Whiteline LCA's light clunking noise

[FR-S Matt]

So I've gotten my V3's, Whiteline LCA's and Whiteline Toe Arms all installed and I'm aligned. Only problem I have now is the slight clanking noise I get at very low speeds when the weight of the car shifts. I can make the noise happen when just turning the wheel left or right going about 5 mph. Same story when I go up a small hill.

I've tightened and torqued all LCA bolts, using stock locations for all components. I have checked the rear endlinks on the swaybar into the LCA and they seem alright as well. I know the next piece everyone is going to tell me is if I torqued the top hats properly in the rear and yes, they don't go much further.

Not sure if this noises are due to having the spherical bearings in the whiteline, but I figure they shouldn't clank at such low speeds when adjusting to bumps and weight shifting in the car. Even the cheap SPC's didn't do that. Any ideas where I may need to look? It's very hard to replicate while the car is still and is much easier at a very low speed.

[cnk]

Most likely it's the pillowballs. I tested out the Figs Mega arms and they would click every time the arm moved. It drove me nuts. I switched tothe SPC arms and no more noise. The SPC uses a higher durometer rubber than the stock piece and it's not a pillowball so that would explain why you didn't get the noise.

I was able to isolate the noise to the pillowball by bouncing the rear up and down while listening under the car and feeling with my hands for the noise.

[FR-S Matt]

Originally Posted by cnk

Most likely it's the pillowballs. I tested out the Figs Mega arms and they would click every time the arm moved. It drove me nuts. I switched tothe SPC arms and no more noise. The SPC uses a higher durometer rubber than the stock piece and it's not a pillowball so that would explain why you didn't get the noise.

I was able to isolate the noise to the pillowball by bouncing the rear up and down while listening under the car and feeling with my hands for the noise.

I can push down on the trunk, right rear side and hear a light noise that sounds like metal tapping, but not the same clunk of the arms adjusting at low speed. Left side doesn't do it. I've loosened the inner parts of the arm and tightened the locking nuts then put it back and torqued. I really don't want to have to go back to SPC's.... I love these LCA's.

[cnk]

It's a process of elimination. You can disconnect the sway bar end links and see if the noise goes away as sometimes the noise comes from there. But if you had no noise before and now you do and the only thing you changed were the LCAs, then that's most likely the culprit.

[FR-S Matt]

Originally Posted by cnk

It's a process of elimination. You can disconnect the sway bar end links and see if the noise goes away as sometimes the noise comes from there. But if you had no noise before and now you do and the only thing you changed were the LCAs, then that's most likely the culprit.

I did both the V3 coils and LCA's at the same time. Any tighter on the top hats may risk damaging something. I had a small 1/4" socket over the valve with a open socket on the nut on top. Won't go any tighter.

Next thing I'll look at is the lowering collar to make sure it's tight and all endlink connections.

[supramkivtt2jz]

have you checked the tolerance on both sides of the coilover bushing at the lca? spacing on both sides should be even. if not, nylon washers from home depot might remedy your situation.

[FR-S Matt]

Originally Posted by supramkivtt2jz

have you checked the tolerance on both sides of the coilover bushing at the lca? spacing on both sides should be even. if not, nylon washers from home depot might remedy your situation.

I have. I think I may have found the issue and it was the lock nuts not being tight enough.

[supramkivtt2jz]

Originally Posted by FR-S Matt

I have. I think I may have found the issue and it was the lock nuts not being tight enough.

Ah, that's why im such a huge fan of torquing everything to spec

[FR-S Matt]

Originally Posted by supramkivtt2jz

Ah, that's why im such a huge fan of torquing everything to spec

These nuts don't have a torque spec even in Whiteline's instructions, lol. I'm assuming it's just get a wrench that fits around it and pull hard. I got the rest of the LCA torqued to spec which is 59 ft lbs on everything but the sway bar links, which is 28 ft lbs.

[FR-S Matt]

Bringing this back from the dead. Still haven't realy pinpointed where this clicking is, but from others talking about this, I believe its the endlinks. Now when people say endlinks, are they talking about the swaybar endlinks? Those are the only ones I'm familiar with. Even if that is the culprit, I'm not sure what I can even do with the endlinks on the stock swaybar. I really don't want to just get a rear swaybar because of the clicking noise.

[Sleepless]

Stock sway bar end links shouldn't make any noise. It's the adjustable links that can make noise.

[FR-S Matt]

Originally Posted by Sleepless

Stock sway bar end links shouldn't make any noise. It's the adjustable links that can make noise.

Any picture as to where I should be looking?

I've got KW V3's, whiteline LCA's and whiteline toe arms. Wasn't doing the clicking noise over bumps when I had the SPC LCA's and stock toe arms. That's why I have been having a hard time deciding on what could be causing it.

Pretty positive it is not the top hats of the coils in the back. That has a very distinct clicking noise.

[cnk]

Originally Posted by FR-S Matt

Any picture as to where I should be looking?

I've got KW V3's, whiteline LCA's and whiteline toe arms. Wasn't doing the clicking noise over bumps when I had the SPC LCA's and stock toe arms. That's why I have been having a hard time deciding on what could be causing it.

Pretty positive it is not the top hats of the coils in the back. That has a very distinct clicking noise.

Well, through process of elimination, you had no noises before. You changed to Whiteline LCA's and toe arms and the noises showed up. The noises are coming from the new components. As I originally stated, it's most likely the pillowballs.

You can test this. Just get the rear up on ramps. Get under the car and have someone bounce the car while you listen and look around for the noise. When I had the Figs Mega arms, I isolated it to just the left side inboard pillowball.

[FR-S Matt]

Originally Posted by cnk

Well, through process of elimination, you had no noises before. You changed to Whiteline LCA's and toe arms and the noises showed up. The noises are coming from the new components. As I originally stated, it's most likely the pillowballs.

You can test this. Just get the rear up on ramps. Get under the car and have someone bounce the car while you listen and look around for the noise. When I had the Figs Mega arms, I isolated it to just the left side inboard pillowball.

That's the problem. I've done that and the noise doesn't replicate with force like that. Just that light click that happens when the suspension adjusts to going up a small hill and right down it quick.

I'm thinking it may be the pillowball as you stated. I need to get back under there and look at things again.