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      05-28-2019, 02:02 PM   #1
Alan l.
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Front suspension clicking/creaking noise when turning the wheel

I started having this issue recently where when I'm turning the steering wheel at slow speeds (parking) or stationary I would hear a click or creak coming from the front struts. I think its from the driver side but i can't confirm.

Its not the clicking sound that some get from the brake rotors while the car is moving. This is at near zero speed and it could click once or twice if i turn the wheel almost to or at full lock.

The car is a 2018 Comp with 6K miles with MS springs installed. I've had the springs installed when the car was a day old and just started noticing this sound now.

Any ideas?

Alan
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      05-28-2019, 02:32 PM   #2
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Sounds like top mounts or the rubber boot has ripped due to misaligned or improperly installed springs
Lift car up and take of the wheel and try to do a visual inspection you should be able to see the top part where the spring is seated
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      05-28-2019, 03:10 PM   #3
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I checked that because i've always had a slight clunk after the MS springs under very specific types of light bumps that i've been chasing. Boot and spring orientation looks right and hasn't changed.
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      05-28-2019, 03:14 PM   #4
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Search for "clunk noise steering"...
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      05-28-2019, 03:49 PM   #5
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found this video. Sounds just like this. Looks like i may have to swap out the top hats and the boot. It could be ripped and i'm just not seeing it.

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      05-28-2019, 05:12 PM   #6
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The top mounts are gone! I am 100%.I change them already twice and it is because of the springs (I have/had Eibach).
Exactly the same noise when full turn.
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      05-28-2019, 06:12 PM   #7
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Did you change out the entire top hat with all of the other stuff (boot, gasket) or just the top hat itself?

Alan
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      05-28-2019, 06:24 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan l. View Post
Did you change out the entire top hat with all of the other stuff (boot, gasket) or just the top hat itself?

Alan
Should need just the insulator boots. Use a light coat of grease where the spring meets the pad.
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      05-29-2019, 06:37 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ct22bye View Post
The top mounts are gone! I am 100%.I change them already twice and it is because of the springs (I have/had Eibach).
Exactly the same noise when full turn.
How quickly do the top mounts wear out?
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      06-09-2019, 02:58 PM   #10
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ive got the same exact noise. please post what you find out
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      06-09-2019, 07:36 PM   #11
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I swapped my driver side top hat myself this weekend and the popping sound went away for now. Passenger side makes alittle sound but not bad enough to replace yet.
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      06-10-2019, 08:48 AM   #12
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Something to note.

When i pulled out my driver side MS spring the rubber boot was not torn or deformed at all so that wasn't the source of the clicking noise. When I inspected the stock top hat after removal you can spin the underside where the spring/boot comes in contact with the top mount and there is a bearing of some sort inside. It sounded like the bearing popped out of place because just turning it with my hand you can hear audible clicking sounds where as the brand new one i bought was silent. After fiddling with the old one it popped back into place and it was dead silent again. I suspect that overtime these bearings inside develops play and cause unwanted noises. Good thing is the part from tischer was cheap ($13x per side) and you can change it yourself if you have some mechanical knowledge.

Also adding some grease to the boot where it meets the top hat that Tom at EAS suggest helps everything get lined up as it should without deforming the boot.

I screwed up by going trigger happy with the impact gun while tightening the sway bar endlink bolt and snapped it clean off. Had to drive with one sides end link removed which actually made the car ride pretty smooth lol

Alan
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      06-12-2019, 04:09 PM   #13
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Part # for the bearings if you still have it handy? Thanks.
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      06-13-2019, 08:49 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clutchdj View Post
Part # for the bearings if you still have it handy? Thanks.
Its safer if you plugged in your VIN on www.realoem.com to check for sure because BMW changed the strut top hat mounts through the years and it differs between comp pack/edc cars vs standard.

The correct part number for my 2018 COMP M3 was 31307853702 (same L and R) and were about $121 each.

