Clunking after Vorshlag Camber Plate install - Help wanted!

[Kachow]

Fellow 350 owners! I recently had a shop here in Georgia install Vorshlag Camber Plates. Ever since the install, I've had a clunk at very low speeds while applying brake pressure. It does not do it at high speeds or heavy braking at high speeds. It is intermittent but felt through the brake pedal, audible with windows down, and can slightly feel through steering wheel. I advised them, per Vorshlag, you must take an impact gun and tighten the top nut until it no longer moves. They insisted "its tight". Well, I marked it with a sharpie (Per below pictures) and they appear to move. The purple sharpie marks do not line up after 2 days of driving. I wish I knew what the different parts were called but should that top nut stay in line with the silver ring on the plate?

I've also checked sway bar end links - They are tight at 80 foot pounds. They are not bent either. They do wiggle on a pivot but I assume this normal functionality.

The brake pads and caliper are on tight as well, everything appears torqued down. The metal backing plates are still attached to the pads as well. Car has not been tracked (Had a track day at RA scheduled but passed due to this) and has 12k miles on it. 2017. Thank you all! Posted additional pictures to see if anyone can spot something out of the norm.

I appreciate your input. If above is normal, anything else I should check?

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[txgt]

Good thing you marked the locations

Sounds like others have had this issue and a loose top nut is to blame for the clunking noise.

 

[VictorH]

Yes, as above, your answer is in the pictures. Top nut needs more torque. Vorshlag is pretty particular about this part of the assembly, worth going back and reviewing their install recommendations with your shop if you don't have the tools. if you do, it's a simple fix.

 

[Kachow]

Okay, going to buy an impact gun now. I'm worried about over torquing as I have never used one before. Vorshlag's video says blast 3 times until the sound changes? I suppose I can mark it after I blast 3 times and then see if it moves to know if its tight.

Appreciate y'alls responses.

 

[WItoTX]

I've never heard to hit that but with an impact on any car because it will spin the shaft and could damage seals inside. Vorschlag says to do it?

 

[Inthehighdesert]

Be careful with an impact. It’s not unheard of to break a head off or strip out a fastener. A 1/2” ratchet and a handle extension(Jack handle can be used) is really all that’s needed. But most of us don’t need an excuse to buy more tools. No offense but if the shop didnt correct this they’d never touch a car of mine again. Mistakes aren’t an issue and nor should rectifying them be.

 

[NeverSatisfied]

I’ve installed and romoved vorshlag plates a handful of times. Wear a nitrile glove and reach through and hold the shaft to minimize spinning. Use blue lock tight. Set the gun to full send and hit it hard with few ooga doogas.

also the nut, shaft, and uniball can rotate relative To the plate so that misalignment in your picture doesn’t appear to be problematic

any times I’ve found them loose In the past I’ve found if you put your hand on the nut and ball and have someone cycle the suspension, You can feel the clink. I’ve had issues with other mounts but have never had issue once with vorshlag’s

 

[Kachow]

I’ve installed and romoved vorshlag plates a handful of times. Wear a nitrile glove and reach through and hold the shaft to minimize spinning. Use blue lock tight. Set the gun to full send and hit it hard with few ooga doogas.

also the nut, shaft, and uniball can rotate relative To the plate so that misalignment in your picture doesn’t appear to be problematic

any times I’ve found them loose In the past I’ve found if you put your hand on the nut and ball and have someone cycle the suspension, You can feel the clink. I’ve had issues with other mounts but have never had issue once with vorshlag’s

I sent both of my pictures to Vorshlag. They echo what you are saying Matt. The pictures, actually, are fine. The markings indicate nothing is moving that isn't supposed to move and vice versa. The nut and uniball/spherical bearing SHOULD rotate freely. All seems fine.

So now I am even more puzzled as to what the clunk could be. Sway bar end links seemed fine and the noise wasn't there before the install. It also seems to be when it warms up - like brake related?

Back to the drawing board. Judging by other posts could be a ball joint somewhere....will try wiggle method again.

 

[Kachow]

I've never heard to hit that but with an impact on any car because it will spin the shaft and could damage seals inside. Vorschlag says to do it?

Yes sir they do - in their instructions and all their videos. They say only way to tighten is actually 3 buzzes from an impact gun.

 

[NeverSatisfied]

I sent both of my pictures to Vorshlag. They echo what you are saying Matt. The pictures, actually, are fine. The markings indicate nothing is moving that isn't supposed to move and vice versa. The nut and uniball/spherical bearing SHOULD rotate freely. All seems fine.

