Heim joint/Roto-joint excessive popping of ft A arms

[98TransAmWs-6]

Don't think polys should pop at all. You should be able to tighten them on the car but if adjustable you can't adjust them while on the car. Are sure they aren't tightened down to the correct torque because they will "pop" as you say if they are not.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

[Whamhammer]

Don't think polys should pop at all. You should be able to tighten them on the car but if adjustable you can't adjust them while on the car. Are sure they aren't tightened down to the correct torque because they will "pop" as you say if they are not.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

Is the concept of these joints something the run of the mill mechanic can handle, or does a shop that sees them a lot the way to go?

I just want to trust that whomever that looks at it can properly diagnose/ torque down and or repair correctly.

They also have want to make sure it's a one trip job, and if something else is the cause, that they can rule out one way or the other.

[98TransAmWs-6]

Is the concept of these joints something the run of the mill mechanic can handle, or does a shop that sees them a lot the way to go?

I just want to trust that whomever that looks at it can properly diagnose/ torque down and or repair correctly.

They also have want to make sure it's a one trip job, and if something else is the cause, that they can rule out one way or the other.

I'd take it somewhere that does it a lot if you are going to have it done.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

[pajeff02]

I suspect that something isn't fully tightened and the noise you hear is the slop between the bolt and the metal tube that it runs through. This would also allow the joint to rub against the mounting pad a slight bit so you have metal-on-metal making noise there as well. Have you run over everything with a torque wrench? I can post torque specs if you need them.

[98TransAmWs-6]

Question though why take it to a shop and not just check the torque on all the bolts because if they aren't the correct torque just set them to what they need to be and be done within 30 min or so. Obviously if it's not that simple and you don't feel comfortable diagnosing it then I'd take it to a shop.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

[pajeff02]

I will add that you do not want to drive it a whole bunch until the issue is fixed. Assuming it is something loose you have metal-on-metal wear happening and that can go beyond the point of a simple tightening.

[Whamhammer]

I will add that you do not want to drive it a whole bunch until the issue is fixed. Assuming it is something loose you have metal-on-metal wear happening and that can go beyond the point of a simple tightening.

That's what I am worried about too, at the amount of noise it's making, I am wondering if it's too late.

I talked to Spohn today and sent some pictures, and they said they didn't see anything out of the order, and they think it needs tightening with an impact wrench. They also saw petroleum lubricant instead of synthetic.

I haven't found any local speed shops yet, except a Subaru specialist.

I might call my local Mr Tire and see if they can tighten the powers and blow out the petroleum lube and add synthetic, is that a good or bad idea?

[pajeff02]

Tighten with an impact? Someone is smoking crack on the other end of the phone!

This is seriously beyond simple. If you can block the wheels, jack the car up, remove a tire and grab onto each suspension component with your hands and try to forcefully wiggle it, you can attempt to diagnose this issue. You must have some idea of what quadrant of the chassis the sound is emanating from. That is where you should start.

I had a mystery noise like this on our Suburban and it turned out to be a loose upper shock mount in the back. Rattled for a couple of months before I went after it. Inserted a thin flat washer and tightened everything back down... fixed in 10 minutes.

[98TransAmWs-6]

^this 100% agree.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

[Whamhammer]

Tighten with an impact? Someone is smoking crack on the other end of the phone!

This is seriously beyond simple. If you can block the wheels, jack the car up, remove a tire and grab onto each suspension component with your hands and try to forcefully wiggle it, you can attempt to diagnose this issue. You must have some idea of what quadrant of the chassis the sound is emanating from. That is where you should start.

I had a mystery noise like this on our Suburban and it turned out to be a loose upper shock mount in the back. Rattled for a couple of months before I went after it. Inserted a thin flat washer and tightened everything back down... fixed in 10 minutes.

The guy at Spohn actually said to use an impact! He said from the pictures, (summary):

to check the mounting bolts on the rears of the lower arms, the k-frame mounting boxes because some people think they are tight but the box isn't sucked tight against the rod spacers. "Use an impact wrench there."

