camber plates = tick tick ticking during low speed steering?

[Drifty//]

When I'm moving at low speeds (under 10 mph, perhaps) or stopped, I hear a ticking or clicking sound as I turn the steering wheel. The dealer says it's not the steering rack or power assist. They actually thought it was the strut brace getting torqued.

Anyway, I installed ground control camber plates shortly after I got the car. I can't clearly remember whether the car did this before the camber plates, but I think maybe it did. A bit of web searching has lead me to believe that the noise might be coming from the camber plates, themselves. I asked Ground Control and they said it shouldn't happen and that it shouldn't be a matter of lubrication as there's nothing on those camber plates that should need to be lubed.

Something else the dealer told me is that the lower control arms have a significant amount of play in them.

[radsmd]

Originally Posted by Drifty//

When I'm moving at low speeds (under 10 mph, perhaps) or stopped, I hear a ticking or clicking sound as I turn the steering wheel. The dealer says it's not the steering rack or power assist. They actually thought it was the strut brace getting torqued.

Anyway, I installed ground control camber plates shortly after I got the car. I can't clearly remember whether the car did this before the camber plates, but I think maybe it did. A bit of web searching has lead me to believe that the noise might be coming from the camber plates, themselves. I asked Ground Control and they said it shouldn't happen and that it shouldn't be a matter of lubrication as there's nothing on those camber plates that should need to be lubed.

Something else the dealer told me is that the lower control arms have a significant amount of play in them.

Trying to work through the exact same issue with GC as we speak.

[Rapture]

I ditched my Ground Control sleeve coil over set up because of the noise (among other major problems). GC will lie to you and tell you they never make any noise.

[Sleeper519]

Mine do the same thing. It's minor and doesn't bother me any more. No other N/H/V, function is fine.

[CanAutM3]

Don't hear anything with mine...

[Drifty//]

Originally Posted by Rapture

I ditched my Ground Control sleeve coil over set up because of the noise (among other major problems). GC will lie to you and tell you they never make any noise.

What major problems? I was just about to add their sleeve/spring kit. What do you plan to use instead?

If it's just a bit of noise in parking lots, I will happily ignore it. The only reason I asked was out of concern that the noise might be a symptom of a more serious mechanical problem.

So far, I'm pleased with my GC camber plates. If the noise is coming from them, I wish GC would just be honest and tell me. Then, I could stop worrying. I understand that any sort of aftermarket suspension part is necessarily a tradeoff. And as far as tradeoffs go, this small noise really wouldn't be a bad one at all.

[Drifty//]

Originally Posted by Sleeper519

No other N/H/V, function is fine.

N/H/V? Noise/H???/Vibration?

[rzm3]

NVH = Noise, vibration, and harshness

When you turn your steering wheel, the struts turn, and the springs turn with the struts. The upper spring perches have bearings above them, which allow the springs to rotate smoothly.

I suspect that the noise is coming from one of these mechanisms.

Best way to find out for sure? Install the factory upper mounts.

[Rapture]

Originally Posted by Drifty//

What major problems? I was just about to add their sleeve/spring kit. What do you plan to use instead?

If it's just a bit of noise in parking lots, I will happily ignore it. The only reason I asked was out of concern that the noise might be a symptom of a more serious mechanical problem.

So far, I'm pleased with my GC camber plates. If the noise is coming from them, I wish GC would just be honest and tell me. Then, I could stop worrying. I understand that any sort of aftermarket suspension part is necessarily a tradeoff. And as far as tradeoffs go, this small noise really wouldn't be a bad one at all.

Refer to my posts in this thread: http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=702886

[Krozi]

If it's a consistent clicking, and you can predict when it's going to click, then it's probably the front wheel bearings. I had the same exact problem, and after new rotors, brake shields, and tie-rod ends, they finally swapped the bearings and that fixed it.

[edwinm3]

Could be the the bearings on the plates but I bet you it's the springs binding when the rotate on the perches. Just to give you an idea, TCKline sells teflon and metal sleeves that go in between the perch and the spring preventing this from happening. Give Ground control a call to see if they have anything like that, if not TC Kline will hook you up.

[Drifty//]

Originally Posted by Krozi

If it's a consistent clicking, and you can predict when it's going to click, then it's probably the front wheel bearings.

Can it be the front wheel bearings if the car isn't even moving? That's when the noise is worst.

[Krozi]

Originally Posted by Drifty//

Can it be the front wheel bearings if the car isn't even moving? That's when the noise is worst.

Yea mine did it moving or not moving, but it was always the same sound level. Did the noise start RIGHT after you installed the GC kit?

[Drifty//]

Originally Posted by Krozi

Yea mine did it moving or not moving, but it was always the same sound level. Did the noise start RIGHT after you installed the GC kit?

I wish I could remember. I think it was pre-existing, but not 100% sure. The car was so new to me then, and I hadn't yet become accustomed to all its quirks.

[Krozi]

Originally Posted by Drifty//

I wish I could remember. I think it was pre-existing, but not 100% sure. The car was so new to me then, and I hadn't yet become accustomed to all its quirks.

Get someone to turn the wheels while you're outside of the car listening. If the sound is coming from where the brakes are towards the center of the wheels then I would look into getting the bearings replaced.

Let me know when you sort it out!