I just finished doing an extensive suspension overhaul on the front. I have an 02 Honda Accord EX 4dr. I replaced the following items on both sides: upper control arms, outer tie rods, sway bar links, sway bar bushings, lower ball joints. I rebuilt my old struts with the following: new shocks, new cap, new rubber bushing that goes on top of the coil, and new bushings for the center of the cap. The only original part from the old struts are the coils. After I put everything together and made sure everything was torqued down to the factory specs and took it out. After driving it for a bit I start hearing a knock noise. It is completely random. It sounds like it is coming from both sides but more from the passenger side. I checked and rechecked everything multiple times but have not been able to isolate the problem. The only thing I have not replaced are the radius rod bushings. They are still the original ones. My question is could the coils from the old struts be bad or could the radius rod bushings be bad?

Let me admin this post. I have already replaced the upper control arms, lower ball joints, and the struts twice now and the noise I am hearing is still there. That is why I am wondering if the front thrust bushings need to be replaced.

 

What brand of parts did you use for all this?

 

The parts on it now are: control arms and balljoints (upper and lower) are Beck and Arnley, the struts are KYB with a strut mate mounting kit from Summit Racing. I tried the mounting kit from rockauto and from Orielly's first. I went with the stiffer ones from Summit racing thinking they would work better. The noise has lessened but is still there. That is why I am thinking the thrust bushing need replaced since the car is 13 years old now and they are the original ones.

 

The first parts used were moog control arms and ball joints with monroe quick struts.

 

A few things.

1. Did you "pre-load" everything? Torque everything while the suspension is compressed.

2. On the spring perches/upper mounts if there is stopper or something that prevents the springs from being able to spin. It is important that the springs are backed away from these. In most cases it will only be 1/4 inch or so. But springs want to twist while moving. If they are touching the stoppers, it will create noise.

 

Yes I torqued everything with the coil compressed. Are you referring to the stoppers at the bottom of the strut? On top of the strut are the strut mounts with the insulators.

 

My bad,

Yes the stoppers on the lower perches. It should not really be an issue on these cars though. This is Mostly on Macpherson strut cars.

It could be a bushing related. The spring is under load so that wont make noise. If the springs were bad, there would be signs. (uneven ride height, pulling to one side while driving etc.)

 

the car is driving perfectly other than the noise. I can take my hands on the wheel and it will continue to drive straight for a good 10 to 15 seconds. Does anyone know what signs there would be if the radius rod (thrust) bushings were bad?

 

Sway bars have a funny way of making knocking noises. I would double check all the torques on the endlinks.