So now I am even more puzzled as to what the clunk could be. Sway bar end links seemed fine and the noise wasn't there before the install. It also seems to be when it warms up - like brake related?

Back to the drawing board. Judging by other posts could be a ball joint somewhere....will try wiggle method again.

I'd double check the swaybar endlinks. Sometimes they need to be removed to check them correctly. They should be stiff, if they're easy to move, replace them. Also could be just be the pads in the calipers. S550 is a pretty simple suspension. There's only so many culprits.

Despite what some say, when you eliminate the strut shaft rubber bushing and the spring seat gasket on the top hat, You will hear and feel more significant NVH from the front. Occasional spring squeak, etc.

This is the reason my Vorshlag plates are on the shelf in garage this time and I'm running BMR crash bolts and FP camber plates (have rubber bushing) on my dual duty commuter car to get 3+ Degrees of camber.

 

[Kachow]

I'd double check the swaybar endlinks. Sometimes they need to be removed to check them correctly. They should be stiff, if they're easy to move, replace them. Also could be just be the pads in the calipers. S550 is a pretty simple suspension. There's only so many culprits.

Despite what some say, when you eliminate the strut shaft rubber bushing and the spring seat gasket on the top hat, You will hear and feel more significant NVH from the front. Occasional spring squeak, etc.

This is the reason my Vorshlag plates are on the shelf in garage this time and I'm running BMR crash bolts and FP camber plates (have rubber bushing) on my dual duty commuter car to get 3+ Degrees of camber.

I've definitely noticed a slight increase in NVH over bumps with the Vorshlag. Not enough to annoy me, but it's there. Slightly harsher if that makes sense.

I didn't remove the swaybar endlinks or the tension arms while checking them. Just tried to wiggle or apply pressure in all ranges of motion to see if they had play, which they did not. Next step, I will remove and see if I can find any play in the bushings.

I took the car out again yesterday, ambient of about 75 degrees. I can NOT get it to clunk when the car is cold. Super strange, will only do it after a good amount of driving and everything is warm/up to temp.

Tell me more about the brake pads moving around? Can that happen?

 

[69boss]

I’ve installed and romoved vorshlag plates a handful of times. Wear a nitrile glove and reach through and hold the shaft to minimize spinning. Use blue lock tight. Set the gun to full send and hit it hard with few ooga doogas.

also the nut, shaft, and uniball can rotate relative To the plate so that misalignment in your picture doesn’t appear to be problematic

any times I’ve found them loose In the past I’ve found if you put your hand on the nut and ball and have someone cycle the suspension, You can feel the clink. I’ve had issues with other mounts but have never had issue once with vorshlag’s

Hey since you seem to know what you’re talking about. I just installed BMR camber plates and am getting a clunk on each side i torqued the spindle nut as much as I can but I may need to buy a strut nut socket to get even more. Have you had clunk issues with BMR?

 

[NeverSatisfied]

Hey since you seem to know what you’re talking about. I just installed BMR camber plates and am getting a clunk on each side i torqued the spindle nut as much as I can but I may need to buy a strut nut socket to get even more. Have you had clunk issues with BMR?

I don't own any strut nut sockets--I've always been able to get by using a spark plug socket--most my spark plug sockets have a "hex" on the opposite end you can put a wrench on.

Set a 1/4" drive socket on the strut shaft hex and a 1/4" extension. Then slip the spark plug socket over the extension to engage the strut nut.

Put a wrench on the spark plug socket and use a 1/4" ratchet to hold the strut shaft from spinning and tighten it down.

 

[NeverSatisfied]

Tell me more about the brake pads moving around? Can that happen?

The metal backing on the pads have some clearance to "float" inside the caliper. Every pad is a little different. Every time you apply the brakes the backing plates contact one side of the caliper

If you're stumped on the noise, you might try pulling the pads and greasing the the contact surfaces in the caliper to see if it helps. The fact it only makes noise when warm and an aluminum caliper has 3x the thermal expansion of steel backing plates (like if there's any gap it gets 3x bigger the hotter it gets) makes me think it's worth a shot.

 

[69boss]

I don't own any strut nut sockets--I've always been able to get by using a spark plug socket--most my spark plug sockets have a "hex" on the opposite end you can put a wrench on.

Set a 1/4" drive socket on the strut shaft hex and a 1/4" extension. Then slip the spark plug socket over the extension to engage the strut nut.

Put a wrench on the spark plug socket and use a 1/4" ratchet to hold the strut shaft from spinning and tighten it down.

I torqued it all down but its still clunking like crazy. Definitely coming from the BMR camber plates. Have you ever installed these?

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