Tonnka rear billet lower control arms.. need help

[BlueSamurai]

hello

Wondering if anyone is using this. I just had a set installed in my Mirage and i hear rattles and metallic clonking noises @ slow speed turning and sometimes uneven roads, especially uphill.

I know there's prolly no point asking coz i should go back to the workshop, but i am feeling rather worried, so i thought i would just pop the question, c anyone have had similar issues and know wat was done to resolve. i did the install at a workshop afew days back and it seems like its getting progressively worse, albeit slowly.

 

[Izso]

Is it possible they weren't bolted down properly?

 

[BlueSamurai]

Is it possible they weren't bolted down properly?

I seriously have no idea. bringing it back to the workshop tomorrow.

 

[vr2turbo]

I seriously have no idea. bringing it back to the workshop tomorrow.

Let us know what when you find the problem....

 

[BlueSamurai]

Let us know what when you find the problem....

So i brought it down to another workshop today... they didn't have time to take a look at it. however he theorized that it could be the bottom mounts of the dampers since everything is stiffer now. Superpro trailing bushes, hardrace toe and camber arms, and the ends of the billet rear LCA are polyurethane too.

He asked me if everything was bolted back and tightened while the car was suspended abv ground or wif wheels on the ground. he says it makes a difference, and that everything should be tightened only when the car has its wheels refitted and is on the ground again.

Is this really true? i am not quite convinced.... anyone care to weigh in?

 

[Izso]

Loaded and not loaded does have differences for a car that has very little movement like yours. Afterall rubber is flexible and allows for movement, your PU bushes will make a difference already. Throw in the pillow ball mount, etc.. wah your car race car ka?

 

[vr2turbo]

Lower arm have bushing, so whether fitted suspended or on the ground should make no difference

 

[BlueSamurai]

Loaded and not loaded does have differences for a car that has very little movement like yours. Afterall rubber is flexible and allows for movement, your PU bushes will make a difference already. Throw in the pillow ball mount, etc.. wah your car race car ka?

Lower arm have bushing, so whether fitted suspended or on the ground should make no difference

Thanks for the feedback. The jam on sat was excruciating even on the 2nd Link so it was a wasted trip. Coz by the time i reach e workshop it was too late to do anything.

Originally before i did anything, everything was okay except for the chassis creaks and squeaks *hey, old car*. and this problem wif the rear left wheel coz the wheel kept giving itself negative camber. Which was the catalyst for me to want to swap out all the bushes to SuperPro. Then i realised Tonnka do sell the rear billet arms wif poly bushes for Proton Satrias and the like and HardRace toe and camber arms are cheaper than the Superpro bushes so what the hell. (ok, i am posting here coz satrias and mirages are almost similar. Mine is the CJ chassis, 1 generation newer but rear suspension components all same)

I starting having sounds in the rear after the parts were installed. a different kind of creak and squeak, and additional rattling and/or clunking noises. Which befuddled me. I know what a difficult customer is like (i used to be a service advisor for my local bmw and porsche dealer) and i dun think i am a diffcult customer. I understand that things are stiffer now and sure to generate operational noises. I can accept squishy bushes and the like but clanking and rattles.. fuyoohh.

Anyway to cut a long story short. this workshop i went to today said that the lower mount of the dampers were not tightened enough. So they checked my rear undercarriage and retightened everything for me. So far so good. Will evaluate for the nxt few days.

 

[vr2turbo]

Come to think off it, my very old Civic at one time had squeaks and undercarriage noises. After my mechanic tighten all the undercarriage bolt, front and back, the noise went away. Hopefully yours too.....

 

[Izso]

So it was just a tightening issue like I said eh? Fuh I'm gooooood.. Bwahahahahah (not)

 

[vr2turbo]

So it was just a tightening issue like I said eh? Fuh I'm gooooood.. Bwahahahahah (not)

But not tighten what he changed but the undercarriage.....hhahahhahaha

 

[BlueSamurai]

the noises are gone for the most part. much better before the tightening. but the occasional clunking and rattle still occur. i wonder if this is normal for cars wif polyurethane bushes? Do bear in mind i nvr heard heard these noises before the polyurethane bush and billet arms install.

