If you run OEM upper strut mounts, thats the problem... i'm 95% sure

 

What upper strut mounts would you recommend and why?

thanks

 

My car is still under warranty. I notice this noise when I drive with no air conditioner on in the car and no radio on. Very light noice every time when I go over the small bumps i nte parking lot or else. But guess what they found out, nothing, they said it is he brakes because they are adjusting, they move forward and backwards depending which direction the car is going, they move slightly, so that the brakes don't make a squeaking noise. I hope it is making some sense. And they test drove before they called me to pick up my car, but now when I drive it is still there, they are going to call me in two weeks to find out how it is riding, I AM GOING TO SAY IT IS STILL THERE. They also told me that the labor to fix this is not compensated by Lexus. Oh well. Any solutions. ?

 

if it was the upper strut mounts, then were is actually the location on the strut mounts that is making the clunk noise? i looked at my strut mounts and they are bolted on solid to the frame. and in between the mounts and the spring are the rubber spring holders, which are still soft. i don't see how rubber would make clunking sounds.

 

This is a great point. I would say that most GS's do this. I don't know if I would describe it as a clunking noise. It's kind of like the sound you get when walking on the second floor of a house with creaky floor boards. I guess I would describe it as a sharp, quick clunk (as opposed to a solid, heavy thud). I've talked to my dealer about this, and it's 100% the brake pads shifting within the calipers. I think you can buy a kit to fix this problem, but I'm not sure that it's worth the time, effort, expense, etc.

The only thing is that I doubt this is GSquicksilver's problem. It seems that his problem must have something to do with the STB (or the fact that installing it caused some other problem). It just can't be a coincidence.

 

I too have this. I usually get a clink braking after backing out of my space and then again braking at the garage exit. I hate "oh yeah they all do that" problems...

My front-end is tight, tho.

 

Yeah, I here ya. "They all do that" gets kind of old, especially when you begin to compile a long list of them.

By the way, I was studying your suspension thread last night. You are a wizard. I only wish I could tackle that job myself. My front end is loose as a goose.

 

i figured out what was making the clunking noise. i took the TRD STB out and put back the old plates that went over the mounting bolts. while i was taking one side off, i noticed that if i hit the bar, i hear the same noise. turns out that there are either 2 causes:

1. the hole where the strut bolt from the front strut goes through is touching the bolt.

2. the 3 bolts that mount the bar itself might be shifting during bumps (i torqued to recommended values, and even tried tighter to 45 pounds).

so either during bumps, the strut rod bolt is hitting the STB or the 3 bolts are moving microscopically to hit the oval holes of the STB.

maybe i should put the spacers in and put some rubber around the gap between the STB mounting holes and 3 mounting bolts?

anyone with the TRD STB have the same issue?

 

I don't have a TRD STB, but I have the Carson Tune STB and I'm having the exact same problem and sound "the clunk". Granted I know that there are fitment issues with this bar and the refitted ones will be issued in late February, but that does make sense.

I did hear that someone had a sight problem with the STB's moving a bit. They torqued them down to 70 lbs and they didn't have anymore issues with movement. The thread should be on the "There hHre Carson STB" thread under group buy section. I'm going to tighen mine as well and see if the problem persists.

 

WOW, 70 pounds?!?!?!?!?!

i'm just worried that the bolts on the strut mounts would snap. man, i'll give it another shot tomorrow and see what happens.

 

update on clunks:

i put back the TRD STB with the spacers and i torqued it down to 60 pounds. so far so good, no more clunks. now the bar clears the engine cover by a few millimeters. steering is firmer and more controlled driving.

next mod:

any of you guys had experiences with the Daizen Sway Bar Bushings for the OEM sway bar?

 

You mean the STB is now sitting on top of the stock 'rings'?

 

yup, they are sitting on top of the stock black rings.

 

I torqued mine down to 70 and so far no clunking noise. When I started to torque them down I did notice they were loose on the side it was making the clunking noise..

 

How the hell does my thread gets moved so far back, even though I was the 4th or the 5th one who posted a reply to this thread, Can someone explain?/// I t happened before too, But I thought it was just me, this time I NOTICED IT FOR SURE.