I bought the FE5 suspension package from CED hoping it would fix all my issues on my 06 LSJ. But now it clunks like a mother. Before replacing it all I had a slight clunk coming from the front end when you went over small dips in the road but now it clunks just from turning the wheels back and forth. So the question is what did I install wrong, because it was nowhere near this bad!? OR did making the sway bar links tighter just cause a weaker point to be more flexible, like a control arm bushing?? I put the new struts and links on but this may require professionals.

 

I swapped my FE1 struts and shocks with FE5 and got the shorter endlinks and now my **** makes a lot of noise too. Trying to figure what it is. Car handles fine though.

 

check the sway bar endlinks? if they have the slightest amount of play they will sound like death.

nhanson, what did you torque your sway bar endlinks to?

 

I torqued them to tight. They were retorqued when i first heard the sound (actually thought it was a strut bolt loose)

 

Had the same problem, check the sway bar end links, and control arm bushings

 

Haha so you didn't actually torque them to spec?

 

Yes to tight

 

niceee, well as mentioned check CAB's and maybe invest in a harbor freight torque wrench! best $10 ever spent

 

did you buy new strut mounts? of did you reuse yours?

 

For me everything was new.

 

I reused all the hardware, just new struts and links. But a strut hat won't result in the kinds of noises I'm getting. You guys mention torquing them to spec but what's the manual say for end links?? I also just tightened them until they were snug w/out over tightening them.

 

I had the shop install new rear control arm bushings, but the clunk was still there. They couldn't find anything else that was loose or worn. I went ahead and installed new strut mounts & bearings but the clunks and rattles are still there. The new sway bar links were tightened with the air gun so no play there. I'm at a loss!

When you tighten the top lock nut on the strut rod it only turns about 4 turns and the whole strut rod spins with it so the nut isn't really running down the threads. So I thought maybe that was an issue so I gripped the strut rod with channel locks and cranked the nut down further. Am I missing something here??

 

Just remove the endlink on one side, and see if the noise goes away. If it does, then it's the endlink or swaybar bushings.

 

Well that would be an obvious thing to try, but I've already replaced all those parts. So I know for a fact those aren't bad. I've also gotten under there and yanked and pulled on everything and nothing budges on the sway bar or control arms.

 

id be willing to bet its the strut mounts or the position of the spring on the top mount. end of spring must be lined up with the tab on the mount

 

I'm 99% sure I mounted the springs correctly. I'm leaning towards having the rear CABs replaced, the sway bar bushings in the center of hte chassis, and the ball joints. And if it still makes noise I'll just have to live with the mother clunker.

 

[QUOTE=so I gripped the strut rod with channel locks and cranked the nut down further. Am I missing something here?? [/QUOTE]

^ this was your 1st mistake you should never use any thing on the shrut rod it will damage the rod and blow the seal on the strut

 

Then how do you get the nut tight w/out the rod spinning? But rest assured I didn't damage the strut and was extremely careful. I held it just hard enough to prevent the spinning and I was gripping it at the very tip where the shaft will never even be used.

 

Well that was dumb. There's a good chance you can ruin the strut from something like that. If you're on any aftermarket spring, there's a good chance you're using pretty much the entire shaft, because almost all aftermarket springs sit damn near the bumpstops, and crush them over bumps.

Have you tried actually rocking the car front to back while the ebrake is on? If it's the TCAB, it should be noticeable if you rock hard, and disconnect the swaybar already. It's an easy test. Stop being stubborn. Shaking it around by hand isn't enough. How much do you weigh? How much does the car weigh? Orders of magnitude off there.

 

Your criticism is completely unprodocutive. We've already established what I did isn't the best way to do it; I asked what the proper way is. The strut shaft spins with the nut even though the nut isn't run down all the way.

And for the record, if you read the thread you'd realize the CABs were replaced, and the sway bay links are brand new. I am 100% stock suspension and the area I gripped the strut was ~1" from the tip, which would sit well inside of the bump stops. I didn't bend or hurt the struts. Again, I know it's not the ASE way of installing them but if the rod spins with the nut you don't have many options.

 

Your supose to use 2 wrenches to tighten the nut one for the nut and one for the top of the shaft some even use Allen wrenches to hold the shaft from spinning

 

OR just tighten the nut on the strut while the car is sitting on the ground with an impact, no shaft turning !