I have had a Madness rear swaybar installed for some time now, and I can't remember if the car made this noise before, or not, but when going over small sharp bumps, the rear makes a clunking noise. I had a rattle that was caused by a loose upper droplink nut, but I caught that, eventually. I torqued the subframe bolts to 100nm (or pounds, I forget. it's been a while, but whatever was recommended by the shop CDrom) Does the stiffer rear swaybar (set to the middle hole) cause this clomping noise over bumps, or should I get under there and check something else? I have stock springs. I don't want to take it to the dealer with this noise, for obvious reasons.

Any help appreciated!

Thanks,

-J

 

I've got exactly the same thing and will be pulling down the right rear in the next day or so. I am suspecting the Madness bushings as they look poor and am getting new ones.

I'll let you know what I find.

 

now i had the same thing a while ago and came to the findings that it was the bolt on the ends on the swaybar endlinks that needed tightning

sound was gone!!!

 

didnt even have to take off the rim just used an extention

 

I've been experiencing the same noise. I have the comp rear bar from H-Sport and their lower control arms and H&R springs. I've had the springs and shocks out twice to check all the nuts and bolts. No luck, the clunk is still there. Sounds like I'll be checking the sway bar links next! Hadn't thought of those before because the clunk sounded like metal to metal contact and they seemed to be clear of everything. (inner fenders, wheels, suspension arms, etc.) Anyone else?

 

rl48, I have a similar setup and no noises.

Check all the nuts and bolts, including the sub frame since that had to be loosed to install the sway bar, and check shock mounts top and bottom

If that doesn't do it, check suspension bushings, especially if you have the H-sport lower bars. Those bar bushings can be problematic in some cases.

 

Yeah, the subframe was the first thing I checked. Everything has checked-out okay. Still have to check the sway bar links though. That will be later today. Thanks for the tip on the bushings. They all seemed okay last weekend when I was taking everything apart for the second time...

 

yes i thought it might have been also but the clunk turned out to be the end links being onley a little loose really wiered but i bet money on thats the problem since it onley hapined around turns and entering steep inclines on an angle

 

Exactly 4GASM! I had that happen to me twice...each time on the seperate side. The end links came completely off at the bottom end and was banging against the lower suspension arm. I bolted them back on with some serious locktite this time and the problem hasn't came back.

 

Or you might have broken an end link like this:

 

Ouch!

 

Well, the end link wasn't broken but apparently it was loose. I took the nut off the link and used locktight when I put it back on the end link. Problem solved....

 

Another happy customer

 

Yep. Now can you do something about the lid on the "ashtray" that fell off?

 

Miy lid just came loose too. The roll pins tend to back out over time. I ran half of a small cotter pin through the thing, snipped off all but a hair of the excess & bent the ends up - practically invisible & works like a charm. Note: If you bend them back, they'll scratch the cupholder when you open the lid (so don't, you silly).
Peace - Bodinski

 

see im not so dumb afterall!!!!

 

I just had this same problem and never even considered the bottom on the endlink. DOH. I will be checking it tonight.

 

Mine was upper shock mounts....both sides!

 

Well unfortunately for me, the problem is not the end links. As I said earlier, I DID have that problem, but I corrected it and silenced the noise. Now there is noise again, and I CAN NOT FIND IT!

I have had the car to Helix, and Eric checked everyhting for tightness (after I had already.. I wanted a professional opinion) and a few things were slightly loose, but not enough to be causing any noise. We test drove it, and there was no change in the clunking. There is no lateral movement in the bar, and it moves freely when disconnected. There is NO contact with the springs. I even disconnected the bar and drove carefully around the parking lot over a few small bumps, and the noise was still there, so I think I can almost completely rule out the sway bar.

I have stock springs, and haven't touched them other than the upper shock -to-body mounts (which are tight). There is no leakage at the shock/strut assembly. Anyone have any ideas? I'm about to take it in to the dealer in defeat. I can't take it anymore!

The ride is fine. No complaints. I love my car, but the clunk is driving me NUTS!!!!

 

Ver - A couple of questions:

What shocks do you have.
How cold was it when the noise began.
Does it go away or quiet down if you drive the car for 15 minutes or more.
Does it do it equally on both sides.

What do I get if I stump the pro?

 

Maybe it has nothing to do with your suspension. Is their something loose in the battery compartment? Rear lights? Brakes?

 

I am all stock except for the Madness Bar. I dropped the shocks to install it, but have not messed with anything other than that.

I Can't actually pinpoint whent he noise began. I just know that it has not gone away since it started, which was something like... 8 months ago at least. Until recently, I didn't have the car full time, as I am temporarily living in Philly, and had, until recently a "city" car (beater). But the car has been given regular exercise by my father-in-law (an over-cautious driver).

No, it does not get louder or quieter, but clatters more on bumpier terrain. Doesn't seem to be affected any more or less by turning, as a loose droplink is.

I tend to think that it does it more on one side (passenger), but I can't tell. This might just be because I don't sit in the middle of the car.

Um... a big hug and a gold star?

 

Nope. I had high hopes on that front six months ago when I remembered the 4 Cell Mag Lite I keep in the passenger cubby. But alas, that was not it.

 

Verruckt,

Can understand your utter frustration. Please stay calm because you will find the answer and enlighten all of us.
You have decided to look somewhere else than the sway bar and links for the noise. I'm assuming that you didn't have the noise before you installed the sway bar. Have you actually double-triple checked the large rear compliance bushing mounting bolts, the rear subframe mounting bolts (all of them), and the rear strut to chassis bolts at the top where they clamp to the chassis?????? I've heard of looseness at any of these points causing "cluck" problems. Make sure that you check that bolt at the top end of the strut, the one that clamps the strut/shock to the chassis bracket. One of mine was loose.

From the perspective of noise sources remote from the rear suspension, have you considered the fit of the rear hatch and whether the fiber tray, that extends from the back seat to the rear hatch, is banging on the rear wiper motor housing???? Either, can cause "clunking" sounds when driving over bumps. Remove the fiber tray and/or drive with the rear hatch open
Hope that these ideas help.

Regards,
John Petrich in Seattle

 

I have checked (and had a well-respected independent MINI tuner put it up on a lift and check)

-droplinks, top and bottom
-subframe bolts (all of them)
-swaybar bushing mounts
-shock-to-hub bolts (bottom)
-Shock mount-to-chassis bolts (two each side, top)

I don't know what you mean by "the large rear compliance bushing mounting bolts." Have I covered those? I have not checked the bolt at the top end of the struts, as I didn't touch them when I installed the bar. But I'll check that next.

The "tray" is out, and that makes no difference, but man, am I ever going to kick myself (in a happy, celebratory way) if it's the hatch latch again. I had it adjusted once, but that was before I did the bar. I guess the sound is actually similar to what I remember the hatch doing. I've been SO preoccupied with the bar that I didn't even THINK about the hatch! I REALLY hope that's it! I'll try that before I drop the struts.

Great outside the box thinking, Petrich!