You also might as well order a new shock tube cover while you are at it since its cheap. Part number 31306791712 (Same L and R) $9 each.
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      06-13-2019, 02:43 PM   #15
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How quickly do these wear out stock and lowered?
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      06-14-2019, 08:30 AM   #16
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Put it this way my car is just about 1yo with about 7K miles on it. I had MS springs installed the second day i picked up the car.
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      07-13-2019, 10:21 PM   #17
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Update - Took about a month for my broken swaybar end link to get delivered so i've been driving around with it disconnected on the side where I swapped the top hat. The creaking was gone. Yesterday I re-installed the endlink without issues but I also removed the strut collar bolt on the knuckle since I ordered a new one figure it was cheap and incase I overtightened the original one to the point of snapping as well...

motherf!#$ the clicking noise came back louder than before on the side with the new top hat! Two variables is that 1) installed new end link and 2) the removal and installation of the collar bolt.

I found other posts with people with the same noise as me and someone mentioned it was due to the strut collar bolt not being tight enough which sorta makes sense in my case because the first time I installed it used the impact gun and went to town where as the second time with the new bolt I tried to do the right thing and torqued it to spec which is only 50-60ft lbs which isn't much. There was a lot more clicking sound at the lower torque setting.

Today I loosened the strut collar bolt and immediately tightened it but this time more than the recommended torque setting (full send) and the noise so far is gone again. I also scrubbed the rotor hub area to remove some of the rust and applied a thin coating of anti-seize there.

Lets see if the noise comes back but I'm beginning to think the top hat wasn't the issue all along. Its the act of replacing the top hat that could have fixed it for some people because you have to remove the strut collar bolt and reinstall it during the procedure that could have inadvertently fixed the noise.

Its number 5 on this pic. It clamps down on the strut and if its not tight enough it can cause the clicking/creaking sound while turning the steering wheel (under load)
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Last edited by Alan l.; 07-16-2019 at 09:16 AM..
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      07-16-2019, 12:01 AM   #18
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I had a knocking/clunking sound develop on my front driver's side. The strut clevis pinch bolt didn't seem loose, but tightening it even more fixed the issue (I tried several other things, this is what finally fixed it).
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      07-16-2019, 09:14 AM   #19
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Same here. Mine didn't seem loose at all either but you can def. tighten it up some more. The recommended torque setting of only 50ft lbs isn't much. Theirs at least a handful of people online posted that by tightening that bolt it resolved this same exact clicking sound for them based on my research.
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      07-22-2019, 07:33 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan l. View Post
I started having this issue recently where when I'm turning the steering wheel at slow speeds (parking) or stationary I would hear a click or creak coming from the front struts. I think its from the driver side but i can't confirm.

Its not the clicking sound that some get from the brake rotors while the car is moving. This is at near zero speed and it could click once or twice if i turn the wheel almost to or at full lock.

The car is a 2018 Comp with 6K miles with MS springs installed. I've had the springs installed when the car was a day old and just started noticing this sound now.

Any ideas?

Alan

Alan try tightening or replacing the steering rack mounting bolt and torque down to spec. My shop foreman figured this out for me and another member which fixed the issue.

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...diagId=32_2314

Last edited by 4DRS55; 07-22-2019 at 07:47 AM..
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      07-22-2019, 08:18 AM   #21
Alan l.
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^^ I will take a look this weekend. Right now my turning/clicking sound from the video is gone by tightening the strut collar bolt but I also always had a clunk while turning and hitting certain sharp bumps. Its not there 95% of the time unless its doing a prolong turn and hitting sharp bumps at the same time.
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      08-02-2019, 07:13 AM   #22
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have you checked the "rear" suspension arm that is attached to the wheel spindle? My friend has a M2 that had a squeeling noice when he turned the wheel, sounds like an old door hinge. I discovered that the outer joint on the suspension arm was worn and had play in it. you can feel it in the Wheel when you wiggle it. It seems like it hasn't been lubricated properly from the factory or that tolerances is too tight. The sound changes depending on if the car has been standing overnight or if weather is warm or there has been radiation heat from the car while standing still. This tells me that when the suspension arm is cold there is a slightly more play in the joint and the squeeling sound is not that strong. Anyway, now there is play in the joint so it has been worn out on only 12000 miles so we have to change the suspension arm.
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