Topic: Wrecked My Car Need Help Fixing It!

[campbmic]

So, I bought a 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer OZ about a year and a half ago. Three days after I bought it I was taking a turn too fast, lost control, over corrected, and hit a curb at about 40-50 MPH.

I don't have pictures of the damage (which is a shame) but basically the front right wheel hit the curb and got pushed back a few inches. I towed it to a local mechanic and he put on a new control arm for $200 and it was driveable. Since then I've put 30k miles on it

The car makes a vibrating noise, coming from the front right wheel well whenever I hit bumps or whenever I let off the accelerator. It sounds like a loose bolt is jingling around. It would also make a kind of thud/tick if I were taking really sharp turns. Like when I was backing out of a parking spot and had the wheel all the way turned. About 15k miles after I wrecked the car the front right axle went out and I replaced it. That fixed the thud/tick and now I can take turns without any noise.

So really the only problem with the car right now is the jingling loose bolt noise. I lifted the car up today and tried to shake the wheel to hear where it was coming from but no noise came. The one thing I did notice were these clamps that I found on the front right shock. Whenever I lifted the car there were two clamps on the spring. However, one of the clamps only had one bolt tightened down, the other clamp was missing a nut on one of the bolts.



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The front left side didn't have any clamps on the spring



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Can I take off the last clamp on the front right spring or do I risk damaging something by doing this? I already removed the one clamp that was missing a nut and that seemed to not do anything.

Anymore tips on trying to get rid of the jingly/loose bolt noise?

[Gordon]

Don't know too much about car suspensions, unfortunately, but I'm curious about those clamps.  Are they a cheap way of lowering the ride height?

[The_Crippler]

Don't know too much about car suspensions, unfortunately, but I'm curious about those clamps.  Are they a cheap way of lowering the ride height?

So far as I know, that's exactly it.  I know tuner guys who put those on to shorten the height and stiffen the suspension without having to spend $$$ on high performance springs to slap in.

[mgbgt89]

Yeah.. That is a kit sold by JC whitney and others to lower a car. Take that crap off, It probably had something to do with you losing control. Those completely ruin the ability for a suspension to work properly.

If you want it low, get some real springs and shocks, and you won't be losing control at 50 MPH any more.

[The_Crippler]

Yeah.. That is a kit sold by JC whitney and others to lower a car. Take that crap off, It probably had something to do with you losing control. Those completely ruin the ability for a suspension to work properly.

If you want it low, get some real springs and shocks, and you won't be losing control at 50 MPH any more.

Here's what I'm wondering - was he driving with two different height springs before/, or did the mech put in a oversized one and clamp it down to the right height.  If the second one, taking the clamps off is going to put him back to two different ride-heights. 

[Gordon]

As for the noise it's making, it looks like the top of the spring is good, but check the bottom.  It may be broken down near the bottom and rattling around. 

[mgbgt89]

Yeah.. That is a kit sold by JC whitney and others to lower a car. Take that crap off, It probably had something to do with you losing control. Those completely ruin the ability for a suspension to work properly.

If you want it low, get some real springs and shocks, and you won't be losing control at 50 MPH any more.

Here's what I'm wondering - was he driving with two different height springs before/, or did the mech put in a oversized one and clamp it down to the right height.  If the second one, taking the clamps off is going to put him back to two different ride-heights. 

Good point.. I think the OZ rally was lower than a standard Lancer to begin with. Was the strut assembly replaced OP?
Not only would they be at different ride heights, but different spring rates as well. Handling would be a little bit wonky.

Check your sway bar end links as well.. They make a jingling bolt noise when they are broken.

[mgbgt89]

Are those clamps on all four corners?

[Retro Rocket]

Get rid of the clamps {can't believe they are allowed to sell those  } and check the CV joint, they are usually the source of vibration in the front wheel drive vehicles, relatively cheap to replace...I have 2 lancers and have replaced them in both cars.....big difference. If you get a clunking sound when going round tight corners then its definitely the CV's


Mick

[Stev-o]

Sell it asap!

[campbmic]

I replaced the CV joints (I believe). When I replaced the axle I believe I had a CV joint/axle that I put in.

I will jack the car back up tomorrow to remove the other clamp. The car never had a lean, I suppose that with a lowering clamp on one set of springs it would. I asked the mechanic and he said he didn't install those clamps, but something tells me hes not the best mechanic in the world. I think he might have. Maybe its the clamp thats causing the noise I will report back tomorrow!

By the way thanks for the help guys!

[Retro Rocket]

If the spring is slipping or moving when being driven, which i suspect it is then it would cause a rather loud clicking or clunking sound..

Mick

[tgtint]

1. Remove that clamp, throw it away
2. Look at your tires, are they wearing evenly?  If not its an indicator something is not right
3. Inspect your ball joints and tie rod ends
4. Get a free alignment check, lots of garages offer it.  Its because 9 times out of 10 if you want your alignment checked you have something wrong they can then sell you.  If nothing is wrong pay for the alignment $50ish usually, they will shake down the suspension n/c with the check and find the issue.

[tramp]

does it have struts on the front suspension?
they will sound like nuts loose when they go bad

[tgtint]

does it have struts on the front suspension?
they will sound like nuts loose when they go bad

Yep that is a strut.