Suspension issues

[evoman]

I'm hoping someone might be able to explain a little issue I ran into yesterday. This is going to sound retarded and I hope someone can understand it - but I'm not a very technically minded person.

Took my car to get serviced and also get a wheel balance and alignment yesterday as it had been out since copping a pothole/crater a few weeks ago (and also needed redoing since the springs had settled anyway). Prior to taking it in, the car was fine and there were no strange sounds.

I last had it aligned at the same time as I had the new Tein springs put in, and my mechanic got it all as close as he possibly could to stock specifications. It was all fine but he pointed out that there wasn't much room left for adjustment in the cusco camber plates, as the screws were as close to the outside of the car as they could go.

Anyway, took it back to him yesterday and he tried to realign it again now that the springs had settled, and was much happier with the settings he was able to extract as apparently as the springs had settled, the camber plates could now be moved in a little giving him more freedom to do his stuff?? Anyway, the weird thing was that with these new settings, there was a metallic clunking sound coming from the front suspension mainly when turning. He told me to take it for a drive as he thought it was just the springs trying to reseat after being on the hoist, but it didn't go away. After a bit of a look around, he decided to change the bolt positions on the camber plates to see if that made any difference, and after a long drive I couldn't replicate the problem again so I drove back down to Sydney.
Unfortunately, when I was turning full lock to get into my parking position I heard it again, and on my way into work this morning, every time I turned hard left it would make this clunking sound.

I've rung the mechanic and he is extremely dissapointed and wants me to take the car back to him ASAP. Only problem is that I work in Sydney and he is in the blue mountains and I don't want to kill the car before I get it back to him.

Does anyone know what might be going on here, or what the problem might be? Is there an easy way for me to fix it myself before taking it back to be properly redone? Is it easy to adjust the camber plates to another position if that might temporarily fix the problem until it can be redone?

BTW, this mechanic has an alignment system which has actually heard of FTO's! HE can plug in my VIN number and it will spit out stock specifications. (Obviously no point as I assume its the same for all FTOs but impressive none the less)

[aza013]

It sounds like the springs are binding up.
if he gets some thick grease (packing or turn table) and puts it around the top and botom of the springs may fix this.

but it also could be somthing more
So if any one has other ideas post them

[Bennoz]

I know exactly what that is...

The issue with stock sized springs & camber adjustment tops is that you can hardly get more than a degree or 2 neg camber on the tops before the springs bind & hit the inner wall of the strut tower area under the car.

You'll need to release the strut tops & loose some of the neg camber (ie move the strut top towards the outside of the car.)

Problem is... if you've heard the clunking after putting it on full lock, chances are the spring has already rubbed hard against the tower walls & twisted itself up. It will be out of its cup seat, I gaurantee it... It won't kill the car, but get it back to him asap. Otherwise the weird angle the spring will put on your shock could cause it to blow its seal.

Its one of those annoying 'been there, done that experiences' I've had

[evoman]

Ahhhhh crap. Thanks for that Bennoz.

So I can't fix this by just moving the camber bolts to the outside of the car? Can you even do that when the car is on the ground or does it need to be on the hoist?

How dangerous is it at the moment? Am I safe to drive to work for a few days and get it up to him on the weekend....or should I try and get someone else to fix it up down here to avoid any possible issues. Can anyone recommend someone that actually has an idea about FTO's in the castle hill area?

[Bennoz]

Ahhhhh crap. Thanks for that Bennoz.

So I can't fix this by just moving the camber bolts to the outside of the car? Can you even do that when the car is on the ground or does it need to be on the hoist?

How dangerous is it at the moment? Am I safe to drive to work for a few days and get it up to him on the weekend....or should I try and get someone else to fix it up down here to avoid any possible issues. Can anyone recommend someone that actually has an idea about FTO's in the castle hill area?

Lol, probably me. Can you get under the car & have a look?

[evoman]

As in do I have an axle stand or something? Unfortunately I have nothing with me down here apart from the car jack

I can look under the car as much as the jack would allow me. What should I be looking for/trying to do?

I noticed on the way down to Sydney that the steering wheel was off centre when the car was going straight ahead and this was fine when I did the first drive around with the noise.

Man I hate cars sometimes.

[mr-charisma]

I'm hoping someone might be able to explain a little issue I ran into yesterday. This is going to sound retarded and I hope someone can understand it - but I'm not a very technically minded person.

Do you work for Flight Centre by any chance???

[evoman]

I'm hoping someone might be able to explain a little issue I ran into yesterday. This is going to sound retarded and I hope someone can understand it - but I'm not a very technically minded person.

Do you work for Flight Centre by any chance???

lol. WTF?? Am I missing something here?

[mr-charisma]

I'm hoping someone might be able to explain a little issue I ran into yesterday. This is going to sound retarded and I hope someone can understand it - but I'm not a very technically minded person.

Do you work for Flight Centre by any chance???

lol. WTF?? Am I missing something here?

my girl used to work there & the term "I'm not technically minded" was used by almost everyone who called in with IT Probs .. like;

her: "Could you please right click & then..."
store person: "...I'm not technically minded!"

I've never heard it used anywhere else before so its always just seemed like something one of those things that must have just been part of the company culture..

just though it would be hilarious if you did work there is all..

[evoman]

Lol, fair enough. Nah sorry mate, don't work there. I meant to write mechanically anyway, but wrote technically for some reason.

Anyway, thanks for your help Bennoz. You were right about the problem and it is all sorted now. My mechanic sorted it and completely realigned it again with a poofteenth less camber and it's all sweet.

Does that pretty much mean that adjustable camber tops on an FTO are mostly useless? Not much point having them if the springs are going to bind any any sign of a reasonable amount of camber.
What I don't understand is that the camber bolts are now on the outside of the car. However, when I originally got the car they were a long way in, almost near the middle, and there was no noise issues? How does that work?