Clunking noise on coil-over

E92M3Pilot · 07-21-2012, 07:55 PM

I've just installed PSS10 on the Z4M, and experiencing very minor clunking noise from the front when hitting small bumps. I did some searches, could it be the sway bar or the endlink not torqued properly, or ..etc. what else could it be, Any thought?

IMO, it rides pretty nice and improve the handling. I still need to refine the ride height to my liking.

mfanatic325 · 08-22-2012, 11:19 PM

Probably just the nature of the coilovers. Valve tick. Usually this is a sacrifice people have to live with for enhanced/improved handling (giving up comfort).

Beedub · 08-23-2012, 02:30 AM

my track biased kw clubsport do not make a sound, not clicking, clunking, nothing..... i'd expect the bilsteins to be the same, especially as they use the stock topmount, my kws have a solid topmount, i coupled this with the reinforcement plates and the RE RSM which can cause further nvh.... its completely silent....

did you Tq everything to spec??

ZStig · 08-23-2012, 11:45 AM

I would take the wheel off, and use my hands to shake different parts around to see if i can isolate the issue by replicating the clunk. Its common for the rear coils to be loose until you rotate them into prpper position and add some
sort of felt to the contact areas

Beedub · 08-23-2012, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roffle Waffle

I would take the wheel off, and use my hands to shake different parts around to see if i can isolate the issue by replicating the clunk. Its common for the rear coils to be loose until you rotate them into prpper position and add some
sort of felt to the contact areas

tom dont forget he talking about the fronts.........

but yeah i did the same after install, except i triple check the Tq specs on everything.... i don't get a sound at all, anywhere from the suspension.... of note to other kw club-sport owners, KW changed the rear spring so it doesn't grind on itself any more....

exdos · 08-23-2012, 04:45 PM

Did you reuse the bolts that attach the strut to the wheel hub? If so, once they've been undone, they're never as tight again as they are on first use. It's best to reinstall with "threadlok" to take up the "slack".

pal · 09-05-2012, 09:20 PM

I have done 3 track days with the KW Clubsports with solid top mount up front. After the last event at the Glen the passenger side front developed clunks over low speed bumps/dips. Everything seems snug and I cannot seem to pinpoint what can be causing this??

Plan to lower the strut/coilover tomorrow and disassemble and reassemble (will leave the lower part attached to car). Any thoughts on what else I should check/do?

V3s were silent for 2 years

E92M3Pilot · 09-05-2012, 10:27 PM

I believe the clunking noise is gone and at least for now. 1st, I found one of my steel brake line got lose from the clip and could have been banging against the shock during bumps, I clipped back on but that didn't solve all the problem.
2nd, it was actually my brand new hawk hp plus is making most of those clunking noises. I noticed when I pressed on my brake recently, it replicate a similar sound during certain bumps. So, I took the front pads off and found the clips attach to the pads are lose, one is more pronounce then the other. I can literally turn one of them. These are new, I hope I can get a refund.
So, I put my old pads back on, the clunking seem to gone away for now. I got to drive it more over the weekends to confirm.

E92M3Pilot · 09-05-2012, 10:30 PM

The rears pad is making a similar noise but very little. Sigh.. Is my first experience with hawk, not feeling so good about it now. I haven't had chance to check the rear, since I already thrown out the rear.

pal · 09-06-2012, 09:18 PM

Thanks E92M3Pilot. I see you are in NJ; if you want to buy a new set of Hawk HP Plus for the rears, I have a set. I dont need them since I have StopTechs all around.

I disassembled the passenger side front from the top, disconnected the end link and did the following -

(1) Put some red bearing grease on the washer that sits between the top purple metal spring perch and the bearing cap at the bottom of the strut mount.

(2) Raised the strut and while supported by a jack stand under the control arm and tightened the top nut.

(3) Lowered the control arm to the perfect height to let the sway-bar end link slide into the shock. Then tightened it down till it stopped and snug after that.

(4) Retightened the lower end link nut - got just a tiny bit of turn on it. This may have been the clunk though not sure.

