chasing a sharp clunk

[silverton]

2001 LGT,Auto, 228k miles.

I have a clank noise coming from the front left when going over potholes, cracks, manhole covers not quite level with the road...etc, anything where the road just drops away.

New parts, all within the last 5-10000 miles. Everything. Lower control arms, ball joints, steering rack, wheel bearings, sway bar links and bushes, struts are gr2's with H&R springs, strut mounts, everything! Everything is also OE or OE equiv, no poly anywhere.

Control arms were done last; a couple days ago. The clank is mostly muted now, but still frequently enough is as loud as before.

The only thing I can think of now is something in the strut assembly, but it all looks okay.

[Max Capacity]

Have you talked with the shop that did the last alignment and let them know your hearing that noise ?

[yellowspirit]

55 minutes ago, silverton said:

2001 LGT,Auto, 228k miles.

I have a clank noise coming from the front left when going over potholes, cracks, manhole covers not quite level with the road...etc, anything where the road just drops away.

New parts, all within the last 5-10000 miles. Everything. Lower control arms, ball joints, steering rack, wheel bearings, sway bar links and bushes, struts are gr2's with H&R springs, strut mounts, everything! Everything is also OE or OE equiv, no poly anywhere.

Control arms were done last; a couple days ago. The clank is mostly muted now, but still frequently enough is as loud as before.

The only thing I can think of now is something in the strut assembly, but it all looks okay.

Try checking the torque on all bolts/nuts.

[silverton]

9 hours ago, Max Capacity said:

Have you talked with the shop that did the last alignment and let them know your hearing that noise ?

That would be me, I'm at a loss, that's why I'm here. haha.  It sounds like it would be the endlinks or the balljoints but I replaced both pair in the last 4-500 miles and there was no difference. My last hail mary was the control arms.

9 hours ago, yellowspirit said:

Try checking the torque on all bolts/nuts.

I am very adamant about torque specs on most things.  Everything was done to Subaru spec.

[yellowspirit]

12 minutes ago, silverton said:

That would be me, I'm at a loss, that's why I'm here. haha.  It sounds like it would be the endlinks or the balljoints but I replaced both pair in the last 4-500 miles and there was no difference. My last hail mary was the control arms.

I am very adamant about torque specs on most things.  Everything was done to Subaru spec.

I understand.  So am I, but I had this issue and when I went to retorque the nut for the rear bushing on the front control arms, I noticed that it was a bit below the torque spec.  It wasn't much, but it did resolve some slight clunking that I had.

[silverton]

22 hours ago, yellowspirit said:

I understand.  So am I, but I had this issue and when I went to retorque the nut for the rear bushing on the front control arms, I noticed that it was a bit below the torque spec.  It wasn't much, but it did resolve some slight clunking that I had.

I bought Delphi control arms, they came with that bushing/bracket already put on so I didn't think to check it.  I will verify the torque on that nut, thank you!

[yellowspirit]

6 minutes ago, silverton said:

I bought Delphi control arms, they came with that bushing/bracket already put on so I didn't think to check it.  I will verify the torque on that nut, thank you!

I've used Delphi control arms from Rock Auto on my 2014 335i.  They were garbage because they clunked within 5000 miles from the install.  I switched back to genuine BMW control arms since then and I've had no issues.

[silverton]

2 minutes ago, yellowspirit said:

I've used Delphi control arms from Rock Auto on my 2014 335i.  They were garbage because they clunked within 5000 miles from the install.  I switched back to genuine BMW control arms since then and I've had no issues.

Well damn, I don't like the sound of that, but alright!  I bought these specifically because they came with that bushing and bracket preinstalled.  I had tried a few myself with my GC and I don't know if there was something up with the control arms I was using or what, but it would tweak the mounting point of that bushing before it even got close to spec so I gave up and bought the same arms for it, that are now on my Legacy, but the GC didn't have this clunk. Which was also lowered; on AGX's and SPT springs.