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EM2 coupe loose suspension noise....anyone else?

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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 06:57 AM
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Default EM2 coupe loose suspension noise....anyone else?

Guys i have yet to take a look since its only 20 degrees in NY, But while driving my wife's em2 coupe i keep hearing a noise when going over bumpes or rough roads. Sounds like a sway bar or something is loose. It happens over every bump so its very noticable

Sounds like something metal is moving around for sure. I did check from the top like the neuspeed strut bar and all the nuts to make sure they were tight. So i guess it has to be something underneath or in the wheel wells.

Anyone else have this problem before??? Hoping i could find out on here before searching and freezing to death
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 07:48 AM
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Default Re: EM2 coupe loose suspension noise....anyone else? (alscrx)

Does she have any other suspension mods besides the upper strut bar?


I was hearing the noise you are describing on my car, ended up being the collars (height adjusters) on my adjustable coil overs. They were loose and rattling over bumps.
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 09:34 AM
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Default Re: EM2 coupe loose suspension noise....anyone else? (portaman03)

NO its on stock struts and springs. I was thinking maybe the strut is blown.
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 12:55 PM
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Default Re: EM2 coupe loose suspension noise....anyone else? (alscrx)

yeah, probably that or the shocks...
but most shocks & struts make that noise when its xold outside.
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 03:21 PM
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Maybe worn bushings ?? Mine started sounding like what you describe, had the bushings replaced and now its a happy car.
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 06:34 PM
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I have the same noise on my car. When I go over a bump or rough roads it sounds like the shock or the control arm or something is being jostled around pretty bad.
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 07:11 PM
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Worn compliance bushings? It's most likely a bushing issue honestly.

A blown strut is obvious. They clunk around and turn the car into a mess.
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 07:42 PM
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Default Re: (katzenjammer84)

yes Lower Control Arm bushings for the front if you hear it from the front of the car. ~$50 + S&H new on ebay.......dealership = ~$100 new.....up to you haha I'll be ordering mine soon once the weather here warms up a bit more...here's a note to you. If you continue to drive with bad bushings, you will notice very bad traction control on the side of the car that has the broken bushings. I drive in snow and on slippery roads here, and I notice my car sways a lot even going straight no accel at about 30mph+
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Old Feb 11, 2008 | 08:45 PM
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Default Re: (fongyz22)

how do i replace it?? Will the "xtractor" tool work??

This car is a mess on handling for some reason....could be bushings causing this!



Modified by alscrx at 1:01 AM 2/12/2008
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Old Feb 12, 2008 | 02:28 PM
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Default Re: (alscrx)

is it like a crunching noise? in my brothers accord it had a crunching noise like the one you described and it ended up being the cvboots.
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Old Feb 12, 2008 | 02:36 PM
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Default Re: (em2power)

No crunching noise, more like a metal banging around
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Old Feb 13, 2008 | 05:15 PM
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I replaced the control arm bushings with polyurethane bushings about 8 months ago, which was a mistake, but the noise is still there.
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Old Feb 14, 2008 | 01:21 PM
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Default Re: (cmackF22)

possibly the sway bar link. if any of the 2 nuts are loose that connect one end of it SBL to the lower control arm and the other to the sway bar itself you'll get a metal-on-metal rattling noise that is definately loud enough to hear in the cabin and will always be hear over articulations and bumps in the road surface.

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Old Feb 14, 2008 | 11:56 PM
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Default Re: (Nighthawk7thGen)

My wife complained today that the ride got worse and the steering is not the same, so i drove it around for a while and wow, The car doesn't steer or handle the same at all.

The car feels like its all over the road, and over each bump the car pulls itself!!

I have to check this out asap..will take pics if i find something.

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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 05:32 AM
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Default Re: (alscrx)

I aha the same problem that your talking about,u let go of the steering wheel and it pulls to one said? or when u give it some gas it pulls? and when u turn it sounds like things are "pinging" and popping all the time? it was the same with me,i just took it to a suspension shop and they fixed it,what had happend is the springs got turned a little bit and werent centered,so when u turn,they sound like metal grinding and poppin,just take it to the shop and they can fix it.
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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 03:17 PM
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Default Re: (ProjectEM2)

I have a friend that was experiencing the same types of issues and it turned out that his tie rod snapped. Cost a bout $350 to fix. That could be it maybe?
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Old Feb 16, 2008 | 06:30 PM
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Default Re: (em2power)

WOW, he paid $350 for a tied rod replacement.

I am gonna check the whole front suspension and see whats up.
I am not using the car anymore until i can look at it. Next decent day i will. Its been cold and shitty in NY
23 degree and when it goes up to 40's it rains,LOL....can't win
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Old Feb 18, 2008 | 08:07 AM
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Default Re: (PremierEM2)

Ok finally got a good day to check.....all suspension components are good except the COMPLIANCE bushing on driver side. Its broken all the way around.

Now they sell the whole arm for like $70 bucks online with bushings(NON OEM).....
Or i can buy just the bushing for like $10 bucks from honda

Has anyone replaced this bushing before and if so how did you do it???

Is there a special tool for this bushing?


Modified by alscrx at 6:48 PM 2/18/2008
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 09:32 AM
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Default Re: (alscrx)

OK so i removed the arm and picked up a bushing from honda...had a shop press it in...and i reinstalled the arm.

Steering wheel is off a little now and i think it needs an alignment now but the problem of the metal banging noise i heard is gone. I noticed on the old worn out bushing that in one spot it was shiny silver so there was metal to metal contact for sure!
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 10:32 AM
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Default Re: (alscrx)

Im going to have to do the samw with my bushings. Did you have to get your honda dealership to order the part or did they have them on hand?
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 11:22 AM
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Default Re: (em2power)

Honda had them in stock. They charged me $15 for the bushing...i asked if i could have someone press them in and they said no. We only do it if you bring in the car and its $285 with bushing and labor.

So i went to a few shops and asked if they had a press. Cheapest i found was $30 to press it in. So I did it and its cool, $45 later...suspension feels good again
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 12:07 PM
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Default Re: (alscrx)

Cool thanks for the info.
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Old Feb 25, 2008 | 05:56 PM
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Default Re: (em2power)

The car rides ok, The banging noise is gone but when i go over bumps i feel like the wheel "HOPS".

When i did the new tires awhile ago, i seen fluid dripping from the strut. So i am pretty sure the strut will fix my problem. I seen oem honda struts for like $85 vs after market for $100 plus!

If the strut does not fix this suspension problem, i do not know what else it could be. There are only 2 bushing on each lower control arm and the sway bar bushings.

Do you guys think this wheel hop is the strut??

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Old Feb 27, 2008 | 09:23 PM
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What is the part number for the compliance bushing? I have the same problem, it's driving me crazy.
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Old Feb 28, 2008 | 09:06 AM
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Default Re: (rockinkcollins)

Honda part# 51391-S5A-024
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