I installed the H&R springs in december 2008 and everything went fine...no problems no noise nothing..

yesterday i have developed a clunk in the front passenger when i hit small bumps, rutts in the road etc.... when i turn the steering wheel side to side while driving it clunks. I looked under checked the bolts and it seems to be all tight. i checked the wheels and they are fine. I dont know what it can be.

the top shock tower when i tighten the nut the spring twists some and you can hear the clunk. could the nut be too tight?


help!!!

thanks

 

It is probably too loose. You can't tighten it without a special tool or an impact wrench. You can give it a quick shot with the impact by removing the dust cap. The shaft will spin if it is too tight. Don't go crazy, just a quick shot.
I have had front and rear thunks, and it was too loose on both occasions (both Minis).

 

should I jack it up and try to tighten it?

i tryed with a hand wrench and it seems like the spring twists a little but it wont turn

 

You need to secure the shaft with the proper tool before you try to tighten it. Otherwise you're wasting your time.

Leave it on the ground, don't jack it up.

 

When you use a hand wrench the shaft will turn. Thats why an impact wrench works good. You can use a spark plug wrench that has flats on it and hold it by the side flats while sticking an allen wrench thru the hole on top.

Also be sure to retighten the end links, known to make a clunk noise if not really tight.

 

i will try to go to a shop this week to get it done.... the noise seems to be coming from the top of the spring perch..not the end links

thanks everyone for your help i will see if I can fix it.

 

If you're taking it to a shop, have them check the integrity of the upper strut mount/bearing assembly.

 

I used a set of vice grips(as tight as possible) on the shaft through the spring while tightening the top nut and it worked great.Just requires removing the wheel.

 

Oxy,
That is an April fools joke, yes?
No one would ever grasp the shaft with anything that would mar it in any way. The vise grip method would not only require removing the wheel, but the shock as well so you could replace it after maring the shaft. Even minor scratches can ruin you strut.

 

No not an April fools joke.Of course metal on metal will cause maring but using a rag as a buffer will prevent damage. Never had a scratch on any of mine and it's been my method for years.Were only talking about 64 Nm even the TIS instructs the MINI techs to use that method if they don't have the specific socket with the integrated allen wrench.

 

Ok problem fixed.

the shock was loose. took off the top dust cap and hit her with an impact wrench and no more clunk!!!!

we took off the wheel and checked the spring, shock and all bolts just in case, noise is all gone.

thanks everyone for your help....

 

Nice!!

 

may i ask if your car is lower in the front compared to the rear after you installed the H&R springs? becuz we just put on H&R springs on my gf's r56 cooper s and the front seems to be sitting lower than the rear. is this normal?
thanks!

 

its raked!