CLSspeedx

'03 CLS 6 Speed / 125k miles / stock suspension

Hi everyone, I'm completely stumped...

I starting noticing my passenger front tire feeling like it was slipping at very low speeds when the wheel was turned (ie- Starbucks drive through!).. Took it to my mechanic and he couldn't find anything wrong.

Now this it happening with both front wheels and I also get a creaking sound... @ low speeds with wheel turned. I know I had a new driver's axle installed not long ago so its not CV boot related. I am in bad need of new struts, but this seems to be only an issue during turning.

Last note: I fought with a curb last Friday and it won. I wound up buying 4 new rims and tires and went from 17's to 18's. I noticed a faint burning smell (like rubber) coming from Passenger front tire (I hit the right side). After I got the tires I got an alignment and the tech didn't see anything wrong. I also checked and know there isn't a clearance issue.

slowcl-s

iTrader: (1)

Could be a bad lower ball joint. If you don't get it checked out you could end up messing your car up really bad.

Check this thread: https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...wer+ball+joint

dave586270

iTrader: (3)

Hopefully they would have noticed a bad ball joint when doing your alignment (shouldn't have done one if it was bad). The noise sounds like it might be a mad strut plate too. The bushings could be worn out. You wont know until you pull the strut out though. One way to check is to have someone turn the wheel lock to lock slowly and watch the springs/strut rotate. If you see it jumping or binding while its turning thats usually a good sign its worn out. Can get the Moog bushing kit for like 15 bucks a side and just have replaced with the struts...

CLSspeedx

Thanks. I'll definitely recheck it but my service guy said he only noted a small rip in the boot and everything looked fine. Just said my struts are toast and to get new coilovers and the rear camber/caster adjustable rods since he knows I'm lowering it soon.

Thanks too dave, I had to get it aligned at a tire kingdom, but they did say everything looked ok. Turned out the smell was from low clutch fluid (which I should have known).. that's getting rebuilt soon thankfully.

Good to know about the bushings and that they don't come with the new struts. I'm likely going with the tein basics and want to change all the other little wore stuff at the same time to save a headache and to save on labor. Not going to be a cheap month lol... I am definitely going to try to find that Moog kit!

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

my guess would be the shocks since it's when ur turning there is more pressure on them especially the top mounts.

have you considered it may possibly be old end links on the front sway bar.

i had a weird noise coming from the rear when i hit certain bumps, thought it was something expensive.. and my mechanic just laughed and said it's the end links.

so i bought the end links and rear sway bar and problem solved.


what type of noise is it. high pitched, deep? brief or somewhat consistent.

dave586270

iTrader: (3)

Happy to put in my two cents. Just make sure that when you change over to the Teins, that you keep your old mounts. The strut hats don't come with the new Tein set-up. I learned that the hard way when I sold my stock suspension and got my coils. I had to go buy it all again from Acura. But at least its all new now, lol.

CLSspeedx

Thats good to know. Thanks... Aside from the strut noise over bumps, the turning noise (at low speeds) sounds like a creaking sound coming from the front end. There is a feeling of the tires slipping too. Hard to explain, but when it started it felt as though my front right tire was slipping a little.

Ya I plan on keeping them. I'm trying to save on labor and locate a decent diagram of all the parts so I can replace all the worn out stuff. I have 125k and I know this is the original suspension. So far I'm planning on the Teins, and two ingalls rear lower adjustable control arms to adjust the camber. Oh and probably lower control arm bushings and the moog bushing mentioned above if I can find em.

CLSspeedx

Dammit, I just read through that whole thread and am scared to drive the damn thing... Neither the alignment guy or the honda tech thought I was in jeopardy, but apparently some of those people whose wheels snapped off didn't get any warning signs.

dave586270

iTrader: (3)

Yeah I have the ingall rear lowers too. They are great!

