Clunking after coilover install

[suhhh]

Hi all,

So this weekend I installed coilovers for the first time with my buddy. Super fun experience and I learned a lot, everything went smoothly for the most part except now I'm noticing some clunking when driving.

Watched a couple vids and got somewhat of an idea but thought maybe I'd ask here to see if anyone has personally had experience with it + the solution.

Before my rear right would clunk on a bump, stopped by my shop to tighten the front sway bar end links which ended up being loose and also switched two bolts in the rear camber arms that I installed wrong. After that I don't notice anymore clunking during bumps, but I still hear some sort of thud/clunk at low speeds like when I brake to a stop while going slowly. I was going from a stop/reversing multiple times and noticed that I hear the thud right as i brake to a halt. I also notice it when doing some turns in low speeds or when I'm turning and I hit a small bump.

Thanks all in advance for the help.. it's my first toyobaru and this platform will also be the first car I will try to do most/all of the work myself as a learning experience. Super rewarding experience and I hope to learn lots, I'm just a bit hyper sensitive to stuff like this since I just want to make sure I installed everything correctly. thanks again

[obito.frs]

Originally Posted by suhhh

Hi all,

So this weekend I installed coilovers for the first time with my buddy. Super fun experience and I learned a lot, everything went smoothly for the most part except now I'm noticing some clunking when driving.

Watched a couple vids and got somewhat of an idea but thought maybe I'd ask here to see if anyone has personally had experience with it + the solution.

Before my rear right would clunk on a bump, stopped by my shop to tighten the front sway bar end links which ended up being loose and also switched two bolts in the rear camber arms that I installed wrong. After that I don't notice anymore clunking during bumps, but I still hear some sort of thud/clunk at low speeds like when I brake to a stop while going slowly. I was going from a stop/reversing multiple times and noticed that I hear the thud right as i brake to a halt. I also notice it when doing some turns in low speeds or when I'm turning and I hit a small bump.

Thanks all in advance for the help.. it's my first toyobaru and this platform will also be the first car I will try to do most/all of the work myself as a learning experience. Super rewarding experience and I hope to learn lots, I'm just a bit hyper sensitive to stuff like this since I just want to make sure I installed everything correctly. thanks again

For starters what kind of coilovers are they?

[Wally86]

How low did you go? Stock endlinks?

[suhhh]

Originally Posted by obito.frs

For starters what kind of coilovers are they?

Silver neomax, I used the endlinks. my guess is I didn't set the preload correctly or a couple loose bolts, I think endlinks of sway bar might be hitting the frame but I'm confused because I used the shorter endlinks.

I just did a bunch of research on old posts for the gen1 brz because afaik suspension setup is identical.

[suhhh]

Originally Posted by Wally86

How low did you go? Stock endlinks?

2.5 inches or so but it's not even height all around which could also be why I hear sounds, I used shorter endlinks provided by Silver

[timurrrr]

Originally Posted by suhhh

I think endlinks of sway bar might be hitting the frame but I'm confused because I used the shorter endlinks.

Check out the area of the front LCA's where they are the closest to the bottoms of the end links.

That's a common area of contact, and you don't even need to take off the wheels to see it. You can turn the steering wheel to one extreme and take a photo of that area on the other side of the car. Turn the steering wheel to the other extreme, repeat.

[MMoore4545]

Most coilover brands tell you to drive for a few miles and then retorque.

Frontend things to check:
1- See if there are any contact marks with the front control arm and the swaybar endlink. (near the swaybar connection, just as Timurrr suggested)
2- Endlink torque and washer orientation. (Some brands have the washer between the endlink and the swaybar, eg my HKS coilovers)
3- Top nut torque, camber bolt torque, top mount bolts.

All of these you can knock out with the wheels still on and the steering wheel turned.

[dsc_pat]

I am reading you and sincerely think you should bring it to someone who has a clue before something dangerous happens.

[Daedex]

I just did the GR spring/shocks (not coils technically) and had this same problem.


My issue was the top hat bolt wasnt torqued all the way down.


Easy way to test this is to open the trunk and push down against the bumper, making the car rock up and down, then listen/see if it s the top hat portion.

[bcj]

Originally Posted by suhhh

I still hear some sort of thud/clunk at low speeds like when I brake to a stop while going slowly. I was going from a stop/reversing multiple times and noticed that I hear the thud right as i brake to a halt.

Precisely, when it stops, or exactly when you first apply the brakes?
There's a bit of slop in the brake calipers to allow for thermal expansion of the calipers and brake pads.
If it wasn't there, the pads could lock up inside the caliper and not do anything when hot.

When you brake going forward, the pads slide up to the stop on one end of the caliper and force is transferred to that end.
Braking backing up after that, the pad slides to the stop on the other end of the caliper.
It's not a great distance. You'll definitely be able to hear it and it's a critical part of the design.

Turning over bumps would be something else though unless you're transitioning from forward to back and braking at the same time.