Hi guys - This week I installed the big bertha of rear sway bars the Hotchkis Competition rear sway bar.

At over 25mm I believe it is the largest on the market but as it is hollow it performs similarly to a solid 22mm but weighs less. Will it crack ? we will see.

Anyways I installed it perfectly and even had a buddy of mine, an ivy league engineer, watch me install it who said I did everything perfectly.

Took it for a ride and heard clunking sound as if something was rubbing. The odd thing was the noise was proportional to wheel speed so we think it was hitting the wheel. The noise was much worse at low speeds than at high speeds.

To make matters worse the rear brakes were also making noise and the steering wheel was chattering slightly when I got on the brakes hard like I had warped the rotors. Now I did yank pretty hard on the rotors to push the subframe back in place but didnt think that would be able to break something as sturdy as a brake caliper.

Pulled everything off again and couldn't see any evidence of rubbing but did notice that my lug nuts could be unscrewed with just fingers!!! and that the metal hubcentric rings had chipped.

From reading the forums it seems like most issues regarding a sway bar install are due to loose end links but I assure you they were tight.

I run a 15x8 wheel with 28mm offset. Is it possible the small wheel is causing an issue ?

If you saw how meticulously I installed this bar it is absolutely hilarious that so many issues popped up.

TLDR - Installed Hcomp rear sway bar, rear noise proportional to wheel speed, worse at slow speeds, slight chatter in steering wheel under braking as if warped rotor, hubcentric rings chipped and lug nuts coming out in just 15min drive, OP is phagg and huge n00b choad

 

Don't put to much stock into the Ivy League engineers.

 

lol he graduated top of his class at Cornell for Engineering masters

I am just saying he knows more than me mechanically

But yea that said we are going to call in this auto wizard guy who lives and sleeps in a garage hasnt paid taxes in years and knows everything about cars

hopefully that will do

 

check bushings, endlinks. I don't recall fully removing the subframe when doing the rear sway bar, but it was a while ago and I did already have both shocks out.

 

I checked everything it was all good.

I removed the rear springs and the rear subframe bolts and used a pry bar to gain some access the pull the old one out and slide the new one in. I sewed everything up and I am confident everything was tightened properly.

I think it might be an issue of loose lug nuts really. I think I might need new and different style lug nuts now that I have the Enkei RPF1s as the ends are rounded not tappered.

 

I went from oe wheels to rpf1's, using the plastic centering ring from Tire Rack. No issues using the stock lugs, but yeah obviously you shouldn't lose lugs while driving.

 

The vibration under braking does sound like rotors. Where is the clunk coming from? Rear, front, left, or right side? Lug nuts being loose can create some clunking noise. I had one or two loose on me once causing a clunk and after tightening was good to go so make sure they're tight.

 

Noise seemed to be coming from driver side rear. Lugs were also loosest on that side.

 

Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anything about re-torquing the lugnuts and going for another test drive. Are you sure you torqued them the first time? Maybe you were so focused with the swaybar and suspension and just forgot.

 

I didnt take it for a second test drive as I was shocked to find the bolts like that. A bit nervous to take it back out but I will do another test drive tonight.

 

+1 Be sure to torque them down and go for a drive to see if the noise is eliminated. If the hubcentric ring(s) are in bad shape I'd suggest just getting some new ones while you're at it as well.

 

I just got in touch with Enkei and they said I need to switch up my lug bolts to a spline drive 60 deg conical type.

 

The lug nut switch would be good but the stock bolts should have worked OK.
I suggest you re-torqued the stock bolts and take the car for a drive? See if that resolves all the problems so that you know there is not something else going on other than just the lug bolts.

 

ill take it out tonight if i have time

 

I think i might actually put the stock wheels back on to really act as a control

 

That is probably a good idea.

I have the same bar installed and no issues of tire rubbing or anything like that. However, these bars can clunk on their own; mine does. I run Enkie wheels with the metal center rings with no issues. They also work perfectly well with the stock lug bolts.

Which wheels had loose lug nuts? Sorry if I missed something.

If I had to guess, it sounds like one or more of the wheels got hung up in the centering ring when you reinstalled them. They got jammed in place when you torqued them, but came loose when you were driving. A loose wheel can make for a bit of noise before it falls off.

As for the "warped" rotor feel, you said you grabbed it to pull everything back in place. Did you, maybe, get some grease on it?

Let us know how things are with the stock wheels.

 

Could be a bad endlink.
Check to make sure the brackets that hold the bar are tight.

 

Ok*guys, put the stock 17x7 wheels back on, tighten everything up (broke a cheap walmart brand 13mm socket in the process) took it for a spin and got none of the noise and zero brake issues the rear bar squeaks a little bit going up the ramps in my apartment garage

so clearly a loose lug nut issue, but i think it has more to do with the beat up hubcentric rings so I will be getting new ones and doing another test with my enkei wheels

of course given my luck I got a flat on my enkei so will need to buy new slicks