(5) Put a washer between the 10mm nut and the plastic arm for the height sensor and snugged that nut.

(6) Reset the ride height.

(7) Put wheel back on and lowered car.

(8) Adjusted the 2 plastic pins for the hood - hit and trial until the hood was snug.

(9) RE brace back on and top nuts all torqued.

(10) Took the car for a test drive and all is quiet - no clunk.

I still don't know what the problem was and whether the clunk will come back. What I feel a little better about it that it seems like something external to the shock and not inside.

And I get to do this all over again when my 90-170 front/90-140 rear linear springs come in.

Keep your collective fingers crossed that the clunk does not return.

Beedub · 09-07-2012, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pal

Thanks E92M3Pilot. I see you are in NJ; if you want to buy a new set of Hawk HP Plus for the rears, I have a set. I dont need them since I have StopTechs all around.

I disassembled the passenger side front from the top, disconnected the end link and did the following -

(1) Put some red bearing grease on the washer that sits between the top purple metal spring perch and the bearing cap at the bottom of the strut mount.

(2) Raised the strut and while supported by a jack stand under the control arm and tightened the top nut.

(3) Lowered the control arm to the perfect height to let the sway-bar end link slide into the shock. Then tightened it down till it stopped and snug after that.

(4) Retightened the lower end link nut - got just a tiny bit of turn on it. This may have been the clunk though not sure.

(5) Put a washer between the 10mm nut and the plastic arm for the height sensor and snugged that nut.

(6) Reset the ride height.

(7) Put wheel back on and lowered car.

(8) Adjusted the 2 plastic pins for the hood - hit and trial until the hood was snug.

(9) RE brace back on and top nuts all torqued.

(10) Took the car for a test drive and all is quiet - no clunk.

I still don't know what the problem was and whether the clunk will come back. What I feel a little better about it that it seems like something external to the shock and not inside.

And I get to do this all over again when my 90-170 front/90-140 rear linear springs come in.

Keep your collective fingers crossed that the clunk does not return.

well i did my first trackday on my clubsports yesterday, so far..... no noise!! lets hope it continues that way, otherwise pal I'll be following you and doing a strip down.

pal · 09-09-2012, 11:45 AM

Did a track day/night yesterday with the fix and even had an off - no clunks so far. Fingers crossed.

Forbes · 04-12-2017, 12:29 PM

Random clunk when turning up or down an incline (ie: parking garage) or making sharp spirited turns, usually on the passenger side, usually turning left. I've had H&R sways for a few years. The problem started about a year ago after I replaced stock shocks and springs for Koni Sports and Eibach Sport springs, lowering the car by about 1.25 inches (about as low as the M version). I recently swapped Bilstein Pro Sport shocks for the Konis. New upper shock mounts and new stock sway bar links were installed. Doing so reduced the frequency of clunking, but it still happens.
I suspect lowering the car made the stock sway bar end link length too long causing the sway bar to occasionally shift downward or upward and possibly coming into contact with other suspension parts.

Next move: re-torque / adjust sway bar bushing mounting points and install adjustable length end links.

Does this suspected cause sound plausible, even with the small drop from Eibachs?
Is there something else to check before next steps?

Forbes · 05-19-2017, 03:11 PM

Hi Jay,

I have been experiencing a clunk coming from the front end on cornering or when weight shifted from one side of the car to the other.
I thought it had something to do with lowering the car and I was going to ask if you were able to work around the aftermarket components I mentioned.
As it turned out, however, I was able to get some time in another shop before you had any availability.
The mechanics at Fine Tuning in Seattle's north end had to dig to find what was making the noise, which had nothing to do with suspension after all.
Nuts were missing from the engine mounts.
So since nobody except myself and BMW Seattle have worked in the engine compartment, my question to you is this. Seeing my service history, in particular, the replacement of the engine's cooling system several months ago, is there a reason that a mechanic in your shop may have had to loosen or remove engine mount fasteners from both sides?