I am sorry if i come across as a difficult person but the reason why i am asking is i dun wan to be.

 

[Izso]

the noises are gone for the most part. much better before the tightening. but the occasional clunking and rattle still occur. i wonder if this is normal for cars wif polyurethane bushes? Do bear in mind i nvr heard heard these noises before the polyurethane bush and billet arms install.

I am sorry if i come across as a difficult person but the reason why i am asking is i dun wan to be.

Dude, we car enthusiasts are all the same. I am equally difficult when it comes to my own car. So no need for apologies.

As for the PU bushes, I had some PU bushes in my old car but I didn't have noise like you. The noise was caused by other parts of the car moving/rattling more because of the bush. Having said that I've been in the Superpro PU test car that had everything swapped out. Full PU. The ride was pretty awesome and the only thing was the engine vibration was a bit too much because of the solid mounts causing rattling and all. But I don't think your car is having these issues. Probably metal to metal from the billet arms. Try greasing it yourself perhaps?

 

[BlueSamurai]

Dude, we car enthusiasts are all the same. I am equally difficult when it comes to my own car. So no need for apologies.

As for the PU bushes, I had some PU bushes in my old car but I didn't have noise like you. The noise was caused by other parts of the car moving/rattling more because of the bush. Having said that I've been in the Superpro PU test car that had everything swapped out. Full PU. The ride was pretty awesome and the only thing was the engine vibration was a bit too much because of the solid mounts causing rattling and all. But I don't think your car is having these issues. Probably metal to metal from the billet arms. Try greasing it yourself perhaps?

Sorry for the late reply. A few issues have come up since then. I realised no amount of tightening will rectify the noise, as it didn't come from the bolts not been tight enough. In fact i see the workshop use pneumatic air gun to tighten the bolts up, which cause massive scratches the arms, and also damaging the bolt and nut treads. SIGH. The noises did not cease. in fact they became worse. The reason, (or part of the reason) was some freeplay where the part the coilcover lower mount is bolted to the arm. Only the left hand side. If i wiggle the shocker body, it will hit the arm. thats what causing the noise. Funny i dun have that issue wif the original arms. I have since inserted a small washing to lessen the free play.

To be frank the noise is coming back, this time wif a vengeance. its getting worse, and while i can accept operational noise, i cannot stand knocking. its telling me its metal and metal which... isnt supposed to happen? Nevertheless I have rear superpro bushings and i decided to press them into my rear lower arms... So i got a very prominent workshop in JB today to help me press the arms.

I am from SG and as i didnt drive today i thought they would help me wif the press and i can bring the arms home and install them at another workshop when i have time.

The main point being i wanted to try isolating the noise. If it still have the same sounds then it must be my coilovers, If not then its the arms...

Alas.

Sometimes doesnt mean well known workshop will do a good job. This is what happens when you work with no heart. Now i have to go back to get them to push them out and repress in for me.

Nin na ma eh, best part. I dunno which side is pressed right, which side is pressed wrong now. apparently, 1 side either of the front or rear of both arms, should have a shorter/longer exposed area of bush. I hope i am making sense of what i am saying.

I am also wondering if pushing these bushes and their relevant steel parts out and pressing them in again will spoil them or not. If they become more loose, seriously whats the farking point....

 

[^pomen_GTR^]

Sometimes doesnt mean well known workshop will do a good job. This is what happens when you work with no heart. Now i have to go back to get them to push them out and repress in for me.

Nin na ma eh, best part. I dunno which side is pressed right, which side is pressed wrong now. apparently, 1 side either of the front or rear of both arms, should have a shorter/longer exposed area of bush. I hope i am making sense of what i am saying.

I am also wondering if pushing these bushes and their relevant steel parts out and pressing them in again will spoil them or not. If they become more loose, seriously whats the farking point....

both looks correct to me.... watch closely the black metal some kind of sleeve on the arm where the bushing thicker than the other side...


to me seems like your short arm (dog bone arm) bushing gave way....did u use the one with spherical bearing end? if still stock...that could be your problem...