CLSspeedx

Nice Can't wait to get my setup done (and paid for )

CLSspeedx

Ok, ordered some tein basics and ingalls adjustable control arms for the rear. I think I am going to also replace the front upper and lower ball joints too got good measure. I may also do the lower control arm bushing, but can dave or anyone point out the correct bushing kit Dave referred to? I think rock auto has them, just dint want to ordering wrong thing.

Also, how about the Acura part # for the upper mount or bushing that the tein's require you reuse? I just assume buy a new one if I'm paying to have the struts disassembled, reassembled and installed!

Thanks

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

yea when i did my tein comfort sport this spring I bought the front upper control arms (expensive) and rear camber kit from wicked tuning (70$ and great quality) and then found out the top mount were a fraction smaller so I had to hone out all the holes for where the strut mounts so it would fit. WHAT a day.

killed a dremel in the process. and the car now rides like a dream.

tein does sell the top mounts seperately but they are like 250-300. and the ones I had were just a hair smaller and i didn't have the luxury of waiting so I just goter dun... and man I am in heaven. cannot even say i had to sacrafice the ride quality. CS all the way

now i just need to stop people from denting my car!

CLSspeedx

God I don't want to spend that much right now. I'll have to wait and see if my mechanic says my mounts look ok. I'll try to figure out what bushings I need and maybe pickup new bolts. I don't want to go the dremel route, but I'm glad it worked for you and that your ride quality is good! I just went to 18's and it rides terrible, not even lowered yet... I think its more a function of feeling the loose suspension and bad motor mount more readily now though. Once I tighten things up I'll be happy.

AMEN to that!


Oh these are the rims, the ride height is just not pretty yet LOL (and haven't decided what to do with the center caps yet)

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

dude your front passenger caster is WAYYY OFFF..
that si probably the noise u think u are getting.



check your radius rod bushing, if that wears out the entire wheel moves all over the place... I had one go on my car and the alignment was in and out all over the place.

but definately look at your caster bro it looks like it's at 0 degrees. you should be at +3 or so.

your passenger wheel is too far back in the wheel well.

take a tape measurer to ur car and go from rim to rim on one side. then rim to rim on the other side.

you LIKELY will be off by 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch, judging from that picture. and lemme guess.

when u brake the car veers to one side? and u need to counter steer

CLSspeedx

Ya I noticed that in the picture. This sucks. The alignment shop said I was dead on and my mechanic didn't notice anything bent.

I can't say I notice problems braking. What I do notice, and felt funny mentioning before, is the car drives pretty straight (super slight pull to right), but when I'm stopped at a light with steering wheel straight, when I start to accelerate my steering wheel turn a bit to the right if I am not holding it... I just straighten it out and then it seems to drive fine.


**Holding off on my rock auto and auto parts tomorrow orders, I confused and am thinking I need something else <SIGH>**


EDIT: And you are completely right :/ S*)T!

Neejay

iTrader: (3)

What happened to be your fix for the wheel sitting too far back in the well?

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

i just did mine last week u remove the radius rod and u have to grind back the metal so when u put the metal collar (washer) back on (that pinches the bushing) it is further up thus pulling the wheel forward. I've ground mine almost an inch to rid my caster problem of 1.0 variance. and it's mint now. car drives like a dream, after a major accident on the front end

OperationDarkie

iTrader: (1)

looks like bent control arms from an outside picture

CL-S progression 01

iTrader: (2)

likely isn't going to be the control arms cause it's all held in place by the radius rod with respect to caster.. so if caster is off. either a bushing is outta wack throwing everything off. or the sub frame isnt where it should b.

civicdrivr

iTrader: (9)

The radius rod bushing is rubber, if the lower control arm is bent it absolutely can mess with the caster. The radius rod does have limited movement, but movement nonetheless.

zeta

iTrader: (1)

I agree. A wasted inner LCA bushing can induce some LCA flexion as well.

Neejay is looking for some input in regards to the thread below:

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-tl-tires-wheels-suspension-100/control-arm-alignment-843963/