popping in front end when I hit a bump

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by Freeman

Pete

I have had my car to to one dealer several times ,they do acknowledge the noise is there but told they can't touch it because GM claims it's normal.
I took it to another dealer today and we road tested the car, he thinks it is coming from the strut.
He said he will check out it if the struts or rubber bushings is a problem and get back to me.
Other than that I have checked the front in with a wrench and socket for tightness of nuts and bolts, I don't have a torque wrench capable of performing the torques specified.
You say to crank them down with an impact,I would be a little concerned about stripping the bolts/nuts etc.There is a reason why they specific a certain torque on certain bolts etc.
This rubber booth at the top of the strut ,does GM sell those or are they an aftermarket part.
I wish I was close and have you listen to this noise because it is annoying and when you have a mechanic at the dealer tells you to turn up the radio because that's what most camaro owners do that as this problem ,it would p*** you off.

You are correct about the torque specs. If you hammer away with the air gun you will strip something. That is why I say mechanic tight. If you know what you are doing it is a couple of burps. You hear it and see it. The socket is only going to move a bit more or less than half a turn. When you get that bit of movement you stop. The knuckles in the 5th Gen are aluminum. The ball joint studs are steel. I have never seen a tech strip a ball joint stud or nut with a hand wrench. The same is true of the LCA and RA bolts. When I tell people how to remove nuts from an endlink stud they don't believe it will work. Clean the exposed threads with a wires brush. Spray the threads with penetrating oil and hit the nuts with the biggest most powerful air gun in the shop. The TQ, the acceleration removes the nut without holding the stud. Burping the gun on the endlink nuts will get that extra half turn that is the difference between a noisy endlink and a quiet one. When we step out side the box like this, we own the endlink is we strip it because we didn't follow the GM TQ spec. We know that going in.

[rolnslo]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

...
With the exception of a handful of early production vehicles (upper insulator change out) the rest have been fixed on the spot with an impact gun and some grunt behind a couple of wrenches. If you can make the trip out here, I'll meet you at my Fredericksburg Pedders Dealer. We'll go over your front end and make your noise go away by making everything tight to my standards. I have posted a checklist for this. It just takes some time to work through. You can watch the process, take pictures and or video. It ain't a rocket science fix. I'll pay for the shop time. We just need to get you here to Heath's shop during the week.
...

While I'd love to take you up on this offer, this is not something that you should be "fixing". GM owns this problem, not Pedders. Besides, getting out to Fredricksburg during the week isn't going to happen this year (4.5hrs each way)...I burned my annual vacation balance this spring for the trip out to C5FestII. :(

I'll just start setting aside a bit of money every month to save up for a set of Pedders coilovers.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by rolnslo

While I'd love to take you up on this offer, this is not something that you should be "fixing". GM owns this problem, not Pedders. Besides, getting out to Fredricksburg during the week isn't going to happen this year (4.5hrs each way)...I burned my annual vacation balance this spring for the trip out to C5FestII. :(

I'll just start setting aside a bit of money every month to save up for a set of Pedders coilovers.

My bad. I thought you were in SA and your sig clearly reads Houston.

[rolnslo]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

My bad. I thought you were in SA and your sig clearly reads Houston.

No problem. I'll get your help in the future with the new coilovers.

[caligrown562]

Hey justicepete... I tried what you said about tighining the top sturt nuts and they were alittle loose. But after takin it for a test drive the noise was still their but not as bad. I also noticed the steering felt alittle different. Just want to know if I could of damaged something or changed anything in the alignment? Thanks

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by caligrown562

Hey justicepete... I tried what you said about tighining the top sturt nuts and they were alittle loose. But after takin it for a test drive the noise was still their but not as bad. I also noticed the steering felt alittle different. Just want to know if I could of damaged something or changed anything in the alignment? Thanks

No sir, you did not in any way alter your alignment. As you work you way through the checklist, please let us know the results.

[ZAP 1401]

Clunking information for those about to purchase or order a new Camaro:

I received a call from my dealer asking me to take/bring my Camaro to the dealer on 07-11-11, for an engineer to check my Camaro.

