suspension knocks, why?

[defaced]

I recently got my car lowered with tokico shocks and springs. Afterwards the two back ones started making knocking noises so I took it to a shop that only works on hondas/acuras and I got the rear lower control arm bushings replaced bec/ they were really shitty and he figured that's what the problem was. Well, when he took the car for a drive afterwards he said that it still made a knocking noise and told me to check the towers and the shit that I had in my trunk. I took it home, tightened my towers, took my jack out (it was a little loose so I thought maybe it would help to take it out). Well, when my girlfriend arrived we went out to eat and when I went over a bump it still made that knocking noise, not as loud but I could still hear it. It's really starting to piss me off. Should I take it back to the shop and see if he can look at it again or would it possibly be something wrong w/ the shocks or springs? Should I call Tokico and get new ones from them cuz mine are still under warranty.

I just put some rubber inbetween some of the coils and it still knocks. I checked my sway bar and all the bolts and shit and everything is tight. I'm thinking the springs aren't mounted in the perch right but I'm not sure how to fix that. I don't want to take it to a shop and pay someone to do it if I can do it myself. If anyone has any ideas about this or knows anything about it, your help is very much appreciated. Thanx.

 

[MXDesa]

Geeeee, this problem sounds familiar. Check your exhaust! When i lowered my car just 2 inches from stock height, every time i hit a bump, Bam! The exhaust pipe would hit my control arm. Check your exhaust right about the rear right control arm to see if that in fact is the problem.

 

[MXDesa]

on the other hand, the exhaust tip (if you have a big tip) might be hitting a little metal bracket tucked behind the rear bumper. inspect all that and let us know!

 

[defaced]

my tip is 3.5" and I don't think that's hitting anything. I never thought to check if my pipe was hitting my control arm though. It only knocks when I go down in bumps, if I go over them it doesn't do anything.

 

[swanny]

id check to make sure the spring is seated in the perch correctly.

 

[MXDesa]

Originally posted by defaced@Oct 15 2003, 09:11 PM
my tip is 3.5" and I don't think that's hitting anything. I never thought to check if my pipe was hitting my control arm though. It only knocks when I go down in bumps, if I go over them it doesn't do anything.

Exactly, ur control arm moves upward when the car goes down. It might be ur exhaust, Check it.

 

[MXDesa]

Originally posted by xyswany@Oct 15 2003, 09:14 PM
id check to make sure the spring is seated in the perch correctly.

Usually if thats the case, it would squeak not rattle, but eventually it would be knocked into place. But good idea none the less

 

[defaced]

I checked to make sure the spring was in the perch correctly and it is. My exhaust pipe doesn't move at all and it's underneath the control arm. So maybe the control arm is coming down on the pipe?

I'll take any opinions that you guys can come up with, this is irritating the fuck out of me.

 

[MXDesa]

Check your brake components, calipers, rotors and such, perhaps something came loose. You know its coming from the back so jack the rear end up, and play around with everything and see if u notice anything thats loose.

 

[defaced]

I have. I've checked pretty much every single bolt back there and my brakes and shit and nothing is loose.

 

[GSRCRXsi]

take the pic out of your sig, really the only rule here. a mod will remove it if you dont.

 

[defaced]

what's the point of having the option for a picture in your sig if you can't even have one? doesn't make any sense. but anyway, anybody else have opinions on the knocking noise?

 

[liquid00meth]

I had a knocking noise in my suspension once. It was my strut piston hitting the hood after it shot through the bushing at the top of the wheel well. beware of that, especially with tokico hardware. The goods they supply require SPECIFIC modification to your current hardware.

Tokico requires you the cut the bushings I believe, and they also supply the smaller cone-stop thing that keeps the strut inside the two bushings. Thats what allows them to push through if they aren't installed right.

 

[GSRCRXsi]

becuase seeing the same pic 3891273 times in one thread is annoying

 

[highperboi]

mine does the same thing but my exaust is hitting the sway bar is there anyway to fix it?

 

[Jeef]

I just installed my tokico suspension and I am getting that noise from the front. I am starting to wonder if its my strut thats blown. I hate doing suspension work as it is and I am sick of the noise.

 

[liquid00meth]

people think they are installing things right, but really tokico has fucked up directions that you have to follow. Pop your hood and make sure your strut piston is SECURELY attatched within the two well bushings.

 

[haccord141]

well i had that thump sound when i hit a big bump, what happened was the top of your shock is hitting, basically your bottoming out but the shock is not hitting the rubber stopper it is hitting another metal part. Now if you properly align the springs were they should be you won't have that sound any more.

Peace

Jeff