Comptech Pro Suspension "clunk noise" fix?

Hrant

Hrant

Legendary Member
Joined
25 October 2001
Messages
4,844
Location
Northern California
For those of you who own or have owned a Comptech Pro, I am sure you will appreciate this question :wink:

Is there a fix to the clunk from the spring bouncing unto the hat or the hat bouncing to ....? Our roads have become pretty bad and what was tolerable now has been a bit annoying.

I just softened the rebound on the damper by two clicks (this means track will be 4 click stiffer :biggrin:) and the ride is fine but oh that clunking ........ we put some tape around the hat so it sits into the spring more firmly rather move around/rattle but still there seems to be another area from where the clunk is emanating.
 
Hi Hrant,

I recall there is a set of "helper" springs for these to keep pressure on the assembly when in full droop?

Do you have these?

Regards,

LarryB
 
Maybe a swaybar endlink is making contact? Or maybe the clunking is the helper spring bottoming out (as designed) at a high velocity. Does the Comptech Pro use a tender or helper spring?
 
Hmmm...those helper springs should alleviate that knocking. I've had my Comptech Pro for years and not once have I had that clunking sound.

This may be a dumb question, but are you 100% positive that the springs are the culprit and not another suspension related component? If it is the springs, maybe replace the helper springs w/ tender springs or a spring coupler.
 
Ponyboy said:
Hmmm...those helper springs should alleviate that knocking. I've had my Comptech Pro for years and not once have I had that clunking sound.

This may be a dumb question, but are you 100% positive that the springs are the culprit and not another suspension related component? If it is the springs, maybe replace the helper springs w/ tender springs or a spring coupler.
Click to expand...


Can't say confidently what the culprit is - hence the post, but it doesn't do it on smooth roads or the track (to the extent i can hear the latter) and I can see the slack where the helper spring and the hat and spring meet.
 
Hrant said:
Can't say confidently what the culprit is - hence the post, but it doesn't do it on smooth roads or the track (to the extent i can hear the latter) and I can see the slack where the helper spring and the hat and spring meet.
Click to expand...

The function of the helper spring is to ensure that there is no slack under droop. You might want to get a longer helper spring.
 
Any other suggestions? I have to assume that others have this issue too - notwithstanding nsxnut :wink:

The clunking is definitely more audible with the softened damper setting (where the ride is really nice more like Bilsteins). This might point to the helper springs as stated before. But as I said, it is the same ones that they include in all sets. I am trying to avoid going through the process of removing them and reinstall ..... TIA.
 
hi Hrant --

Have you checked the bearing in the top of the damper where it connects to the tabs on the upper mounts? These take a lot of abuse and would make sound like you describe. You can take this off and check for free play of the bearing in it's housing. This part should be available from Koni.

-- Chris
 
Chris@SoS said:
hi Hrant --

Have you checked the bearing in the top of the damper where it connects to the tabs on the upper mounts? These take a lot of abuse and would make sound like you describe. You can take this off and check for free play of the bearing in it's housing. This part should be available from Koni.

-- Chris
Click to expand...

I live 3 miles from Koni HQ and they were of absolutely no help when I was dealing with similar problems with my Pros, as they said that everything was sourced by Comptech except for the damper itself and couldn't even point me in the right direction.

Check with Shad at DA or CT-Eng.
 
Thanks Chris and Jim.

I'll bring this to Shad/Ryan's attention. But this suspension hasn't had that much abuse; perhaps a total of 15-20 track days, and I guess I just putz along the track :wink:
 
i had my set with comptech hardware but my shocks are 2812.. the noise is making me not wanting to drive my car on interstate.

Shad looked at it at nsxpo 08 and think the helper springs perch is the culpit.(being them too long as they touch before the helper springs fully compressed). I took them off just to see if it helps. Nope. Same noise

I can even duplicate the noise when I have the car on jack and start shaking the suspension. The initial thought is the bearing like Chris@sos suggested, then Andre(who i got my setup) sent me a set of nicer metal bearings... same noise.

at the end, we excuse it being the race component, it makes noises...

