[slikirish]

So I'm still trying to track down this nasty noise in the ass end of my car. So far I've replaced the shocks and that helped some. I know the exhaust is hitting the sway bar when the suspension is fully compressed, but I'm getting another noise as well.

One evening this week I'm planning on electrical taping both the rear springs (no isos),perhaps greasing the contact point on the springs (what kind of grease, I'm not sure), and making sure the sway bar and control arms are good and tight and that the bushings haven't gone bad. My last thought was to remove the quad shock.

Is it going to hurt anything to run the car for a bit with stock control arms and no quad shocks? This is my DD and I generally drive spiritedly, but I can control myself for a week or so to see if the quad shocks were the problem. Although, I don't want to remove them if it's going to hurt anything under "normal" driving conditions.

Also what kind of grease should I use on the springs that won't dry out or drip everywhere?

[manolith]

i removed them right when i got my car and used it with the stock lcas for about 6 months without any issue at all..

[DickH]

they just help with wheelhop as far as I know. You can remove them without hurting anything. What kind of noise are you hearing?

[stal94gt]

dont use electrical tape for your coils, go buy some heater hose and slide it down the coil, also new quad shocks are cheap just replace them

[00redgt]

by the time you buy new quads you can save a little more and get some lca's

[Jazzer The Cat]

Just use some heavy axle grease on both ends of the springs and they will be fine

They will make a bit more noise while driving down the road, but wont harm anything. The spring rate is un-effected and your ride height is just a bit lower. As for quads.... sure, just take them out and not "necessary" to replace them. They address a bit of wheel hop issues and seem to tighten up the rear a bit from some movement, as per TGR's assessment. As per my boy, 00.... pick up some good LCA's at some point to tighten up the rear end in general, but WILL add some of that noise of which you are trying to be rid

Jazzer

[worrgp]

not to thread jack here but what does removing the quad shocks do for wheel hope and
do you just take them off if you get lca's

[slikirish]

The noise I'm getting is sometimes a metallic clunk and sometime a grinding Tyler of sound. I replaced the shocks and that seemed to help a bit but didn't completely fix the problem.

[slikirish]

Perhaps creaking is a better word than grinding

[Jazzer The Cat]

Well... pull the quads and just see if the noise goes away They are easy to remove and a quick test to see if they are the problem. If you are not sure what IS making the noise, sometimes you have to prove what is NOT!

In sports, they call that addition by subtraction

Jazzer

[manolith]

i had a simmilar sound after a few months with my ford racing lca.. it was one of the rear shocks that had a lose bolt on the axle

[sharkbait]

Check your LCA bushings.

When they are wearing they squek and when the bushings are destroyed they clunk

[slikirish]

will do all of the above

[ReverendDexter]

The only negative effect of removing the quadshocks is that you'll feel more of the side-to-side slop in the rear end. Not because the quad shocks are designed to prevent it, just because it's an extra set of bushings that binds up and resists that motion.

You should have no issues, and certainly no permanent issues, that arise from removing them for a week.

I will say, if they are the issue, why spend $85 on quad shocks when you can replace your LCAs instead? Two birds with one more slightly expensive stone.

[DickH]

if you are hearing clunking noises and are on stock control arms, its probably the bushings. They may look fine while on the car, but when you take them out I bet they look cracked and torn up.

[00redgt]

quick question,which is better to replace lcs or upper,in other words which one will help more

[Jazzer The Cat]

Your quick question, I see as a trick question

I would replace the LCA's and consider the benefits to removing the UCA's via upgrade of that quadra-bind out back of the <S197.

Jazzer

[slikirish]

If it's the quadshocks and the bushings don't look beautiful, then I'll be found LCAs. I'm just glad it won't hurt anything to run without them for a week or two.

[slikirish]

see this thread

removing quad shock with stock CAs

So I greased up the the spots where the springs sit and removed the quad shocks. The quad shocks were definitely done. When compressed by hand, that wouldn't decompress on their own what-so-ever.

Took the car for a test drive and it's still making noise. So I've narrowed it down to one of two things. It's either the LCAs, or it's the exhaust hitting the sway bar. I'm starting to think it's the exhaust. I didn't realize it was rubbing so bad until I got a good look at it tonight. The paint is actually rubbed off and the sway bar flat spotted, as well as the exhaust pipe is flat spotted in an area about 1.5X5 inches. So I think it's hitting a lot harder than I thought.

I couldn't move the exhaust back myself b/c of the hanger being welded on. The hanger will have to be cut off, the pipe moved, and the hanger welded back on. Going to call a shop tomorrow to see when they can do it. If that doesn't take care of it, then new LCAs will be on order.

[slikirish]

Update here

http://www.moddedmustangs.com/forums...continued.html