The noise is on both sides of the car now, and it even makes a popping noise when I pull open the door, get in or out, etc.

I would have put it up myself but my shoulder has been hurting for the last month or so (tendinitis), that's why I've been looking for a shop. I still have the snow tires on.

I'll drive by Mr Tire and talk to them, and see if they will work with it.

My big concern is telling the difference between just needing to be tightened, and needing to be replaced, I guess if it needs to be replaced, tightening the ends won't help.

[Whamhammer]

The guy at Spohn actually said to use an impact! He said from the pictures, (summary):

to check the mounting bolts on the rears of the lower arms, the k-frame mounting boxes because some people think they are tight but the box isn't sucked tight against the rod spacers. "Use an impact wrench there."

The noise is on both sides of the car now, and it even makes a popping noise when I pull open the door, get in or out, etc.

I would have put it up myself but my shoulder has been hurting for the last month or so (tendinitis), that's why I've been looking for a shop. I still have the snow tires on.

I'll drive by Mr Tire and talk to them, and see if they will work with it.

My big concern is telling the difference between just needing to be tightened, and needing to be replaced, I guess if it needs to be replaced, tightening the ends won't help.

Went to Mr Tire, showed them the email thread between Spohn and I, and my photos, it's too far strayed from OEM for them to work, and that's okay, better to say no upfront, than to work it and not have a clue when it's all apart.

I called a performance shop two towns over that specializes with Subarus, It they say they work on anything, and they say they have worked with the type of suspension, and I will drop it off for Thursday.

I figure if they tighten it up, and they say the rods are good, that'll be great, if they aren't I might just go with a set of tubular powers with poly ends. Is the adjustability that big of a deal for handling on our cars? Same thing with he spherical joint?

[SMWS6TA]

For lowered or AutoX racing yes on adjustable, I'd even say a must too if you have an aftermarket rear end.

But for stock not so much.

[98TransAmWs-6]

If this was for the rear control arms I'd trade you my brand new roto non adjustable for the adjustable ones lol. But what Scott said is 100% main thing is for aftermarket rears, road and autox racing or similar venues.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

[Whamhammer]

For lowered or AutoX racing yes on adjustable, I'd even say a must too if you have an aftermarket rear end.

But for stock not so much.

Why would I need adjustable front arms because I have an aftermarket rear end?

[Whamhammer]

If this was for the rear control arms I'd trade you my brand new roto non adjustable for the adjustable ones lol. But what Scott said is 100% main thing is for aftermarket rears, road and autox racing or similar venues.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

I would like to take this car auto crossing on occasion but it is first and forms pat going to be a street car.

[35th-ANV-SS]

Are you not capable of tightening things down yourself? You seem to keep ignoring that. If so, that's fine. It seems very easy to check for loose bolts.

[Whamhammer]

Are you not capable of tightening things down yourself? You seem to keep ignoring that. If so, that's fine. It seems very easy to check for loose bolts.

I fully get what you are saying, if it was earlier on, and I had not just accepted that the joints would make some noise, when I just had an intermittent popping, yes I could just try and tighten the bolts. At this point, unfortunately, I think I am closer to the pound of cure than the ounce of prevention. I should have been more proactive but I wasn't. That's certainly my fault.

I have driven the car thousands of miles since the problem started, and I can't just look at one of these joints and tell if it's still good or bad. I don't want to have to keep dealing with a arm issues, if the joints end up being bad, and tightening is a partial cure.

What it boils down to is that I should have bought a arms with poly bushings and not adjustable joints.

[Whamhammer]

All the joints/spherical rod ends were trashed, the shop is looking at the never used Spohn, UMI or BMR before, so they have no dog in the race but they said that the rod ends/joints were not the best design they ever saw before. We are just going to do UMI on the bottom.

35th, you are right, I need to be able to do more myself. Its time to by a torque wrench.

[pajeff02]

Wander up to Carlisle in June and you can pick up everything you need and save a bit of $$.

[98TransAmWs-6]

Just realized you live only an hour and a half from me lol. I could have looked at it for you.

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk