popping sound in front suspension

[67motorcat]

I see that the "Centering Rings" were removed before the final installation.They seem to be provided only to ensure correct centering for marking the holes to be drilled.

I'm wondering if some "Flex" as needed in the factory design is retained when the bar is installed permanently?

I have seen this bar on a friends car and I like it alot and it seems it will clear my particular Supercharger.I'm going to have to check it out closer next time I see it...maybe have him turn the wheels and take a look for movement.

[PQ]

Originally Posted by 67motorcat

I see that the "Centering Rings" were removed before the final installation.They seem to be provided only to ensure correct centering for marking the holes to be drilled.

I'm wondering if some "Flex" as needed in the factory design is retained when the bar is installed permanently?

I have seen this bar on a friends car and I like it alot and it seems it will clear my particular Supercharger.I'm going to have to check it out closer next time I see it...maybe have him turn the wheels and take a look for movement.

Yes. I'm actually curious.

[67motorcat]

Still waiting to check out my friends car.

He hasn't been able to attend our club meetings all month.

[H.Adams]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

I know that noise was not in your car when we took your test drive. It is hands down the worst noise I have heard to date. I am thinking it could be an engine mount. Worse it could be a loose caliper. Your engine won't fall out, but I have seen what happens when a caliper comes off. Until you check the caliper bolts don't drive it. Please bring your car into Heath's. We'll do a complete inspection for safe and secure and then put the chassis ears on it and track it down. That sound is not the clunk or pop that people are talking about in this thread. It is loud and a clear indicator that something is wrong. Be CAREFUL and give me a call so we can get you in to Heath's a.s.a.p.

O 248.522.8021
M 616.834.8100

We will not charge you for anything but GM parts if they are required.

My car start to do the same sound after i put the Eibach PRO-KIT... everytime i steer do that sound....looks like everything is going to be apart on the front-left suspension....

[JusticePete]

If the noise started after you installed the lowering coils, check the lowering coil first.

Make certain the coil is seated in the notch on the lower mount and seated into the urethane and steel upper mount.

Next check the coil for any unusual marks. Some lowering coils for the Camaro had or have issues with a coil touching the lower spring seat when compressed i.e. going over a bump. Some owners used pliers to lean the spring seat out to eliminate the point of contact.

If those are good to go, with the car sitting on the ground remove the nut and strut retaining plate. Grab a deepwell 24mm socket and tighten the jam nut. If it moves, you may have found your noise. Put the retaining plate and top nut on and see if you fixed it.

To install the lowering coils the front endlinks were removed from the strut. Make certain the endlink nuts are tight on the strut and the sway bar. You can't imagine the noises that come from a loose endlink nut. When I say loose I don't mean 'loose'. I mean tight enough to prevent noise.

[DP Valentino]

Originally Posted by BMR guy

I don't want to depress you guys but this noise is a by-product of the upper strut mount design and is not fixable by simply changing a strut or strut mount.

Unlike most strut vehicles with bolt-in upper strut mounts, the Zeta platform uses a floating upper mount. The mount literally just sits in place using the weight of the car to hold it there. Those funny looking formed washers in the engine bay that stick up 1/2" above the strut towers are the strut retainers. If they were not there, the struts would literally fall out if you jacked the car up.

What happens when you go over bumps, washboards, potholes, etc. is that the strut rebound valving does not allow the strut to extend quickly enough to compensate so the entire strut assembly falls down out of the strut tower slightly. This creates the noise everyone is hearing. It is not dangerous by any means but it is definitely annoying.

Ultimately the design itself needs to be changed or the problem will continue. This would have to include changing the design of the strut tower itself as well as the strut mount. I doubt GM will do any more major re-designs with the Zeta platform but hopefully this issue will be resolved with the upcoming Alpha platformed Camaros.

Keep in mind this is a completely different issue from the earlier upper spring isolator service bulletins. The issue being discussed generally only happens while driving over speed bumps, transitions, rough pavement, etc.

That noise is annoying! Be having me check underneath my car all the time!

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by DP Valentino

That noise is annoying! Be having me check underneath my car all the time!

If the post you cited was correct, EVERY Camaro would have this noise. They don't.

[PQ]

Mine sure doesn't.

[Rcfiddy1]

Popping here too. Replaced almost everything so far and nothing stopped it. I'm down to ball joints now. Actually taking coilovers out due to being too low for my driveway, but they did not solve the issue and these coilovers are mounted to strut tower with camber plates. Wax told by dealer that is was normal. LoL. This sound is not normal because I didn't have it for first 50k miles.

[ARTIE G.]

Everyone seems to complain about this noise, and many have resigned themselves to poor design no solution. Well there is a solution. It is simply the stabilizer links. It took me over 5 months or so to find out. The sound definitely was a loose knocking sound. Familiar? It is a bad stabilizer link. When on a lift it may be overlooked. Shaking it my yield a minimum movement, but put hundreds of pounds of twisting force on it and have it resonate through the passenger cabin, it gets 1oo times as loud. Thus the knocking. Solution: Replace both front stabilizer bar links. Do not use adjustable or BMR parts. The sealed for life links are not really sealed for life and over time dry out and cause undue failure. That is what happens to the original links. Replace with Moog Solution Solver links that have grease zerk fittings so you can lube them every 6 months or so. They are direct replacements and are a little more thicker to withstand the twisting force. They have no adjustment length and bolt right on.. While you are at it get an alignment and you are good to go!!

[JusticePete]

How does that explain the sound on a brand new Camaro?

[PQ]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

How does that explain the sound on a brand new Camaro?

[PQ]

Originally Posted by ARTIE G.

Everyone seems to complain about this noise, and many have resigned themselves to poor design no solution. Well there is a solution. It is simply the stabilizer links. It took me over 5 months or so to find out. The sound definitely was a loose knocking sound. Familiar? It is a bad stabilizer link. When on a lift it may be overlooked. Shaking it my yield a minimum movement, but put hundreds of pounds of twisting force on it and have it resonate through the passenger cabin, it gets 1oo times as loud. Thus the knocking. Solution: Replace both front stabilizer bar links. Do not use adjustable or BMR parts. The sealed for life links are not really sealed for life and over time dry out and cause undue failure. That is what happens to the original links. Replace with Moog Solution Solver links that have grease zerk fittings so you can lube them every 6 months or so. They are direct replacements and are a little more thicker to withstand the twisting force. They have no adjustment length and bolt right on.. While you are at it get an alignment and you are good to go!!

End links can make noise. But many on here have ruled end links out. Including myself on a car of a local owner where I removed his end links and drove the car without them and verified the noise was still there.

I had end link noise on my car at one point and the sound was different.

For many the sound turned out to be end links. But for many it was not.

[Humongus1]

I have a 2011 LS Camaro. Just recently, I'm hearing a popping noise from my left drivers side. I have Hotchkis springs with a 2 inch drop. I still have the stock shocks. Could this be a problem with the strut? I know from the forum that some have had this problem, but as this is current, I'm either going with strut, control arm or ball joint. Any help would be appreciated.