02SilverWS6

4 corners. I took the car for a test drive and I'm getting a loose sound in the front when I drive over small or big potholes <img border="0" title="" alt="[Sad]" src="gr_sad.gif" /> . It does fine when I go over the small white or yellow bumps that seperate the the lanes on the freeway. The rear sounds real healthy w/ no problems. My concern is the front. I know I need an alignment, can that be wrong with it? I know all the bolts and nuts are tight and bushings are in the correct way. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

02SilverWS6

ttt

scot

Take a look at ls1.com autocross+rr Strange noises after install. Sounds just like your problem, and if it is, this is your solution.

02SilverWS6

anyone else?

Racehead

Did you loosen the anti-sway bar end links ? Maybe they're loose ? Double check the ball joint castle nuts if you haven't already. Double check the lugnuts up there too <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" /> . Loose sounds in the front end are bad .... very, very bad <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Your upper shock mounts are loose, guaranteed. Sadly that means you have to pull the shocks back out to tighten them. *ANY* slop at all will make nice clunking sounds over bumps.

02SilverWS6

Well, first thing I did was to look at what I had in front of me. I bent down and put a knee on the street right in front of the left front tire. I moved the body of the car up & down and guess what? I found out where the noise was coming from. In the process of putting on the new shocks I used the old dust covers (you know, those black things.) I noticed that the covers were rubbing on the spring and making that loose noise. Ha <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" /> I found the problem. It didn't take me long to check the SB's and the shocks mounts. The mounts were as tight as they could be. My problem: the stock dust covers!

VipZ28

iTrader: (4)

hey man, did your front bilstien's come with the rings that the shocks sit on at the bottom? or the dust boots?

<small>[ November 07, 2002, 10:08 PM: Message edited by: VipZ28 ]</small>

02SilverWS6

No, just the shocks and hardware. (Next time I won't use the stock dust boots in front) Why?

VipZ28

iTrader: (4)

I just bought some, and from reading the packaging, I thought the spring lands were supposed to come with them, thanks though <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Bilstein's reuse the stock spring perches and dust boots. Why get new ones when the stock ones are easily removed and fit perfectly.....

If you don't use dust boots, you aren't making a wise decision.... Aside from the fact you let a lot more dirt make it way into the seal of the shock (which will eventually fail it, and it won't be warratied), the stock dust boot also has the bumpstop inside of it. Without that, you will bottom out the shock eventually and break it. And it will definitely not be warrantied then.

Anyway, the noise isn't the boot. Did it make the noise in stock trim? Nope, and it had the same boot on it. I'm telling you, the upper shock mount nut is loose. BTW, that nut pulls the spring, shock and boot altogether, eliminating any slop. If the nut is loose, it lets the boot shake around and it will cause a bit of a clunk. It wasn't loose on the stock shock and you had no noise with the same boot. That proves the boot isn't at fault.

I'm sure you'll do what you want, but I guarantee you I'm right. The noise may go away if you pull the boot (which requires compressing the spring), but that's likely because you will have to take off an reinstall the shock mount nut that's loose. Be a lot more simple if you just pull the shock assembly and tighten the nut. You don't have to fuss with compressing the spring and all, and if you get it tight, it will cure the problem.

FWIW, if you read the thread on LS1.com about this. That car had no dust boots (at least most cars with coil-overs don't), and it made a clunk.....