Suspension Noise..?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 618
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From: Lexington SC
Suspension Noise..?
97 C5 6Speed- So last night on my way home from work. I was on a kinda bumpy road and I started hearing this clanking type noise whenever I would hit a bump. I recently had sway bars and endlinks installed I was thinking maybe they were loose. As soon as i pull out of my apartment complex I hear it instantly when I go over a speed bump slow.
So today i pulled it in the hobby shop here at oceana, and put it on the lift. Nothing else seemed to be loose at all what so ever. The suspension arms, exhuast sway bars, it all was tight. so I am at a loss of what it could be. it honestly sounds like something is loose but everything underneath seems fine.
Maybe a broken motor mount? I never heard it before the clutch/sways bars were installed. It is loowered from the previous owner . Am I finally just hearing more because of the stiffer sway bars or are the shocks shot?
The bushings and ssway bars are C6 Z51 with Endlinks, which came with bushings from GMpartshouse. Could it possibly be that I need to Grease the Bushings?
So today i pulled it in the hobby shop here at oceana, and put it on the lift. Nothing else seemed to be loose at all what so ever. The suspension arms, exhuast sway bars, it all was tight. so I am at a loss of what it could be. it honestly sounds like something is loose but everything underneath seems fine.
Maybe a broken motor mount? I never heard it before the clutch/sways bars were installed. It is loowered from the previous owner . Am I finally just hearing more because of the stiffer sway bars or are the shocks shot?
The bushings and ssway bars are C6 Z51 with Endlinks, which came with bushings from GMpartshouse. Could it possibly be that I need to Grease the Bushings?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: Lexington SC
Good point to check! Thanks, I am sure it is coming from the front end. There is no doubt about that.
Pro
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: The Woodlands TX
Just another thought ... I had a recurring squeak when I went over speed bumps, or in/out driveways. Turns out the lower ball joint was totally worn out. Replaced the ball joints and noise gone! Best of luck! 
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: Lexington SC
Something I had yet to check, only thing is mine doesnt squeak lol, its a little clank/thud. Now how would you tell if it a Ball joint is bad just my looking at it.
Le Mans Master
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From: Anywhere where Cones need hit
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St. Jude Donor '07-'09
what type of end links do you have? I have the hiem joint kind on my big bar, and they clatter alot, and the adjuster nut, if not snug will back off and cause play.
did you upgrade to poly mounts for the swaybar? If so it could be binding if you didn't lube the mount enough. Once it's tightened down sometimes the lube will all squeeze out and after a little while the bar will bind up. I would get a nice "POP" sound from that @ low speed turns.
just some out loud thoughts
did you upgrade to poly mounts for the swaybar? If so it could be binding if you didn't lube the mount enough. Once it's tightened down sometimes the lube will all squeeze out and after a little while the bar will bind up. I would get a nice "POP" sound from that @ low speed turns.
just some out loud thoughts
Drifting
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 1
From: Minnesota
Having something similar. Greased my bar like crazy and still there. I get a lot of noise just when start rolling or when I turn my wheels when standing still. That can't be sway bar or shocks right?
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 618
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From: Lexington SC
what type of end links do you have? I have the hiem joint kind on my big bar, and they clatter alot, and the adjuster nut, if not snug will back off and cause play.
did you upgrade to poly mounts for the swaybar? If so it could be binding if you didn't lube the mount enough. Once it's tightened down sometimes the lube will all squeeze out and after a little while the bar will bind up. I would get a nice "POP" sound from that @ low speed turns.
just some out loud thoughts
did you upgrade to poly mounts for the swaybar? If so it could be binding if you didn't lube the mount enough. Once it's tightened down sometimes the lube will all squeeze out and after a little while the bar will bind up. I would get a nice "POP" sound from that @ low speed turns.
just some out loud thoughts
I ordered the endlinks from Gene at GM partshouse the aluminum ones. The c6z51 Sway bars came with new bushings from Gene.
