Hey guys,


I've had my rear sway bar on since mid to late February. I'm a little dumbfounded. Over about a month or less, lately my car from the rear is producing a lot of noise, and it almost sounds at if my struts are shot, also my noise is either a squeak or loud thump when going over bumps or even an uneven road. Let me tell you, it's as bad as when I drove my old Dodge Stealth. I don't know if it's from the sway bar or what, but it's so bad, and tomorrow Detroit Tuned is gonna take it for a drive but I want to make sure it's not the struts because I will flip out! It's only been 47k miles on it right now!

I was looking to upgrade to Koni yellows and NM springs but not this EARLY!

Any experience or issues with this? Anybody?

 

When you changed the RSB did you grease the bushing real good? Also could be your endlinks. Were they replaced also? Struts mounts possibly. Either way I am sure you will find out since DT is going to be looking at it.

 

one word...
LUBE
Did you lube the bushings when you did the install?

 

I had Detroit Tuned lube it after they installed it. Endlinks are stock, I mean I don't get it. I will try to record the noise tonight if its possible cause it is loud. When I hit bumps sometimes it even sounds like metal on metal, cling sound.

 

Make sure the endlinks are tight! I have the same bar and they tend to work themselves loose sometimes and it sounds exactly like you describe.

 

This. I thought I had tightened everything down but when I took it apart again, some bolts were loose. Not sure if it just loosened over time but no noise since.

 

I hope so, I don't mind that. I'm just not ready for it to be the struts.

I have a recording of the noise, when I get home I will post it on here. Thanks for helping guys.

 

I hope it's your endlinks!

Don't be so shocked about your struts. You do live in Michigan. This is one of the worst years by far for the roads in the metro Detroit area.

 

Something's loose. Do a nut-and-bolt.

 

If the nuts are constantly loosening, maybe some blue loc-tite?

 

Yeah Shane, Michigan is terrible but really at 47K miles in two years? That's insane. I've had up to like 70K miles and that's somewhat reasonable.


Helix, I am going to jack the car up since Detroit Tuned didn't have time to check it for me, so I will look under, because when I drove on the freeway, not much noise or clunking. It sounds like something is loose for sure, but didn't sound like it was my struts.

Thanks for the tips guys!

 

So..recently about a few weeks ago, I had my car hit in the back. So the bumper needed to be fixed...well..I took it to Auto Metric here in Michigan and had them fix it.

I was hoping that the noise would stop, not knowing where it was coming from. Obviously now that I know...it was coming from inside the wheel well. It is on the driver side, so no wonder it was so loud. I got underneath the car today to play around and see what was causing this rattle and these squeaks.

The moment I touched the wheel well that is connected to the left side of the bumper(where it was hit) that's when I realized I heard the squeak bad. On the right side, there was no noise of it, whatsoever. I called the auto shop, and told them that this wasn't fixed and that it was causing severe noise inside the cabin of the car, so tomorrow afternoon it's going to the shop to get looked at and diagnosed. This was a problem that should have been fixed the first time, so we'll see what happens.

I'm thankful that it wasn't anything else, I even checked for bolts that was loose, and found nothing that came near to that sound I hear. My rear sway bar was lubed like crazy, thanks to Detroit Tuned.

Thanks again for the help guys!

 

So...back to square one, I thought the endlink would stop making the rattle noise. NOPE!!!

Now I am getting pissed off. I mean for heaven sakes, the car is still practically new, and none of my other cars had this crappy issue.

I emailed Detroit Tuned asking them if they can help me out, even if I have to do this on my own. I don't care anymore at this point. I checked underneath the car to see what could possibly be rattling when driving over bumps. I couldn't find anything loose...

Then, I opened my trunk and I pushed down on the plastic interior part to see if it could be my endlinks, or struts or anything else. NOTHING, no sound or rattle. At this point, I know FOR SURE it is the sway bar or something with the sway bar. I told myself, either it has to be the bushings, the bar itself, or something. If I can't find it, I will even go back to stock to see if I still hear it. So my reason of typing this is because I need help, someone give me some ideas of what I CAN DO. I don't know if I can wait til May 22 to figure out what my issue, because it is very annoying hearing that noise. Thank you!

 

So you already checked every bolt involved with the rear swaybar installation to make sure it was properly tightened?

If that's the case, it's kind of hard to diagnose with just words. A video would help better.

 

I will try to post the video by tomorrow. I'm busy all day, so I can't put the car up. Hopefully that'll help.

 

I just started to have possibly similar noise but coming from both the front and back. Sounds like the dampers opening and closing on your house roof vents when its windy out. Doesn't happen over bumps but just dips in the road. I can't figure it out. Is this what you're experiencing?

 

No nothing like what you are experiencing, I'm sorry. You should make an appointment with a shop, a MINI independent shop. Detroit Tuned and I have another appointment to do my oil change, brake flush, and put a new endlink on the passenger side. Hopefully that will help since we placed a new OEM one on my driver side. Good luck!

 

If you, or anyone, is still having this problem, I suggest disconnecting the rear swaybar from the endlinks. Drive around and see if its still making noise. By disconnecting the rear bar, you'll eliminate this as a possible cause to the noise. If its still making the noise then you know its not the rear bar or endlinks. If there is no noise, then you know for sure that its bar/endlink related. Good luck!

 

So I finally fixed the problem. First I thought it was just my rear driver side, replaced the endlink, was good for a whole day. Then the rear passenger side started and I replaced that too(easy DIY process). No more noise at ALL. Such a quite ride when I don't accelerate too loud cause of my exhaust haha.

Definitely replace the endlinks guys if nothing else works, they're cheap too, $40 a piece.

 

Sounds like you solved the issue but the advice above is a great way to test and isolate noises if stemming from the sway bar.