rear clunking after lowering springs installed? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

ImPLiCiTS14 · 05-30-2009, 12:27 AM

tonight i installed some eibach sport lines on my s14 and for some strange reason the rear is clunking bad like its going to fall off. The wierd thing is i tightened everything even with a air gun any suggestions?

upsdude · 05-30-2009, 04:12 AM

if it's coming from the rear then check your subframe bushings. seems to be a common ailment to s14's. my rear subframe clunks if i brake too hard or accelerate too suddenly. already ordered some new energy bushings from www.frsport.com but they're backordered

. good luck.

ImPLiCiTS14 · 05-30-2009, 06:40 AM

but this happened immediately after installing the sportlines.

clv5045 · 05-30-2009, 10:31 AM

it problem isnt anything serious that can stop you from driving it, it's just annoying. when you lowered it you probably brought something that was already loose close enough to something else to knock around, i have no idea what exactly it could be, but i would just check everything that is around the axle like sway arm, torsion bars, etc to see if any of them are loose, broken, or have bad bushings

Kiwi · 05-30-2009, 01:23 PM

actually, subframe bushings CAN be a real problem. eventually it can bend the studs where the bushings go in.
implicit, maybe you're bottoming out, that can cause some sort of a clunking. anyway, i'd still check the subframe bushings just in case

i don't know how low your car is now so that would be what i suspect

Bigsyke · 05-30-2009, 02:37 PM

what da fuck!

Installed with air tools...rear shocks on an S14......14lbs/ft of torque.

ImPLiCiTS14 · 05-30-2009, 05:01 PM

the sound is very very loud tho like the suspension isn't tight at all. i didnt even need spring compressors to install rear.

The Chad · 05-30-2009, 05:27 PM

Time and Time again...almost allways comes back to subframe bushings. Same thing happened to me after i lowered my car and install new shocks. I head the phantom clunk! Searched around and found the problem...the subframe bushings on S14's are notorious for wearing down over time.

You can either buy NEW bushings and pull your subframe (EEEK!)

Or simply buy some $30 spacers/inserts avail through many parts distributors online for S14's.

I just installed the Aluminum inserts and Presto!...No more clunk! Took no more than 20 mins too

Much easier than pulling the subfram and torching out bushings/hammering in new ones.

Drft_S14 · 05-30-2009, 05:48 PM

just make sure ur springs are lined up right with the top hat, sometimes if its not it tends to make that annoying noise, goodluck

Bigsyke · 05-30-2009, 06:35 PM

inserts made my clunk ALOT worse.

ImPLiCiTS14 · 06-01-2009, 03:56 PM

i took a look today and its seems there is a big gap between the tightened center nut/thread and the tophat even thought its all the way down to the end of the thread.

s14_mike · 06-01-2009, 06:09 PM

you need to hold the center shaft off the shock at the top not where the shaft goes up and down(there should be a little rectangular peace to hold) with a pair of channel locks or vice grips and then tighten then nut with a wrench. just because you used air tools to tighten the nut down to hold down the top hat doesn't mean that you bottomed out the nut. The shaft could have been spinning the whole time you were trying to tighten down the nut with the gun.

Bigsyke · 06-01-2009, 06:15 PM

alan wrench usually, or use a box wrench that fits snug

ImPLiCiTS14 · 06-01-2009, 06:23 PM

i had used a pair of vice grips to keep it from moving -=i know dumb move=-

Bigsyke · 06-01-2009, 06:40 PM

^^I did that on a honda, the alan port collapsed, thus I had to use the piston shaft, which destroyed the shock.

05-30-2009, 12:27 AM	#1
ImPLiCiTS14 Zilvia Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Going thru a honda near u Posts: 187 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	rear clunking after lowering springs installed? tonight i installed some eibach sport lines on my s14 and for some strange reason the rear is clunking bad like its going to fall off. The wierd thing is i tightened everything even with a air gun any suggestions?