07-21-2012, 07:55 PM	#1
E92M3Pilot E86MPilot 23 Rep 265 Posts Drives: F10 550XI Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North Jersey / Phila iTrader: (3)	Clunking noise on coil-over I've just installed PSS10 on the Z4M, and experiencing very minor clunking noise from the front when hitting small bumps. I did some searches, could it be the sway bar or the endlink not torqued properly, or ..etc. what else could it be, Any thought? IMO, it rides pretty nice and improve the handling. I still need to refine the ride height to my liking. __________________ E46M, E60/545I, E36/Z3M, E92M DTC, E93M 6spd, E86M(x2), F10 550XI (S2)(Current)
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08-22-2012, 11:19 PM	#2
mfanatic325 ///M-fanatic 193 Rep 3,885 Posts Drives: '01 911 Turbo Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Cupertino, CA. iTrader: (23)	Probably just the nature of the coilovers. Valve tick. Usually this is a sacrifice people have to live with for enhanced/improved handling (giving up comfort).
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-23-2012, 02:30 AM	#3
Beedub Major General 423 Rep 5,327 Posts Drives: 2007 Z4 M roadster vt2-500 Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	my track biased kw clubsport do not make a sound, not clicking, clunking, nothing..... i'd expect the bilsteins to be the same, especially as they use the stock topmount, my kws have a solid topmount, i coupled this with the reinforcement plates and the RE RSM which can cause further nvh.... its completely silent.... did you Tq everything to spec?? __________________ Z4MR VT2 - Clubsport build. Multi award winning Detailing \| Wrap \| PPF specialists UK based - www.topwrapz.com
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08-23-2012, 11:45 AM	#4
ZStig instagram 997turbotom 279 Rep 7,376 Posts Drives: Interlagos Z4MR Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Delray Beach, FL iTrader: (4)	I would take the wheel off, and use my hands to shake different parts around to see if i can isolate the issue by replicating the clunk. Its common for the rear coils to be loose until you rotate them into prpper position and add some sort of felt to the contact areas __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

08-23-2012, 04:45 PM	#6
exdos Second Lieutenant 6 Rep 222 Posts Drives: Z3 M Coupe(S54) and Z4 M Coupe Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Did you reuse the bolts that attach the strut to the wheel hub? If so, once they've been undone, they're never as tight again as they are on first use. It's best to reinstall with "threadlok" to take up the "slack".
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-05-2012, 09:20 PM	#7
pal Captain 433 Rep 753 Posts Drives: Z4 M Coupe Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (2)	I have done 3 track days with the KW Clubsports with solid top mount up front. After the last event at the Glen the passenger side front developed clunks over low speed bumps/dips. Everything seems snug and I cannot seem to pinpoint what can be causing this?? Plan to lower the strut/coilover tomorrow and disassemble and reassemble (will leave the lower part attached to car). Any thoughts on what else I should check/do? V3s were silent for 2 years
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-05-2012, 10:27 PM	#8
E92M3Pilot E86MPilot 23 Rep 265 Posts Drives: F10 550XI Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North Jersey / Phila iTrader: (3)	I believe the clunking noise is gone and at least for now. 1st, I found one of my steel brake line got lose from the clip and could have been banging against the shock during bumps, I clipped back on but that didn't solve all the problem. 2nd, it was actually my brand new hawk hp plus is making most of those clunking noises. I noticed when I pressed on my brake recently, it replicate a similar sound during certain bumps. So, I took the front pads off and found the clips attach to the pads are lose, one is more pronounce then the other. I can literally turn one of them. These are new, I hope I can get a refund. So, I put my old pads back on, the clunking seem to gone away for now. I got to drive it more over the weekends to confirm. __________________ E46M, E60/545I, E36/Z3M, E92M DTC, E93M 6spd, E86M(x2), F10 550XI (S2)(Current)
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-05-2012, 10:30 PM	#9
E92M3Pilot E86MPilot 23 Rep 265 Posts Drives: F10 550XI Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North Jersey / Phila iTrader: (3)	The rears pad is making a similar noise but very little. Sigh.. Is my first experience with hawk, not feeling so good about it now. I haven't had chance to check the rear, since I already thrown out the rear. __________________ E46M, E60/545I, E36/Z3M, E92M DTC, E93M 6spd, E86M(x2), F10 550XI (S2)(Current)
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-06-2012, 09:18 PM	#10
pal Captain 433 Rep 753 Posts Drives: Z4 M Coupe Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (2)	Thanks E92M3Pilot. I see you are in NJ; if you want to buy a new set of Hawk HP Plus for the rears, I have a set. I dont need them since I have StopTechs all around. I disassembled the passenger side front from the top, disconnected the end link and did the following - (1) Put some red bearing grease on the washer that sits between the top purple metal spring perch and the bearing cap at the bottom of the strut mount. (2) Raised the strut and while supported by a jack stand under the control arm and tightened the top nut. (3) Lowered the control arm to the perfect height to let the sway-bar end link slide into the shock. Then tightened it down till it stopped and snug after that. (4) Retightened the lower end link nut - got just a tiny bit of turn on it. This may have been the clunk though not sure. (5) Put a washer between the 10mm nut and the plastic arm for the height sensor and snugged that nut. (6) Reset the ride height. (7) Put wheel back on and lowered car. (8) Adjusted the 2 plastic pins for the hood - hit and trial until the hood was snug. (9) RE brace back on and top nuts all torqued. (10) Took the car for a test drive and all is quiet - no clunk. I still don't know what the problem was and whether the clunk will come back. What I feel a little better about it that it seems like something external to the shock and not inside. And I get to do this all over again when my 90-170 front/90-140 rear linear springs come in. Keep your collective fingers crossed that the clunk does not return.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-09-2012, 11:45 AM	#12
pal Captain 433 Rep 753 Posts Drives: Z4 M Coupe Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (2)	Did a track day/night yesterday with the fix and even had an off - no clunks so far. Fingers crossed.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

