Hello everyone. I have a question. My car is a 96 Ek hatch. Lowered on function and form type 1 coilovers. Lately I have been going through upper control arms like crazy. I do get ones from napa but about a week after I put them on they start making noise again. Like a popping. So I was wondering if something else is wrong or it's time for aftermarket ones? I was gonna get ksport adjustable ones. Any advise or tips would be great! Thanks

 

sounds like you need to buy real oem ones.

 

camber kit, or raise your car sum

 

If I was gonna spend that much for oem, shouldnt I just get aftermarket?

 

Only if aftermarket are better. In this case, they're not, because OEM ball joints are the best available.

What is making noise -- the ball joint or the bushings? If it's the bushings, you might not be installing them correctly. If it's the ball joints than it's a build quality problem.

PS I'm assuming you're talking about the front UCAs nm says so in title

 

Get OEM arms from the dealer.

 

alright guys. ill just get OEM ones thanks for your help!

 

Raise your car. It's more than likely the bad angle of the ball joint as the root of the problem.

 

How low are you? Any cracks on your shock tower?

 

I'm not crazy low, Not all the way down or anything. But tucking tire for sure. Where on the shock tower?

 

There she is. I don't think I'm like crazy low.

 

No, that's fairly slammed.

Right next to the upper shock mount, where the UCA would hit the shock tower, is where you should look for cracks.

 

Ohh I see what you mean. There really isnt any cracks

 

^^ like where people cut holes so the uca doesn't hit?

 

Then check for your axles clicking.

If you need your car to be that low, expect these kinds of problems to constantly need your attention.

 

Hold your hand with your fingers straight out. Then with your other hand, bend them upwards and don't stop when it starts to hurt... Yeah, that's what you're doing to your UCA ball joints on hard bumps.

If you put your car on a jack, can you see *any* signs far up in the wheel well that any part of the UCA is hitting the frame? Sometimes the fender liner at the very top towards the inside has too much left on it, specifically inwards of the frame's seam. The UCA's outter lip will catch, and will result in unusual noises.

 

check your suspension housing. there might be some rubbing on your conrol arm... ive seen control arms trying to poke out on flushed cars.

 

Any updates on this, how are things now? Find anything??