05-30-2009, 10:31 AM	#4
clv5045 Join Date: May 2008 Location: State College PA Age: 32 Posts: 34 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	it problem isnt anything serious that can stop you from driving it, it's just annoying. when you lowered it you probably brought something that was already loose close enough to something else to knock around, i have no idea what exactly it could be, but i would just check everything that is around the axle like sway arm, torsion bars, etc to see if any of them are loose, broken, or have bad bushings __________________ 91 240 cpe w/ sr SOLD 96 240 w/ sr

05-30-2009, 05:48 PM	#9
Drft_S14 Zilvia Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cathedral City Age: 34 Posts: 192 Trader Rating: (7) Feedback Score: 7 reviews	just make sure ur springs are lined up right with the top hat, sometimes if its not it tends to make that annoying noise, goodluck __________________ I never narc'd on nobody

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05-30-2009, 04:12 AM	#2
upsdude Post Whore! Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Fontana (the good part) Posts: 2,721 Trader Rating: (46) Rides Gallery: upsdude Feedback Score: 46 reviews	if it's coming from the rear then check your subframe bushings. seems to be a common ailment to s14's. my rear subframe clunks if i brake too hard or accelerate too suddenly. already ordered some new energy bushings from www.frsport.com but they're backordered . good luck.

05-30-2009, 06:40 AM	#3
ImPLiCiTS14 Zilvia Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Going thru a honda near u Posts: 187 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	but this happened immediately after installing the sportlines.

05-30-2009, 01:23 PM	#5
Kiwi Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: VA Posts: 36 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	actually, subframe bushings CAN be a real problem. eventually it can bend the studs where the bushings go in. implicit, maybe you're bottoming out, that can cause some sort of a clunking. anyway, i'd still check the subframe bushings just in case i don't know how low your car is now so that would be what i suspect

05-30-2009, 02:37 PM	#6
Bigsyke Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NA Age: 36 Posts: 1,342 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	what da fuck! Installed with air tools...rear shocks on an S14......14lbs/ft of torque.

05-30-2009, 05:01 PM	#7
ImPLiCiTS14 Zilvia Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Going thru a honda near u Posts: 187 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	the sound is very very loud tho like the suspension isn't tight at all. i didnt even need spring compressors to install rear.

05-30-2009, 05:27 PM	#8
The Chad Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Richmond, VA Age: 40 Posts: 943 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Time and Time again...almost allways comes back to subframe bushings. Same thing happened to me after i lowered my car and install new shocks. I head the phantom clunk! Searched around and found the problem...the subframe bushings on S14's are notorious for wearing down over time. You can either buy NEW bushings and pull your subframe (EEEK!) Or simply buy some $30 spacers/inserts avail through many parts distributors online for S14's. I just installed the Aluminum inserts and Presto!...No more clunk! Took no more than 20 mins too Much easier than pulling the subfram and torching out bushings/hammering in new ones.

05-30-2009, 06:35 PM	#10
Bigsyke Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NA Age: 36 Posts: 1,342 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	inserts made my clunk ALOT worse.

06-01-2009, 03:56 PM	#11
ImPLiCiTS14 Zilvia Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Going thru a honda near u Posts: 187 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	i took a look today and its seems there is a big gap between the tightened center nut/thread and the tophat even thought its all the way down to the end of the thread.

06-01-2009, 06:09 PM	#12
s14_mike Zilvia Junkie Join Date: May 2007 Location: 626/Monterey Park Age: 33 Posts: 416 Trader Rating: (9) Feedback Score: 9 reviews	you need to hold the center shaft off the shock at the top not where the shaft goes up and down(there should be a little rectangular peace to hold) with a pair of channel locks or vice grips and then tighten then nut with a wrench. just because you used air tools to tighten the nut down to hold down the top hat doesn't mean that you bottomed out the nut. The shaft could have been spinning the whole time you were trying to tighten down the nut with the gun.

06-01-2009, 06:15 PM	#13
Bigsyke Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NA Age: 36 Posts: 1,342 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	alan wrench usually, or use a box wrench that fits snug

06-01-2009, 06:23 PM	#14
ImPLiCiTS14 Zilvia Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Going thru a honda near u Posts: 187 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	i had used a pair of vice grips to keep it from moving -=i know dumb move=-

06-01-2009, 06:40 PM	#15
Bigsyke Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: NA Age: 36 Posts: 1,342 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	^^I did that on a honda, the alan port collapsed, thus I had to use the piston shaft, which destroyed the shock.