Need help on how to make this stop. A couple nights ago I started hearing a nasty clunk from the underside of my car. Today I put it on jackstands looked underneath and the first thing I saw was that the BMR front swaybar could slide side to side through the bushings (which are heavily greased, but I don't remember doing that when I installed it). The stop rings (seen below towards the 90 deg bend on either side) are basically hitting the mounts causing the clunking as the front suspension travels irregularly. Any ideas on how to stop this?

 

By the way, I installed this back in April and it only started clunking now. I'm wondering if the dealer greased the bushings when I took it in for an oil change last week

 

Hmmm...Maybe the swaybar mounts need tightened ...

 

I thought of that and tightened them down as far as they'll go.

 

Just a guess, but I would bet the frame-mount bushings are blown. They should have a shoulder outside of the mounting loop that snugs against the stops on the bar. If those shoulders are fried, you'll get end-play. I have the same bar, and track the car, and have no issues with mine, outside of the endlink nuts coming loose occasionally.

 

Maybe my bar is defective, the stops have almost an quarter of an inch of clearance between the stops and the mounts. I'll try to post a pic as soon as I can.

 

Hm.. I wonder if this is the problem I have been having too? When the clunk happens, does it sound like a metal piece is loose under there?

I have been having this problem (assuming it's the same problem as yours) for almost a year now. Several shops have looked at it, still happening. One shop replaced the front swaybar end-links with maximum Motorsport end-links (I believe that was the brand anyway) and the noise went away for about 3 weeks, then it came back. :-(

 

It sounds like metal hitting something and I can feel it through the floor pan. kind of a deep metal "thunk" or "clunk". Only seems to do it with sudden changes in directions or going over bumps in any other way than straight on.

Here are the pics. The first one is of the passenger side:


And of the driver's side:

 

If you can feel it through the floorpan, I would bet the swaybar isn't your culprit... Check your motor mounts, and make sure they're tight. I had the EXACT same thing, and it was loose motor mount bolts with the Prothane bullet mounts. A dab of Loctite, and all was good.

 

I also have a clunk, and took a look and have the same issue, the lip on the swaybar allows room for it to move side to side (doesn't rest against bushing). Let me know what your solution is.. I'm quite P.O.ed to say the least.. I already had the BMR LCA bushing problem, which they did take care of, but a street car should not be having so many issues.

 

What BMR LCA bushing problem?

I took the car to the dealer for the 30k service ($$$) and they said the swaybar endlinks were loose at the struts by about half a turn on one side and one and a half turns on the other. They tightened them down and it hasn't been clunking since. But its only been 1 day.

BTW, the tech didn't seem too terribly concerned about the collars not resting against the bushings, thought there usually is some play on it. I don't remember that being the case on the stock unit but my thoughts as to a solution are to get a set of wider bushings

 

The stock bars seem to be a lot closer at the collars as pictured below.

 

They received a bad batch of LCA bushings, they did take care of me.. seem to be holding up since.

http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/470/564/247185.jpg
http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/470/564/247195.jpg
http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/470/564/247196.jpg


I'll have to check my endlinks when I take mine out of winter storage.

 

When did they receive this bad batch? I got mine in fall of 2007 (I believe, I'd have to double check). Strangely though, my front-end clunking noise has all but gone away... I'm not sure I like that. Well, I'm happy that it's mostly gone, but I don't know *why* it's gone!

 

I know mine were originally purchased in Feb 07.

I noticed that when I really layed into the car that it pointed left, and when I dropped out of the gas it settled back right. First I thought it was me being super sensitive, but it bugged me, got under the car and saw this..
http://www.mustangmods.com/ims/u/470/564/246636.jpg
(shine in the red is the inner sleeve showing through)

And this was actually the better side once I actually pulled them out.

Like I said BMR sent me out replacement bushings, keeping a close eye on them and seem to be good.

 

How are the Hotchkiss sway bars? they are slightly larger then every other brand i have seen, im personally thinking about that set. Have heard many good things from that company

 

Check the sway bar end links--these can loosen over time and will definitely produce a noticeable clunk.

The nuts for these have to be tightened to 85 ft-lbs, while holding the stud with an 8mm wrench. Otherwise the stud just spins and the nut doesn't get any tighter.

 

I started getting a "thunk" on my car in the fall of 2007. At the time it sounded like one of the shocks had gone but it turned out to be the Eibach front sway bar being lose, six month after install. After tightening it down the noise went away and the car drove much better.

 

Yeah, seems to be a common problem. I drove 400 miles home for christmas and I'm glad to say that tightening down the bolts definitely seems to have stopped it.