from happening, but most are leary of what might happen to the internal stops considering the weight of the car and the impact load.