PURPOSE: Listed on trouble ticket

QUOTE: "A customer states he is hearing clunk noises from the front area of vehicle when going over bumps, driving on a rough surface or on uneven pavement."

FINDING: CAUSE:"Noises"

QUOTE ON TROUBLE TICKET: "GM field engineer road tested vehicle with technician and confirmed customers concern to be the "Loose Lumbar" front suspension noise as previously diagnoised. No corrective action required. GM engineer will submitt report back to dealer rep and customer service."

[caligrown562]

I had tightened everything justicepete had mentioned and the majority of the sound is gone. But now you can actually hear the struts compress like a hiss noise which ain't bad. Now I just need to figure out why my front driver side sits lower then the rest of the car. Any thoughts? Alignment maybe?

[MARINE1991]

Wow I have the same problem on the passenger side....

[aron77]

This thread officially has me worried. Add me to the list but to be fair I'll throw a maybe on there. I am hearing a thump or clanging noise in the undercarriage at slow speeds on bumps and more so when the wheel is turned plus I hear kind of a rubbing noise when I turn the wheel sharply and my car pulls to the left. Anyone have any uneven tire wear from this?

I have an appointment in a little over a week to get it checked out at the dealer and based on this post I'm already disheartened; almost 2 years of this thread and gm is still saying normal, yikes. If I hear the word "normal" at the dealer I might blow my top. Normal is a relative term but just becuase something is normal doesn't mean it is ok. Normal for a third world country is quite a bit different than normal in america. I don't live in a third world country and I don't want a third world car or my payments would be much cheaper.

I haven't owned anything but a gm in my life with many firebirds/camaros which I love but I swear to god if the camaro turns into the next cobalt or has the next dexcool I will never buy a gm car again. I'm already pist that gm values upselling more than their customers on the bluetooth issue and won't even sell us the part and then they skimped on the usb/ipod when other lesser cars come stock with it.

All I can think is yeah maybe it is just an unacceptable sound on a brand new car now but what happens if the tires wear uneven or oh lets say in about 3 years and one day or 36001 miles it becomes more than a poor design that you can avoid with a loud radio but a costly repair? Man, based on this thread the words bailout and manufactered to fail keep going thru my head. The other words that keep coming to mind are class action, that is what dexcool got them. Liability would be easy to prove but damages would not be quite as clear so if anyone is getting uneven tire wear from this or anything else that will cost them money then please post about that. It may take a class action law suit for them to get their heads out of the sand and their...
I hope I'm jumping the gun on talking about litigation but after sitting here reading over almost 2 years of posts I suspect I'm not. I hope I come back to this post after my car gets looked at and feel a little silly but I'm not holding my breath.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by caligrown562

I had tightened everything justicepete had mentioned and the majority of the sound is gone. But now you can actually hear the struts compress like a hiss noise which ain't bad. Now I just need to figure out why my front driver side sits lower then the rest of the car. Any thoughts? Alignment maybe?

Clunks are gone and we are down to the hydraulic noise of the strut, correct?

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by caligrown562

Now I just need to figure out why my front driver side sits lower then the rest of the car. Any thoughts? Alignment maybe?

Struts do not carry load or change ride height on the 5th Gen. That leaves only a couple of variables. We start the process by measuring ride height Pedders style. Your Camaro should be sitting on a very smooth level surface, empty as though it were new with 1/4 tank of fuel. Measure from the bottom of the wheel rim lip, up through the wheel center to the painted edge of the fender as shown in this photo.



Using a metric tape makes life easy as there are no fractions to convert. Typically the front will be 690mm and the rear 700mm with 20" wheels. This methodology eliminate tire size, aspect ratio and inflation from the measurement as you are measuring only the distance from the rim. It also eliminates errors typical in measuring from the wheel center.

Please post your measurements when you take them.

[caligrown562]

I will get the measurements when I have alittle more free time. But now that I tightened down those top mount nuts and I am hearing the struts compress. Is that something to worry about? Maybe wear them out faster?

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by caligrown562

I will get the measurements when I have alittle more free time. But now that I tightened down those top mount nuts and I am hearing the struts compress. Is that something to worry about? Maybe wear them out faster?

No sir it is not a concern in any way. That sound is actually normal