04-12-2017, 12:29 PM	#13
Forbes Daily driver/Weekend mechanic 10 Rep 48 Posts Drives: '06 Z4 3.0i Roadster Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Puget Sound iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 Z4 3.0i [6.00] 2014 BMW 328i [0.00]	Random clunk when turning up or down an incline (ie: parking garage) or making sharp spirited turns, usually on the passenger side, usually turning left. I've had H&R sways for a few years. The problem started about a year ago after I replaced stock shocks and springs for Koni Sports and Eibach Sport springs, lowering the car by about 1.25 inches (about as low as the M version). I recently swapped Bilstein Pro Sport shocks for the Konis. New upper shock mounts and new stock sway bar links were installed. Doing so reduced the frequency of clunking, but it still happens. I suspect lowering the car made the stock sway bar end link length too long causing the sway bar to occasionally shift downward or upward and possibly coming into contact with other suspension parts. Next move: re-torque / adjust sway bar bushing mounting points and install adjustable length end links. Does this suspected cause sound plausible, even with the small drop from Eibachs? Is there something else to check before next steps?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-19-2017, 03:11 PM	#14
Forbes Daily driver/Weekend mechanic 10 Rep 48 Posts Drives: '06 Z4 3.0i Roadster Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Puget Sound iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 Z4 3.0i [6.00] 2014 BMW 328i [0.00]	Hi Jay, I have been experiencing a clunk coming from the front end on cornering or when weight shifted from one side of the car to the other. I thought it had something to do with lowering the car and I was going to ask if you were able to work around the aftermarket components I mentioned. As it turned out, however, I was able to get some time in another shop before you had any availability. The mechanics at Fine Tuning in Seattle's north end had to dig to find what was making the noise, which had nothing to do with suspension after all. Nuts were missing from the engine mounts. So since nobody except myself and BMW Seattle have worked in the engine compartment, my question to you is this. Seeing my service history, in particular, the replacement of the engine's cooling system several months ago, is there a reason that a mechanic in your shop may have had to loosen or remove engine mount fasteners from both sides?
	Appreciate 0 Quote