2G Clunking noise after lowering car

[420ADaily]

Lowered my 96 RS with Megan Racing springs, stock struts and all, there is a clunking/banging noise coming from the passenger side wheel area (i am running 3 lugnuts on that side, yes, stupid i know..) i have tightened the lugnuts to factory spec and there is still a noise. Would this be something loose?

Also, the drivers side does not do it, but i hear a slight sound coming from drivers wheel area.

Im hoping that with the 3 lugnuts i didnt strip the remaining studs.

Any help would be very appreciated.

 

[pauleyman]

Check your strut/spring assembly and ball joints. Likely you've assembled something incorrectly when you changed springs

 

[oneslowwdsm]

Don't run it with 3 lugs for too long, def. not a good idea. Loose or bad stabilizer end links can cause clunking.

 

[420ADaily]

I put the springs on just like the stock ones came off, could it be a loose swaybar? Stupid question, but what does the stabilizer look like?
also, i dont plan on running 3 lugs at all, one stripped while coming off and a friend busted one clean off, ill go get new studs/lugs tomorrow.
Sorry if i seem like i dont know anything, its been a hell of a day.

 

[420ADaily]

Also, i noticed when i accelerate or brake then the noise goes away, hopefully that is helpful.

 

[bobster22388]

You could also be hitting your bump stops at the top of your struts on that side causing that noise. Especially if they have gone bad, had the same issue on my 1G, they were literally rotted and fell apart

 

[PlanZero]

Did you cut the bumpstops? If not you won't have enough clearance. The sway bar is connected to the links you had to disconnect to remove the strut. Make sure they're tight.

 

[420ADaily]

The bumpstops look good, but i did not cut them. how much do i need to take off? and could i cut them without taking the whole assembly apart?

 

[2gGst98]

When putting all back together did you use a air gun or a torque bar? My old RS we put springs on, OEM ones same hight and all. I was young and wanted to do it my self and did everything with a air gun and over tightened my ball joints and the uppers went bad and I had a "clunk" due to that.

I would look at all the upper and lower joints, any that you loosened to get them out. Just a thought as something similar happened to me.

Also if you did use a socket wrench they may still be over tightened if you didn't torque to spec. Hope this helps.

 

[420ADaily]

Used an air gun to tighten the nut at the top of the assembly, other than that i used a socket wrench and probably overtightened everything. Would the joints fail after only about 6 miles of driving? i heard the clunk after about 100ft and it got way worse when going around corners.

 

[2gGst98]

Mine did it immediately, when I turned left out of my step dad's shop. I thought the springs needed to settle but then got worse as I drove it. Found grease pressing out of the upper control arm ball joint. Replaced them and it went away.

 

[dsm_nate]

like what others said, recheck if you installed the components correctly.

 

[420ADaily]

it looks like my 3 lugnuts were loose, on that side i had a honda friend put the wheel on..could that cause the noise? drove the car today and it only did it on the passenger side. took off the wheel, snapped another stud (What are these things made of, aluminum??) and saw that the wheel had been chewed up a bit and so have the studs. I went and got new studs, how do i install them?

 

[tunedbysaturnsl]

The Lang 938 tool kit will be your friend when reinstalling the wheel studs.

 

[420ADaily]

Looking to not spend more than i have to considering the wheel studs and lugnuts were $40

 

[420ADaily]

Got them replaced and the noise went away, thank you so much everyone for the help!

 

[Sp00lin16g]

Don't run it with 3 lugs for too long, def. not a good idea. Loose or bad stabilizer end links can cause clunking.

I agree with that one

 

[Sp00lin16g]

Don't run it with 3 lugs for too long, def. not a good idea. Loose or bad stabilizer end links can cause clunking.

3 lugs is not enough clamp load .. get all 5 for your safety