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Hi, I have a noise I cannot identify and need some help, please.

I believe it is coming from the drivers side suspension.
At about 40km / 25mph, the car noticeably rattles over cracks in the road.
I've installed a new control arm with new bushings. New stab link and ball joint. I jacked up the front end, tried pushing the tires in from top to bottom, barely any play.

I'd love some feedback while I have the car on stands.
Thank you,

 
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what year car? suspension changes greatly from model

 
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2001 Civic LX - 4 Door

 
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You didn't mention stabilizer bushings only links.
Could it be a growl or hum - bad wheel bearing?
Bad strut or broken coil spring?

 
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Thanks for the reply.
No growl or hum.
I haven't changed the stabilizer bushings, strut or coil spring.

Are there any tests I can do to find the defective part?

Thanks

 
Rep Power: 367

retrace everything that you did to change the parts.

see if you did not miss anything or if they are not all the way in.

if you changed the ball joint too, i suppose you removed the center nut as well - check that as well.

get a crow bar and start prying around, forcing parts to move

 
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Thanks for the replies, 2 of 3 problems will be fixed following these forums

I came across the following link, which nicely helps identify the issue i am experiencing:

http://www.jamesandtracy.co.uk/howto...es_clangs.html

They indicate the rattle at low speeds, on uneven roads/cracks on road is caused by:

1. Drop links - look for snapped anti-roll bar drop links and worn/perished rubber bushes at their ends.

or

2. Dampers (shocks)- look for worn/perished bushes at the ends of the dampers. Look for excessive corrosion on the body of the damper which may have led to a leak in fluid or gas. Open the bonnet and boot of the car and inspect the top seats of the dampers for corrosion and loose mounting bolts.

The Drop links are easy enough to identify and look fine
Never checked the Dampers (shocks)

Suggested action:
Jack up the car and safely support it on axle stands. Grab the damper by its body and give it a solid shove up & down and back & forth, movement indicates possible failure. Open the bonnet and boot of the car and while repeating this test inspect the top seats of the dampers for movement. Movement indicates possible rubber bush failure or loose mounting bolts.

Is this another common issue?
Do you agree that it's isolated to the above 2 options?
Stabilizer links are less than a year old and look fine, by process of elimination it sounds like the problem is the Dampers (shocks)

 
Rep Power: 243

Since it’s a 7th gen they are known to have strut mount bearings go bad. They will make a noise over bumps around that speed.

It’s probably not the damper and it’s just the mount that went bad. Mine did on my 01.

 
Rep Power: 518

Sometimes visual isn't enough

Slide under the car.
Grab the stabilizer bar at the end near each joint
Push up/pull down on the bar very forcefully several times and listen for pop/clunk noise.....

I see an awful lot of those "recently replaced" links where someone didn't get the nuts tight enough, and they can make a ton of annoying racket

 
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Golnat - I think you may be right about the strut mounts being the culprit. When i push on the hood on drivers or passenger side, there's no difference in movement, also the car doesn't dip forward unnaturally when braking, or car slide when changing lanes. It does sound like a metal on metal noise, no noise when turning the wheel and no signs of leaking. Visually checked the top side of the strut mount, looks normal compared to the other.

I'll jack up the car tomorrow and try moving the shock manually as suggested above.

I'm struggling deciding to get the mount or the strut assembly.
Do you guys think by process of elimination it's the strut mount?

 
Rep Power: 243

Try moving everything suspension related manual (grab the endlinks, sway bar, ball joints ect) to make sure but it sounds like the mount.

I would just replace the mount since your struts are good. Struts should be replaced in sets as should the mount bearings.

Make sure none of the nuts on the mount or shock piston came loose either. Grab a wrench and try to tighten them.

 
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lower ball joint
tie rod end
cv axle
sway bar bushing
sway bar links
strut loose
strut cap bearing

one of those.

 
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I haven't raised the car yet but I found this interesting and wanted to share.

I was able to tighten 2 of the 3 nuts on the strut mount, under the hood, maybe 1/4 turn. The noise has really cut down! It's still present but not nearly as bad as it was.

 
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Tighten to torque spec and check.

Im still thinking it’s the mount.

 
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I raised the car, disconnected one of the nuts on the stabilizer link. Took it for a drive and the noise is completely gone..?

I think this confirms it's not the strut or mount.
I'll check the 2nd nut on the stabilizer link to see if it was loose. The one i undid was on very tight.
I'll try moving the sway bar by hand, listening for any pop/clunk

Any other advice with these new findings?
Thanks for being patient

 
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Check nuts on other link. If they are not loose, then replace both of the links. (replace links in pairs)

The link you disconnected or removed....does the stud swivel easily (loose=bad), or is it quite tight?

 
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The 2nd nut was really tight.
There is some play to it, it doesn't fall under gravity

 
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Good ones are fairly tight. "Some" play is probably far too much.

You've got the noise isolated to the parts you are messing with (links and bar)...and you got the link(s) unbolted......I'd Replace the pair of links, regardless.

 
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did you install the snap ring clips that came with the new lower ball joints?

 
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I bought the driver and passenger link but may have a problem,
I checked the part number online and confirmed it matches what I bought:
90455 Front Right
90454 Front Left

The Front Right is bigger and heavier, it has the hole for me to insert the grease and lacks the allan key hole
The Front Left is smaller and lighter, it does not have the hole for me to insert the grease and has the allan key hole.

Thoughts?

 
Rep Power: 518

Your parts came from 2 completely different suppliers, and their boxes were probably identical. Damn aftermarket crap!

As long as the rods are the same lengths, they will work
(I've never used the Allen key holes)

Same deal here, my own pic:
EDIT: IIRC one of these may have actually been MOOG brand part in the box