So I was having some problems with my axle nuts coming loose and I brought it in to get examined. Upon looking over the car, it was noted that the wheel bearings were completely shot. They replaced the wheel bearings and tightened up the suspension, checked tie-rod ends and everything else, and I should be good to go.

The car does drive better...very smooth, very stable, but I'm having a really weird issue under acceleration with throttle input around 50% or more. Any time I accelerate at a harder rate (I've yet to even go into WOT for fear that something terrible will happen) there's a popping noise that seems to come from either the axles, the suspension, or the transmission and it doesn't seem good at all.

As I increase speed and acceleration I hear a clunking/popping noise that increases in repetition. It's significant enough that I can hear it and feel it both in the pedals and steering wheel, so I can't imagine that's a good thing.

If I accelerate very conservatively, nothing really happens and everything is smooth (no prolems, no noise whatsoever).

Any idea what this might be?? I've never heard of anything like this, and everyone that I've talked to states the same thing.

Any advice or info would be incredibly appreciated.

Not sure if any of the modifications may have any influence over this issue, but in the event that they do, here are the mods that could have possibly caused the problem:

JDM DC5R lower control arms
JIC coilovers, re-valved w/ 14k front 20k rear spring rates
Alex front sway

The transmission is still stock, so I can't see anything being an issue there.

Could the 15mm offset difference between the USDM RSX and the JDM DC5 ITR LCA's be the issue, or might it just be a case of a botched install on the new wheel bearings?

 

could the axles be walking out of the trans?

 

well...I really don't know what's going on. I'm dropping it off on Monday and the problems have only gotten worse. Seems like the wheels/axles squeal like crazy when I cruise in gear w/ no throttle input and when I do give it some throttle, I get some kind of odd rattling feedback. If I start to get on it, I feel that same popping again from the axles, and occasionally it sounds like something rubbing against the CV boot. When I let the car roll in neutral, it doesn't seem to be much of an issue. I'm really worried, as I know that this can't be anything good.