Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension Rear suspension clunk

Originally posted by csvt99:

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Checked the sway bar, kink is on the passenger side so it must me on correctly.

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Umm My bend in the bar is on the drivers side. That could also be the problem.

Note the leading controll arms (The U looking ones coming off the old subframe) the side towards the fence is the drivers side. You can see the bend in the stock sway bar on that side. hope this helps, also do the preload if that wasn't done.

Originally posted by csvt99:

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Well Stazi said the kink should be on the passenger side...so that is what I was going off of. But looking at your picture...I thought the sway bar was on the front of the subframe...if that is the case then your bend would be on the passenger side...but maybe i'm wrong, I didn't get a lot ot sleep last night

As far as the "preloading" goes, can someone explain that too me? I'm not 100% familiar with what is meant by that

Thanks!

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The subframe is upside down in the picture.

1 is the bend in the bar, if you where to flip it over to be installed on the car it would be in front of the rear wheels.

2 is the leading controll arms. Seeing that one you know it has to be on the drivers side when it's flipped over because it's the leading arm (first)

3 is the trailing arm. (last)

4 is the sub frame.



Preloading. You know when you jack up the car the strut and spring extend the wheel fully down. This also makes the leading (2) and trailing (3) extended fully down. If you where to loosen then tighten the bolts back up with the suspension in this position it loads the bushings in the arms to that position. When you drop the car back down it binds the bushings and causes problems and premature failure of the bushings.

To preload put the car on level ground raise it up with 4 jack stands and make sure it's level. Have all the rear bolts loose, jack one wheel up at the knuckle till the car comes about 1/8th inch or less off the jack stand then tighten the bolts on that side. Do the same for the other.

Originally posted by csvt99:

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Thanks for the clearification with the sway bar!

As far as the preloading goes....that is interesting...I've never done that before. You are just talking about the sway bar bolts correct?

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Controll arm bolts at the sub frame and at the knuckles have to be tighten using the preload method. Sway bar doesn't matter.

As for mine I'm wondering if I put the stock bar back in the wrong way, after testing the BAT and finding the subframe started making noise... I guess I'll have to fix that.