popping frame connectors

**pewterz55** · 03-18-2010, 11:59 AM

whenever i come to a complete stop, right before i actually stop i here a small pop or creak sound from under the car, same as when i start moving from a complete stop. it sounds like its from where the SFC was connected to the control arm. is the bolt loose? i put that SOB on there pretty tight and i cant hear a sound from the other side. i did the install myself using jack stands, it seemed like everything fit very easily and very well. is this normal at first should i just give it some time or should i get under there today and do something about it? im pretty upset that the first mod i did to my car has already gone wrong haha please any help would be great. some people told me to jsut raise the car back up and loosen em the drop it and tighten them again, any ideas?

**pewterz55** · 03-18-2010, 12:00 PM

they are the 3 point UMI bolt ons. also some people said it would stop if i got them welded in but i dont wanna weld them in if there on wrong and end up twisting my frame

**c5z28** · 03-18-2010, 12:07 PM

What did you use jack stands for the suspension is supposed to be loaded, as in the tires need to be restion on something. I put the car on bricks 2 wide and 2 high then did the install. If you did it w/ the suspension unloaded redo it like I said or use wood whatever keeps it level. Get a torque wrench and torque it down to the specs it says on the sheet the sfc's come with.

**pewterz55** · 03-18-2010, 12:08 PM

yea i did it loaded. i had jack stands on the rear and stands on the a arms up front

**c5z28** · 03-18-2010, 12:12 PM

no do it with the tires resting on something

**shady milkman** · 03-18-2010, 12:17 PM

i bet you just didn't torque them down enough

**LSCyaL8R** · 03-18-2010, 12:42 PM

i did SFC's before I lowered my car, this would not work for me now at my current height.

I set up a pair of rhino ramps and measured them for level. when I was satisfied i drove the car up on them and jacked up the rear. I used a wooden block on my jack and lifted the rear suspension at the diff till my control arms were parallel with the floor. Everything bolted in just perfect and i torqued the hell out of it all.

Since then not a clunk rattle or noise from my SFC's. Easiest mod ever and highly effective!!!!

Like with anything, Take your time do it right and follow the instructions.

BTW i too have the UMI 3 point bolt ons

**pewterz55** · 03-18-2010, 12:45 PM

thanks a lot guy, yea im gonna have to borrow soem ramps from someone this time and jsut do it right.

**GottaHaveLS1** · 03-18-2010, 03:57 PM

how long has it been making noises for? My subframes did that for a while and then suddenly stopped. i did tighten them down a couple times after install but i'm not sure if that's what did it. I think they may have just gotten "broken in"

**pewterz55** · 03-18-2010, 07:05 PM

tHe day after I did them. I took it out on a little cruise the night I finished putting them on the next day it started

**shady milkman** · 03-18-2010, 07:31 PM

they will creak a little for awhile ..my weld ins did for like 3 days.

**peterlawl84** · 03-21-2010, 07:47 PM

Sounds like you will need to retorque them with the weight on the wheels this time. When I put mine on, I didn't hear any popping noises. You can also try to relube the LCA bushings and tighten them down again.

**pewterz55** · 03-22-2010, 02:59 AM

It seems like the popping is gone. Still a little creek noise at low speeds. If it doesn't go away in the next couple days I'm just gonna tighten them up and go from there. Thanks for all the help guys

**chuckie669** · 03-22-2010, 03:30 AM

My weld ins popped for a few days. turned out the rear Lower Control arms didn't get torque'd enough and after tightening up, voila the sound was gone.

**Turbo88** · 03-24-2010, 10:37 AM

check your torque arm bushing if it is bad it will make the noise u are describing i have the same problem right now. use a polyurethane bushing if it needs to b replaced.

**pewterz55** · 03-30-2010, 07:40 PM

Bringing this thread back. Turbo88 did that end up fixing ur problem? Cuz I had time today and went back and read the install instructions again. It said if there is a clunk torque the control arm bolts to 90-100. So I did now I dont get any noise pulling away from a dead stop but when I come to a stop it's even worse. Super loud and clunks even more. Idk how I messed up such a simple job haha but I think I'm gonna take it in and get it proffesionally welded on a lift

**RyanJM** · 03-31-2010, 01:19 AM

I plan on buyin bolt ons and just have a small bead welded at each point so they'll be solid but also if they ever need to be removed it'll just be a small area to grind rather that full weld in's where I'd have to do full weldind instead of a few beads. Just a little further than tac welding them.

**pewterz55** · 04-01-2010, 02:28 PM

well i put the car up on jacks againnnn and loosened and retightened everything againnn and. welp same thing there clunking like crazy when i come to a stop. i called a local shop and asked if they welded sub frame connectors and they guy didnt know what sub frame connectors were. so i dont think im gonna go there. i just really really hope that welding them fixes this problem. cuz ill cry if it doesnt