xedap1998

can u describe the thumping noise that lots of people mentioned...i have this noise also but only when i go over sharp object on the road...raised part...smooth bumps and dips are no problem, sound louder when turning....the problem is i have my springs shocks and rsb put in at the same time so i cant isolate the problem...more clucking when first driving for a few minute and quiet down...it clunk even when the front wheel go over sharp raised bumps...same for the back...weird..i might have to put back my stock RSB for testing...if anyone has this problem please help me isolate the thumps...

gqchicago

Why don't you just drop the RSB and grease up the rubber bushings with some good marine / trailer grease like I did when I put mine in? Most people with noises said greasing it up fixed it...it's pretty darn easy to do, you could do just this part with one 12mm socket wrench to get them loose / out, don't even need to loosen the end links (the hard part)... or take off tires or anything crazy like that.


If someone installed them for you you could ask them to do the greasing part for you, honestly it's like a 5 min job. Easier than putting the stock RSB back on by far... personally I'm changing out my rear bushings to a model that is aftermarket and is "greasable" by means of built in grease fittings on the bushings this weekend for exactly this reason, it makes it easy to grease them moving forward... (these cost all of $13 by the way).

(I'm betting your noises go away afterwards by the way....)

subinf

we're working on finding the right bushings, look under the parts and performance sub forum for more information.

05TLTony

Call comptech. They'll send you thicker bushings at no cost!

audi_to_TL

iTrader: (2)

yup..I called then last week...had to fax a copy of the invoice to them and they sent the upgraded bushings to me for free.

subinf

can you tell a difference between the new and old ones??

audi_to_TL

iTrader: (2)

Comptech Customer Service is great. 4 days after sending a fax to them I rec'd the upgraded bushings. I took some pics earlier and had some time to post them.

The one on the right is the new slightly larger bushing. It is a little longer and has a different design.

hwchien

oh man, they require an invoice. but i installed like at least a year ago. and i don't keep these type of receipt...what should i do!!!

xedap1998

i am pretty sure i have the older style brushing...but i dont know if i can find the invoice...it was a gift from my in laws....dang

gqchicago

Go check the parts and performance forum...there are aftermarket bushings we're working on installing detailed there in a post. They are actually better than any of the original bushings by far...and cost is approx $15 in total, pretty good mod.

hwchien

yes, i saw those. however, it seems more job to do...

05TLTony

xedap,
I didn't have my invoice either and they still sent them to me without any hassle! Tell them you bought it 6 months ago and misplaced the invoice.

hwchien

i did that already, but they said no invoice no replacement... sorry, and if you want we can sell you a set for $7 each bushing...why would i need to buy one if i don't have comptech product...sigh

05TLTony

Maybe too many people are calling in form them without invoices/ reciepts.

subinf

This is probably a question for comptech, but I paid with a credit card, shouldnt they have record of 115 or whatever dollars on x day paid by me? i have no idea where the hell i put the invoice.

xedap1998

oh yesterday i was at autozone and they have the upgrade brushing from energy suspension like everyone was talking about recently...for 15$...

05TLTony

I'm sure they have this info in their system. The delima is what the warranty period is from the time you purchased. Still, it was a design flaw, so they should replace them for you anyways!

gqchicago

Seems like Pepboys and Autozone are carrying the Performance Energy Suspension sway bar bushings now we were discussing in the other forums. Cost on my set was around $10-15 just you all know....not much at all for a better product even than the replacement CT one. We identified 2 part #s that can go on the car..the greasable ones I used (a real pain to get on, not recommended...) ...or the non-greasables (which come with a special grease you manually use when installing)... that fit our cars perfectly just like the originals or CT ones that come with the RSB kit. That part # is 9-5128R or just plain 9-5128 (the R stands for the RED version... they may also make a plain black version...same product though).

http://www.energysuspension.com/pages/swaybbct.html

These bushings are made of poly (not rubber like the original or CT ones)... and the build / product quality is a lot higher...seems to me like a good investment for what you're getting. The main difference is durability, quality, duration over time (won't break down like rubber), and looks (I like the red looking one).

They make a whole line of other parts for our cars...what I'm wondering now is what are the sizes for the front sway bar? Anyone know? Any other sizes...and what else could we replace on the car that would upgrade it....somewhat easily? (As I can do easy-medium type projects but not super difficult ones). For instance, they make an upgraded end-link product that mates up to the RSB...is this an easy part to replace? Wonder what size we would need? hmmm....

