I installed My bilstiens and i have a problem

[HeadyFirebird'00]

I dont know what i did wrong but everytime i go over a bump i get a clunking noise and poping sound. i installed new endlinks and i think i may have tightened them down to much. im pissed that i screwed up my car. anyone have an idea or had this problem when they installed them?

BTW: how much are u supposed to tighting the upper nut on the upper assembily to the strut? alot or a little?

[camaroman1181]

first off, dont drive the car... if something is loose, you might just be able to retighten it and it could fix your problem. If you drive too much though, you risk damaging stuff and having to replace your new parts. I'd check the nut on top of the strut... sounds like its not cranked down all the way and the shock is bouncing around in the mount. I actually had a similar problem with a different car where I insalled new upper strut mounts with my new struts, but failed to retorque the mounts after they had broken in.. this caused my shocks to rattle around in the mount and eventually ruined both the shock and the mount. Id start there seeing as that nut is pretty easy to get to, and let us know how it goes...

[FunkZ]

I kept going with the air rachet on the endlinks until the poly bushings started to mushroom and then just stopped. As far as the top shock mount, well I don't remember anything special, did you bolt the bottom in first or the top? I think we bolted the top in first and could feel from the bottom when it got tight. Also, did you check to make sure the springs are still seated in position and one didn't get knocked out of alignment?

[V6Bob]

"I kept going with the air rachet on the endlinks"

Does this mean you rebuilt your whole front suspension without using a torque wrench? You should never replace any critical (will the car crash if it fails?) fastener without torqueing it properly.

If so, go back over every fastener, loosen and torque them properly. Watch out for a smooth progression to the final torque, if you don't get it, or get any bad feelings about the fastener, replace it.

[FunkZ]

Originally posted by V6Bob:
Does this mean you rebuilt your whole front suspension without using a torque wrench?

Heh, what's a torque wrench?

[V6Bob]

"Heh, what's a torque wrench?"

Since you didn't use a smiley, I'll pay you respect and take you seriously.

Here's an intro:

http://www.ytmag.com/articles/artint232.htm

[FunkZ]

:D Yeah I was joking.

I know those that use them religiously and those that have never used one. I tend to fall closer to the latter category.

Point taken though. If you have any doubt how tight to make a bolt and want to be sure, use a torque wrench. But as for me, I don't even own one.

[98Silver6]

Originally posted by FunkZ:
:D Yeah I was joking.

I know those that use them religiously and those that have never used one. I tend to fall closer to the latter category.

Point taken though. If you have any doubt how tight to make a bolt and want to be sure, use a torque wrench. But as for me, I don't even own one.

lol same here i should really get one

[shenanigans]

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...itemnumber=239

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...itemnumber=807

[dmw319]

Originally posted by shenanigans:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...itemnumber=239

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...itemnumber=807

which one would you want for our cars? lol, sorry for the newbie question.

[shenanigans]

both...

if you had to just have one get teh 1/2 drive one, because the other one only goes up to like 80 ft. lbs.


but just to warn you most sockets people have our 3/8s drive. You sill likely need a 1/2-3/8 adapter.


Jsut to warn you those are probably the cheapest torque wrenches on the face of the earth.... But I figure adequete enough if you don't need to use it all the time.

[zlexiss]

Harbor Freight carries 3, and I'd get all of them.

The 1/2" drive is perfect for high torques like lug nuts and suspension bolts (30-100 ftlb)

The 3/8 is good for medium (10-40 ft lb), and the 1/4 for small stuff in the inch pound range (10-150 in lb)

They also sell a cheap adapter kit will will interchange all three socket sizes with all three wrenches.

I'd get all three, I've used them plenty. Being anal about torque values is a very good thing, not only for your safety but also for your wallet (less broken parts and no warped brake rotors for example)

[HeadyFirebird'00]

By the way i fixed my struts. works good. ha

[FunkZ]

So what was the fix? Just not tightened enough?

[dmw319]

this look like a good deal??

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-TORQUE-WRENCH-...QQcmdZViewItem