This is what everyone is missing. The noise has nothing to do with me turning, or at low speeds or reverse. IT happens when I am hitting bumps, ya know any small random bumps on the road.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
From: San Jose California
I get the same clanking at low speed, over uneven surfaces. It has nothing to do with turning in my car. I am assuming it's the swaybar endlinks. In my car it's much worse with a passenger in the car. Me alone, it's hardly noticable so I haven't ordered new endlinks yet.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 149
Likes: 2
From: South Shore MA
To check the ball joints you have to support the control arms while prying under the tire with a bar. Having them lax on the lift will still load them up masking any wear. Swear bar links will make a ton of noise if worn/loose over bumps not really/usually when turning. Anytime the left wheel changes height in relation to the right wheel will cause end link noise if worn. Dont dismiss the frame to sway bar bushings they will sound like worn links when they wear. If theyre slightly worn you can put a washer between the frame and bushing. Good luck
Last edited by trk982003; Apr 22, 2010 at 01:57 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2008
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From: Katy Tx
its the old mechanics rule -- always look first at what you worked on last.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: South Western Ontario
Check the swaybar end links. They don't have to be loose enough to appear loose yet they can cause nasty clanking sounds. I had some nasty clunking and got maybe 1/2 turn on one of the nuts and it fixed it up. When just slightly loose, it will slip under pressure "snapping" back and forth in the hole.
Peter
Peter
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From: Lexington SC
Good call Lionel, I had a shop but them on and I trust they put them on to torque spec, but also I just remembered that they say to drive for a day then make sure to recheck the torque. Thanks I will do this tomorrow morning and let everyone know the outcome.
-Josh
-Josh
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From: Lexington SC
Well took the Vette into the Hobby shop here at oceana to check torque specs on my sways bars and all. Well everything is as expected all complied to specs. All my bushings on the control arms look fine. The brakes are on there secured.
Only thing I found loose was the hood stopper and I raised it up a few spins and tightened it down.
The next best guess would be my shocks are crap and they are bottoming out?
Only thing I found loose was the hood stopper and I raised it up a few spins and tightened it down.
The next best guess would be my shocks are crap and they are bottoming out?
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 149
Likes: 2
From: South Shore MA
You didnt mention if you've had the ball joints checked. Did you have that done? Are you certain its coming from the front? The rear suspension has all the same components as the front that can wear. Alot of that stuff gets removed to do a clutch maybe something got left loose back there. Good luck man.
Last edited by trk982003; Apr 25, 2010 at 08:01 AM.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: Lexington SC
Well as you know I have posted about my under the hood/front suspension noise. Well today at hobby shop, I took of and reinstalled the front and rear sway bars and regreased and torqued to spec.
Then I figured I would look up torque specs on the leaf springs. SO I walk up to the front lef spring passenger side rear bolt and well I seen a gap that I could fit a quarter in!!!!
And I could un screw it with my fingers!
So go to the driver side and the rear bolt was also loose enuff to take out with my fingers but no gap. So re tightened them and now NO NIOSE
Then I figured I would look up torque specs on the leaf springs. SO I walk up to the front lef spring passenger side rear bolt and well I seen a gap that I could fit a quarter in!!!!
And I could un screw it with my fingers!So go to the driver side and the rear bolt was also loose enuff to take out with my fingers but no gap. So re tightened them and now NO NIOSE
Running Guns & Moonshine
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 12,590
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From: CT
Suspension Noise - F/R - Squeak
Hard to diagnose when the car isn't rolling. Can't recreate it.
The front right suspension is making a squeak noise when I go over speed bumps. It is silent at all other times, but when I get to my girlfriend's condo it sounds like an old mattress when I roll over the bumps.
Can anyone pinpoint what is causing this and how to remedy?
In case it matters, suspension is C5 Z06 throughout with Bilstein shocks.
Thanks guys. It's been bothering me for months now.
The front right suspension is making a squeak noise when I go over speed bumps. It is silent at all other times, but when I get to my girlfriend's condo it sounds like an old mattress when I roll over the bumps.
Can anyone pinpoint what is causing this and how to remedy?
In case it matters, suspension is C5 Z06 throughout with Bilstein shocks.
Thanks guys. It's been bothering me for months now.