They have a picture of a SEMA concept car on their site that has their red parts all over the bare frame of the car, looks kind of cool and got me to thinking...what else could we upgrade?

Thanks in advance!

hwchien

which autozone did you go, coz the one in nyc cost me $17.99 plus tax...totaled up to close to $20

[QUOTE] That part # is 9-5128R or just plain 9-5128 (the R stands for the RED version... they may also make a plain black version...same product though).
[QUOTE]

on another thread said 9-5126R, which one is more fit to the ct swaybar..??

thanks

xedap1998

i am very disappoint with comptech ...at least with their warranty department because i received this sway bar as a christmas gift and now they want me to provide proof of purchase to get some rubber brushings...totally different experienced with Koni technical support department though..some parts were missing and damaged and they sent me the whole kit over night...twice since they didnt get all the parts i needed the first time but no questions asked...no invoice needed...i am very impressed with that experience...Why would anyone want to get a rubber brushing from Comptech unless they do have a sway bar from them...anyways..they want me to go harass the people who gave me that Christmas present for some proof of purchase...totally unacceptable....ahhhh.....

hwchien

Totally Dude...i hear you 100% same thing happened to me as well...why would ppl want to get that bushing if you don't have the comptech swaybar...don't know what are they thinking...idoits

gqchicago

HW...the best / easiest part # to use is the one I gave you in this thread, the non-greasable version, as it will easily fit on the CT RSB right out of the box. If you are very handy and up for the challenge you can upgrade to the greasable version you mention but I will tell you it was very difficult to get them on. Either one will work with our CT RSBs....they are both 22mm in the middle..the greasable version though has wider bolt holes which were very very difficult to get onto the car. $20ish sounds a little high..but I probably paid that by the time I paid for shipping.

xedap1998

ahhh..i guess i kinda take that back about comptech...i found out that my brother purchased it directly from comptech and i remember the time frame so they found my invoice which they sent me out a replacement...i guess they are not easy to deal with but not real bad either....

BukvaMan

if i order one now do i get it with the old style bushings or the new one ??

gqchicago

Well I ordered mine approx. 2-3 weeks ago..and it came with the old style bushings. Guess I could have called and gotten the newer model ones for free, but the poly are a better product so I used those, they were only $15. If you see a rubber one next to a poly one and can feel them, see the build quality / strength, you'd see hands down what a better product the poly ones are.

hwchien

i just got my last nite, at the autozone (coz they need to special order it) anyways i am going to install it to see how is it. btw i ordered the non grease one... it works

hwchien

this is the best $20 investment i ever had. it took me about 20-30 min to install plus test drive, it was the easiest mod as well.

here are few steps to help ppl who are interested on this mod (btw don't think, just go autozone or pepboy to make your order. coz if you don't you will hate yourself for rest of you life)

ok here it goes, first the tools you will need...
1/2" socket $5-10

ramp (for someone need a little more space under the car like myself) $35

the bushing (of course) Part # 9-5126R $17.99


let the car set on the ramp and you will have good space to move.

first, unscrew both side bushings, don't need to unscrew the end link...
once you get both bushing down, you can insert both bushing with the lube that came with the package.
the following picture is after the driver side bushing installed

this one is the passenger side bushing

for the lazy ppl like myself, YOU DON'T NEED TO UNSCREW THE END LINK

Driving on the road without any noice from the rear like used to be $ PRICELESS

footnotes the CT rubber really sux, only after like 8 monthes it's already cracked on everywhere


Good luck to all
(thanks to gqchicago and others that i can't remember the SN... thank you all for the great info)

redrum4me

by the way, I went to the dealer for a clunking soud coming from the right rear tire area. It only happened at slow speeds, while going over bumps. It sounded like something was loose. The dealer replaced the strut. Noise gone. This might help other people viewing the thread.

subinf

good to know. i pulled my seats out yesterday to tighten everything i could in an effort to get rid of the low speed clunk noise. i know its not the sway bar this time. its still there even with everything tightened. maybe its the dealers turn

Kracker

I have the solution.

Its the Stabilizer Link. (Service Manual 18-39) The odd looking piece that connect the sway bar to the knuckle (?) that the bottom of the strut bolts onto.

You have to remove the link to get the suspension low enough to put the new shock in. Thus why having Acura replace the strut makes the clunk go away.

It shows that there is an hex wrench (Allen) that you hold while tighten the nut. I didn’t see it, so i pushed on it, and had my dad tighten it.

All is good. Now I don’t have to hear my girlfriend say, "Are you done doing stuff to break your car?". The answer is now, "No, no I'm not.”