Installed ZX2s and Intrax.. and now I'm Scared!!

[Sam Baker]

ok.. herez tha skinny:
i used to have KYB's and Dropzones (we all know that just aint right).. so recently i decided to get zx2's and intrax springs. anywayz, last sat. i installed the rears.. the ride was just as low and a whole lot smoother on my a$$... but that was just the rears (no problems yet). so TODAY i just installed the fronts, did it all the same as before, but this time i have HUGE clunking noises coming from the ps and ds struts!

any ideas?? i was thinking a lotta things like, control arm bushings (cuz i messed with that a lot to get it in), stabilizer bar links (happened to my friend), or some other things? maybe coils bottoming out? any help would be awesome.. since i'm REALLY freakin out!! thanx a lot guyz & girlz

~ sam

[Taras]

Coil clatter. Put some correct dia plastic tubes over top few. My and my friend found some at Home Depot.

[Sam Baker]

nah man.. i know for a fact that aint it. i'm gonna wrap the top few anyway.. but thats not the big*** CLUNKING that i'm hearin. it almost feels like the zx2 struts are broken. lol and i hope that isnt the case! O_O thanx for the input tho-
~ sam

[curtklze]

take it to a mechanic.

[MrMX3]

it's possible, my first set of zx2's the rears blew the day after I put them in and had loud noises from the back. Normally there is no warranty on them because it's a "racing part", but I went right up the line at ford motorsports until I found somebody that would send me a new set.

But take it to a mechanic to have it checked out.

[Gro Harlem]

That noise could be from a number of things. When does the noise occur? when you hit bumps? when you zigzag the car left and right?

If it makes clunking sounds when you steer it, the balljoints might be loose or worn, I do'nt see why this would be the case unless you removed them for some reason and reinstalled them.

I'd say your strut mounts might not be bolted all the way up, your springs aren't seated to the spring perch enough to stay put (they are shifting) or one of your swaybar endlinks is broken.

Jack up that car and take a look for damage/broken peices.

[Casino]

did u tourge the bolts really well at teh top of the strut towers, i forgot one on mine and well it busted the strut i was driving and i heard a noise liek u described

[Sam Baker]

ya dude.. i tightened em real nice. i mean.. as soon as i put em in, all went to hell! i'd been having problems with my steering rack ever since i bought it: it made that rattling kinda sound whenever you turned the steering wheel. really messed up.

but then i went to get my car alligned, and the rack sound is GONE! o_0 but that strut problem, or whatever it is.. is still there. it sounds and feels like the strut going down. like, when you grab a strut and push the piston down, you can feel the pressure and kinda hear that compression. well thas what i'm gettin. lol

no, my struts arent blown, because they still have travel and support me ( and dont bounce around) so i dunno. still havnt had a shop look at it, but i think its the CV boot or whole axle. anywayz thanx for the help guyz!

P.S. the zx2's and ford thrust bearings make the steering AWESOME!

~ sam

[justin h]

When you dremelled out the top perch you might have done too much, and the thrust bearings are moving around. It happened on my driver's side because I made the hole too big and the bearing wasn't snug. If the hole you made for them isn't just right then they'll make all sorts of noise. It happened to me when I'd turn the wheel or when I'd hit bumps.

[Sam Baker]

oh man oh man!!
you might be right on that one.. coz i know i had a few spots on the spring perche that were uneven, but i thought it fit snug! hmm.. o well, you think it will do damage to the bearing? thanx for ur reply dude
~ sam

[Gro Harlem]

i don't think you'd get noises if your strut bearings aren't secured properly, although I guess it is possible.

I, stupidly, installed my ZX2 struts on my Protege 2 years ago without even reinstalling the stock thrust bearings. My car would veer one way or the other depending on which way I last turned the wheel. For example, if my last turn was a 90 degree right hand turn, then my steering would veer considerably to the right when I held the wheel straight.

The function of those bearings is to make sure the strut hats turn with the wheels, since the hub is attached directly to the strut.

My guess is your clunking is from shifting springs. Are you sure you bought MX3 springs that are designed for it? I know the front springs are pretty damn big in diameter, about 5". If your springs are less than that, they are going to shift around (just like coilovers).

[Sam Baker]

yea my thrust bearings are snug. and even if they move around.. its louder than the sound they'd make. however, my clunging sound is gradually going away. i dont know why

i think shifting springs may have something to do with it, because i forgot to re-install those rubber pads on top of the springs.. and its possible that the upper spring perch isnt set right. i dunno, i'll check it out sometime.. but after the allignment, a lot of noise went away. anywayz thanx for the input! hope nothin breaks!

~ sam

[Low3-XM]

Got any pics of ur car with the coil overs and pics of ur car now, i wanna see the differnce

[Sam Baker]

who meeh? check my site:
www.geocities.com/samzhondakillermx3
and under Performance check out the 2 suspension setups i've had. the intrax/zx2 is probably like .5" higher than the dropzones i think. but either way i'd rather have full springs than coilovers (unless i had mazdaspeed or hypercoil).. and now its a way smoother ride.

and if you were askin somebody else.. just ignore me lol

~ sam