2012 Steeda Rear Sway Bar Loud Popping

[awsimons]

So I installed the RSB Sunday afternoon. No problems driving around Monday or Tuesday morning, but driving home Tuesday night, I made a slow turn into a shopping center and heard a loud BANG or pop come from the rear end. Driving the rest of the way home I had a few more, softer, pops during turns. I'm pretty freaked out I messed up my car!

I did some internet research and realized I tightened everything down with the car in the air (unloaded), rather than on the ground, so is that probably the problem? I missed that part on the install sheet. I didn't see anything broken back there when I looked.

In my reading, people seem to think that noises from your suspension are normal when you upgrade components? Is that true? Should I expect some popping?

Help?
Alan

[Sponsor]

[BigRed03]

if the bushings are polyurethane, popping is common without lubrication. some urethane safe marine grease may provide longer greasing intervals.

[whimsicalpouch2]

yeah, you have to grease the crap out of them. more grease the better. if you had any left over after installing, you best have lubed that up big time. i would look at it when you can, make sure everything is correct and snug

[rambleon84]

It also could be the endlinks, if you didnt tighten them enough, they could be making a popping noise from the bushings moving around. Then check that your bushings are still centered in the clamps that they didnt pop out or anything. Usually its the bushings not being greased enough like the others said..

[awsimons]

Okay, here's the deal. For some reason, the bolts holding the two brackets for the RSB were not tight enough. I don't know if they worked themselves loose or they weren't tight enough in the first place because I put the RSB on when the car was off the ground. Anyway, as the car entered a turn, the torque on the RSB applies up/down force onto those brackets and they have been slipping up and down. The brackets have slots for the bolts rather than circular holes, so they can move up and down if the bolts aren't tight enough. I can see on the brackets where the metal slid on the bolts. Maybe I'll get a picture.

I tightened these down and spun around the block. No Popping! Maybe I need locktite on these bolts?

Alan

[SteedaBrandon]

Originally Posted by awsimons

Okay, here's the deal. For some reason, the bolts holding the two brackets for the RSB were not tight enough. I don't know if they worked themselves loose or they weren't tight enough in the first place because I put the RSB on when the car was off the ground. Anyway, as the car entered a turn, the torque on the RSB applies up/down force onto those brackets and they have been slipping up and down. The brackets have slots for the bolts rather than circular holes, so they can move up and down if the bolts aren't tight enough. I can see on the brackets where the metal slid on the bolts. Maybe I'll get a picture.

I tightened these down and spun around the block. No Popping! Maybe I need locktite on these bolts?

Alan

Alan, glad to hear you got your issue resolved!

[ihdillon]

I finally stopped relying on the dealer and fixed the popping noise myself.
It must have been that the dealership did not listen to me about tightening the brackets to 42 ft lbs. I could tell they used an impact gun on the brackets because one of screw threads were ripped off and the hole was beat up. The bracket hole must not have lined up so they made it line up.. (sarcasm) Lazy! lazy! lazy!