Diagnosing front suspension noises

[Chiron]

I recently overhauled the suspension on my '12 GT. SVE springs, factory struts, and GT500 mounts - all brand new. I got everything installed and aligned about 1,500 miles ago and the car recently started making an intermittent popping noise. I'm well aware that this is a common issue on a stock setup, but can the same happen with GT500 mounts? For the most part, the noise will come and go while going over imperfections in the road, but it consistently makes a popping noise at low speeds when I turn the wheel ~90 degrees to the right. The noise is consistent with a certain clocking point of the steering wheel, and it's especially bad when I approach a bump or anything from an angle.

At first, the noise seemed to come from the driver side only, but now it's happening on both. All the research I've done has led me to believe it can be the strut mounts, the control arm bushings, or possibly the swaybar endlinks. I've snugged everything up and ensured factory torque specs are met, but the noise persists. Any suggestions for further troubleshooting before I start buying replacement parts?

 

[AnotherS197GT]

GT500 and stock mounts suck with lowering springs in my experience. I used new GT500 mounts that popped and groaned within 5k of installing. I replaced them under warranty and the same thing happened. Tried normal GT mounts with no luck. Ended up getting Maximum Motorsports C/C plates and they're whisper quiet.

 

[chair]

check your endlinks too. Mine blew out and had no rubber bushings and made a noise over every little bump.

 

[Pentalab]

GT500 and stock mounts suck with lowering springs in my experience. I used new GT500 mounts that popped and groaned within 5k of installing. I replaced them under warranty and the same thing happened. Tried normal GT mounts with no luck. Ended up getting Maximum Motorsports C/C plates and they're whisper quiet.

The GT strut mounts + GT-500 mounts are one time use only....both junk. They will pop eventually.
There is no camber adjustment on either versions....another pita. I installed the Steeda heavy duty struts...which also allow for +/- 1 deg of camber. That's +/- 1 deg of whatever camber you have now.
I had the camber set for -1 deg. I use staggered rims for 6 months of the year..and can't rotate front to back. The -1 deg was a compromise for performance and tire wear. -1.5 deg would be the most I would go with current setup.

With oem struts, pass side was -.4 deg and driver's side was -1.4 deg. Hey, let's at least make both sides identical. For my application, I don't require any more caster.

 

[Shotokan1509]

check your endlinks too. Mine blew out and had no rubber bushings and made a noise over every little bump.

Yep, if not strut mounts end links are big culprit

 

[Sky Render]

Check the torque on all fasteners, especially your sway bar bushing saddles and end links. I had this issue and it turned out to be a loose bushing saddle bolt.

 

[MassMustang]

Check the torque on all fasteners, especially your sway bar bushing saddles and end links. I had this issue and it turned out to be a loose bushing saddle bolt.

Did this happen to you right after swapping struts and mounts? I just swapped mine out and I get the "pop" off and on when braking or going over a speed bump at slow speeds.

I might even put the OE spring/strut/mount assembly back in to see if the popping goes away.

 

[Sky Render]

Did this happen to you right after swapping struts and mounts? I just swapped mine out and I get the "pop" off and on when braking or going over a speed bump at slow speeds.

I might even put the OE spring/strut/mount assembly back in to see if the popping goes away.

No, it happened about 6 months after swapping front sway bars and not torquing the fasteners down properly.

 

[Chiron]

Thanks for the input fellas. I was hoping to avoid c/c plates, but it seems like that may be the route to go. I'll check the saddle bushings on the swaybar as well as the endlinks themselves.

 

[claudermilk]

Why avoid CC plates? Get good ones (MM, Vorshlag) and they are easy to deal with AND don't have the known issues of the OEM mounts.

 

[AnotherS197GT]

Thanks for the input fellas. I was hoping to avoid c/c plates, but it seems like that may be the route to go. I'll check the saddle bushings on the swaybar as well as the endlinks themselves.

I was hoping to avoid that as well since I didn't want to shell out the cash for them, but I spent about $200 on replacing mounts, not to mention the time involved of swapping them out like 3 times. I really wish I would have gone with the C/C plates from the jump. They operate so much more precisely and smoothly than the OEM mounts, they're well worth it. My car feels so much better and no longer groaning every time I turn the wheel.

 

[Chiron]

Why avoid CC plates? Get good ones (MM, Vorshlag) and they are easy to deal with AND don't have the known issues of the OEM mounts.

$$$ mainly. I did springs, GT500 mounts, BMR LCAs, PHB, and RLBs all around the same time, so my car funds are looking a bit sad now.

 

[Fullboogie]

Yeah, those GT500 mounts are junk, even the latest iteration of them (I believe it's the "-D" version). Totally useless.

 

[Kylar]

I'm still chasing down my front end clunking...

Koni struts, gt500 arms, bmr springs, steeda adjustable plates, bmr sways and links......still clunks!!

 

[Sky Render]

Can you reproduce the noise by pushing down on the fender or core support? If so, have a buddy do that while you move around the car and listen for where the noise is coming from.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4 using Tapatalk

 

[GallopingFord]

I've tried to do a budget setup with the GT500 mounts and they've always ended up making noise. I went with MM plates and haven't looked back.

 

[Chiron]

Well I took the car out today and the front didn't pop a single time. As much as I tried, I couldn't reproduce the noise. I don't fuckin' know anymore.

I'll probably still make the swap to plates at some point, are there any that are more/less difficult to install?

 

[brent_G]

Every time I jacked the car up to look around after wards it would go away for a few days then come back. I was gonna say just put it on jack stands before bed every couple days Lol!

 

[Chiron]

That sounds like something Darren would do. I hadn't even jacked the car up, it just stopped being an ornery bitch today.

 

[Sky Render]

You're sure your lug nuts were tight...?