Noises from the rear after RV6 components installed.

[azev]

Hey Guys,

I just installed 3x RV6 parts (Lower A & B arm + Swaybar and billet endlinks) for the rear end about 2 weeks ago. Ever since the install I've been having clunking noises from the rear (both side) whenever I ran over a pot hole, or a rail road track.
I've made sure everything is torqued to spec based on RV6 instruction, especially the endlinks, I've gone as far as removing the swaybar and endlinks all the way and reinstalling them again while the car is on a ramp.
I wonder if this is something expected since I eliminate a bunch of rubber bushing ??
Do you guys have any ideas what to do to troubleshoot the issue ?

Thanks

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[Cueyo]

Ive had my rear sway bars clunk a ton on my civic, the first time it was a loose nut, second time it was incorrectly adjusted sway bar (one side longer on the endlinks than the other), third time it was an incorrectly adjusted sway bar (car too low and endlinks not long enough to clear control arms), and the 4th time it was the fact that my car was too low and my sway bar too big (causing it to clank into the control arms, fix to this was to grind down the sway bar edges).

Try adjusting the endlinks and quadruple check everything is tightened right.

 

[AZCWTypeR]

I friend installed solid suspension bushings in his 5.0 Mustang and there was a lot of clunking over small, sharp bumps.

Rubber bushings are there for a reason. Solid bushings all have loose clearances, otherwise they wouldn't move. Rubber bushings can be torqued tight, and the rubber flexes instead of loose clearance motion in solid bushings.

Racers generally beef up the chassis stiffness to where solid bushings makes sense, and they don't care about noises.

Regardless, I'd put wrenches on every nut and bolt to be sure nothing was overlooked.

 

[Cueyo]

The clunking leads me to believe something is traveling more than it should, ideal solution here would be to stick a phone or something under the car and see what moves

 

[svvitch]

Mine clunks. Double checked. Just the end links I'm sure. I've moved on

 

[Chilly613]

Double check and re-torque everything again just in case. Also you have spherical bushings now and not rubber bushings on your arms and end links, there will/may be some noise with them.

 

[Two Step Performance]

Double check and re-torque everything again just in case. Also you have spherical bushings now and not rubber bushings on your arms and end links, there will/may be some noise with them.

Can confirm this style endlink does make more noise than average. Just a case of increased performance = increased NVH. As long as you can confirm everything is tight there is likely nothing to worry about.

 

[J1Avs]

Welcome to sphericals/pillowball mounts

 

[azev]

Thank you guys for the feedback, I am absolutely certain that all the bolts are tight to spec, and after about 200miles driving none of the markers shows that the bolt loosen on its own or something.

I have built an E46 M3 track car in the past with full spherical bearing and solid bushing everywhere possible. The NVH is horrible for daily driving, but surprisingly not much clunking noises at all.
This used to made me think that maybe people in forum just exaggerates the possible noises from the spherical bearings hehehe. With the Type R looks like it might be something I just have to learn to tune out the noises from the rear end.

The car make abit of squeaky noises too, probably from the urethane bushing and the grease which is normal, but the clunk kinda scared me abit lol.. Almost feels like there's something loose down there, but yet they are all torqued to spec.

 

[svvitch]

Same. After checking for the 2nd or 3rd time I just ignore it now. Still give it a check if I have rear wheel off or doing rear brakes

 

[Cueyo]

It drove me insane the first time, even when I eventually upgraded to heim joints. I still think it's adjustment, but you should also check the suspension after driving for a while, let the materials expand and shrink. I know the third time I had clunking I thought it still wasn't fixed, but after a few days it went away.

Imo big difference between joint clunk and wrongly adjusted clunk

 

[Chilly613]

Thank you guys for the feedback, I am absolutely certain that all the bolts are tight to spec, and after about 200miles driving none of the markers shows that the bolt loosen on its own or something.

I have built an E46 M3 track car in the past with full spherical bearing and solid bushing everywhere possible. The NVH is horrible for daily driving, but surprisingly not much clunking noises at all.
This used to made me think that maybe people in forum just exaggerates the possible noises from the spherical bearings hehehe. With the Type R looks like it might be something I just have to learn to tune out the noises from the rear end.

The car make abit of squeaky noises too, probably from the urethane bushing and the grease which is normal, but the clunk kinda scared me abit lol.. Almost feels like there's something loose down there, but yet they are all torqued to spec.

You can always try and switch to something like Whiteline end links, they dont make any noise and they are also adjustable.

 

[azev]

It drove me insane the first time, even when I eventually upgraded to heim joints. I still think it's adjustment, but you should also check the suspension after driving for a while, let the materials expand and shrink. I know the third time I had clunking I thought it still wasn't fixed, but after a few days it went away.

Imo big difference between joint clunk and wrongly adjusted clunk

To be honest, I am unsure what is making the noise... I've spent time searching for any contact marks to see if any of the Arms touching the sway bar and I've seen none.
I am thinking of somehow mounting a go pro underneath the car and drive around to see if I can catch what is happening when I hear a clunk.

Oh one other thing I forgot to mention in my original post, I have a coilover divorced setup, and rear spring setup have perches on bottom and top... I just didnt think this is the cause of the clunk because the spring seems to have some tension when the rear shocks is bolted at fully extended position. So my theory is that even if the b arm articulate up and down it should not cause any noises because the entire b arm is always loaded.
I am also thinking of possibly using some kind of rubber or sorbothane material to place it below the spring perch so it is not metal to metal contact.

 

[SCVanguard]

Came from a 10th gen Si with Eibach Type R bar + adjustable endlinks. A small rock would make a clunk on the back end.

On my new FL5, I went with RV6 bar + their endlinks. Not a single clunk yet. However, I'm running it on the middle setting because installing was a pain. I want to go to the hard setting eventually and I'm wondering if that will start clunking.

 

[Bbarrera_55]

I have the RV6 rear sway bar myself not including the other goodies for the rear end besides Swift lowering springs and PRL rear strut bar. I made the mistake of not pre loading my suspension when tightening everything down and was having clunking myself. I unbolted and reinstalled everything but before everything was tight. I placed two jacks on both lower control arms and loaded the suspension evenly and tighten/torqued everything down. Since then the clunking has gone away

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