[willy]

I know, I know, another clunking-popping noise, but help me figure it out. The problem presents during slow speed turns, most noticeable when pulling out of the driveway, for example. The car handles as well as ever, so I don't think anything is broken. I put the Quaife in a while ago (which I suspect has something to do with the problem, but I don't think IS the problem). I am also running the big slicks on the rear, so I know there is a lot of strain on the drivetrain at slow speeds. I recently greased the sway bar bushings, but that didn't seem to do anything.
I SUSPECT this has something to do with the Quaife locking at slow speeds (not causing the noise like a clutch type would) but causing something else to make this pop. I was thinking something like the CV joints... I have read about Quaifes causing the CVs to pop all over the place at slow speeds... and if that's the case, it's fine, I just want to make sure nothing is wrong. The boots on the CVs are in tact, should I try re-greasing them or something?
And just for diagnostic purposes, I first really noticed this after spraying some liquid wrench stop-squeak oil all around on the suspension components for an un-related squeak (solved). I don't know know if this could have started the problem some how? I also made a rebound adjustment at the same time-ish, but I don't think that could have caused anything?

Thoughts are welcome, I'll take whatever help I can get here. I mostly just want to make sure there's nothing I've overlooking that is going to cause catastrophic failure or something...

Thanks!
-willy-

 

[tanabe350z]

Where's the noise coming from, front or back?

 

[[cerberus]]

I have had my Quaife installed 3 years ago, and I have not had one bit of noise from it. It is more likely something in your suspension.

Check your shocks and make sure the holes are not getting elongated. Apparently a few manufacturers put holes in the coil overs that are larger then the OEM hardware and the clunk from the parts sliding gets transmitted through the chassis.

Check sway bars and end links first, then shocks and then everything else.

 

[willy]

I have had my Quaife installed 3 years ago, and I have not had one bit of noise from it. It is more likely something in your suspension.

Check your shocks and make sure the holes are not getting elongated. Apparently a few manufacturers put holes in the coil overs that are larger then the OEM hardware and the clunk from the parts sliding gets transmitted through the chassis.

Check sway bars and end links first, then shocks and then everything else.

Well as soon as I said that about the liquid wrench I thought, HEY, maybe that actually lubricated and freed up some play in something that is causing this noise. Since it began immediately after, I think it may be directly correlated. It is coming from the rear and sounds like it is coming up through the shock. The front actually got noisier too when I sprayed it, and that obviously doesn't have an LSD, so I think we're on to something here. It may be that those over-sized holes were 'frozen' in place, and the lube freed them up to slide around, or something of the sort.
That's what I get for trying to keep everything lubricated.

 

[willy]

...also, what would 'bad' end links look like? There's nothing really remarkable going on with them that I can see...

 

[tanabe350z]

Bad end-link's have a worn in pillow-ball socket, with torn rubber skirt's. This will allow the sway bar end-link to move when under pressure, during turns. If the car is in the air, you could push on the sway bar, but your not going to hear anything. Those links are under pressure.

If the car has more than 75,000 miles and never been replaced, I would consider about buying new one's. These things always go bad after a certain amount of time, just like the CV boots, motor mounts, and bushings on the upper and lower control arm.

 

[willy]

Alright, well I have new end links on the way, and when I put them on, I'll wrench around on everything down there. Any more thoughts are welcome, and I'll keep this updated!

 

[[cerberus]]

Check the bolts for the sway bars, and also the bushings to see if they are worn.

It could most likly be that whatever you sprayed on broke down any grease that was on there, and has since work away. A lot of the sprays will do that.

 

[willy]

Check the bolts for the sway bars, and also the bushings to see if they are worn.

It could most likly be that whatever you sprayed on broke down any grease that was on there, and has since work away. A lot of the sprays will do that.

Yes, I really believe this is what happened. What do I need to go back and re-grease? I took the Bushings off and greased them all around... do I need to grease the bolts up too? What should I go around and grease? I was an idiot and sprayed this stuff on literally every joint in the suspension.

 

[aust350z]

So it's not a click and more of a pop?

ie: eliminating the possibility of the CV joint needing a re-grease?

 

[Beastlybiker17]

kinda off topic, but how do i post new posts?

 

[willy]

So it's not a click and more of a pop?

ie: eliminating the possibility of the CV joint needing a re-grease?

Yes, popping. It sounds like 2 metal pieces building up friction and then releasing... IE, like a ball joint popping. You can hear it in the rear wheel well, I think it's coming from (where ever it's coming from) up through the shock and kind of amplifying in the wheel well...

 

[willy]

...do the CVs make more of a clicking?

 

[aust350z]

...do the CVs make more of a clicking?

Yup just had mine replaced with the new ones to permanently fix the clicking sound.

It's a metallic clicking noise you hear from the rear at low speeds.

 

[willy]

Yup just had mine replaced with the new ones to permanently fix the clicking sound.

It's a metallic clicking noise you hear from the rear at low speeds.

Cool, great info! Did you replace the whole axles? ...getting the axle off of the wheel side looks like a bear, I'm not sure how you get a socket on those bolts.

Anyways, I wouldn't really describe this as a click, so I'm going to try the end links first, but if that's a no go, we'll move on.

 

[tanabe350z]

@Willy; Are you installing the end links yourself?

A lot of people strip the end-links when they're installing them. Your gonna need a second jack, and jack up the control arm. The main idea is to line up the end-link bolt, to the sway bar holes. This requires a lot of jack control to get it right. If they're not aligned right, they can strip the new end-links when torquing them on. When the top and bottom bolt of the link are aligned and tightened, remove the jack from underneath the control arm.

CV joints are the loudest or most evident when the steering wheel is turned all the way to one side. It's more of a repeated clicking sound, and will go away when the wheel is straight. Depending on your speed it will be a fast clicking or slow clicking.

 

[willy]

Yes, I will be. I didn't know that, that's interesting info. I will put the car on stands and use the jack to line the control arm up...

This 'popping' is not at any regular interval, it is completely random. ...which, again, makes it sound like NOT the CVs.

 

[willy]

...end links just came.... I think I'm gonna go deal with that now so I can enjoy my weekend. I'll look for loose parts while I'm under there too...

 

[willy]

My initial impression is that the problem has been completely alleviated. A quick spin around the block produced NO popping. I pulled in and out of the driveway a few times, which is what usually caused the most noise, and could not get anything. If it flares back up, well, you know I'll be right back here looking for another solution, but as of now, $40 fix to a persistent and annoying problem and great success.
Thanks guys!!!

 

[davidian]

I just started noticing this on my 2008HR. When I take a hard left or when the wheel is turned left and I hit a small bump it makes a loud clicking sound, but sounds like its coming from the front. Rarely it'll do it when I take a hard right, so I'm not sure.

Only mods for my suspension I have are H&R coil overs with H&R sway bars along with an SPL rear camber kit. It almost sounds like my wheels are hitting something, but I have plenty of clearance.

So did replacing the sway bar end links fix really fix that issue? I've only had my car since January of 2009 and only have 22.1k miles on it.