I learnt to live with it with installing a nice subwoofer and speakers.:wink:
 
I am told there is a revised version of the bearing which may have been installed at the time I got mine. Will check on that once I make my visit to Shad.

Surely, there must be a simpleton solution to this.
 
I hope this can be figured out eventually as the suspension is great but the clunking makes the car sound quite bad.

Interesting point about the rebound rate. The rear of mine feels a little on the bouncy side so i'll try changing the rate and see if it effects the noise.
 
Update .........

After Shad tinkered with several initial solutions/fixes, including checking for any leaks and re-pressurizing the shocks, and the original bearings seemed so/so ok, we finally opted with replacing the bearings with real heavy duty ones (ML Spec-8) rated at 21,000 lbs and with Teflon, and the necessary shims. Seems to have resolved the issue!

Picked the car yesterday and the 25 mile ride back was a real joy. Unfortunately, this is not a low cost solution if you really want to get rid of the clunk; each bearing costs about $40 - and no they are not from McMaster, and not from Koni either. Koni wasn't much of help either. Shad got therm from his supplier of race parts for Kip's car.
 
Last edited:
You don't think you need to spend $40 on each bearing.
I source mine from McMaster-Carr I believe they were ~$11 each.
They are not mil spec. Oh well... Com-8t bearing.
I wanted the Aurora bearings. King bearing didn't have them and McMasters had them in stock.


You need Teflon lined bearings.


Warning.
Not all of the Koni 3012's shocks use 1" OD bearings.

I originally ordered the bearings from CT Engineering.
They sent me 7/8 OD bearings.

Koni said they are supplied in different sizes. Sigh.




To: Hrant
Subject: Re: The bearing mount ....
Date: Nov 29, 2010 9:57 PM
Here is what I used. 3 of the 8 bearings in my shocks were bad.

shims 2 packages 2 per bearing
You need the shims to make up the difference in bearing width.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#92678a443/=9xshfl

8 bearings This is a com-8t bearing
http://www.mcmaster.com/#rod-end-bearings/=9xsipp
Part Number: 63195K16

For reference see below.

The bearings I had in my shocks were these. They are 5/8" wide.
http://performanceshock.com/shock-parts-tools/shock-parts-oil/1-od-x-1-2-id-spherical-bearing

They sell an upgraded bearing a com-8t but the bearing is only 1/2" wide.
You need the shims to make up the difference in width.
http://performanceshock.com/shock-p...il/1-od-x-1-2-id-steel-race-spherical-bearing
 
Last edited:
Don is right; if the $11 McMaster works for you, go for it. Is the difference between ML vs com worth $30 for each? Hard to tell. But Chris and Don were on the right track.

I just didn't want to revisit this issue again in a year so went for what I am told is using in racing circles with the 3012.

:wink:
 
Hrant said:
Don is right; if the $11 McMaster works for you, go for it. Is the difference between ML vs com worth $30 for each? Hard to tell. But Chris and Don were on the right track.

I just didn't want to revisit this issue again in a year so went for what I am told is using in racing circles with the 3012.

:wink:
Click to expand...

Agreed. I did the work myself. It took me around 2hr once I had the parts.
I had 3 that were bad. I never drove in you car to hear the clunk you refered to. My cat did not make the clunk you described, ether that or I am deaf.
My wife would vote for the latter.:smile:


The Silica impregnated Polymer bearings won't hold up for our cars and are not rated for the weight. For a formula ford or light sports racer they may be fine?

I tossed the old one's in my trailer. I they ever fail I'll have to swap out.
Murphy's law, as long as I have them with... I'll be fine.
 
I've only just revisited this thread. Good to see there has been some progress.

Am I correct in saying:

First I need to check whether my bearings are 7/8" or 1" OD.

If they are 1" I can order the ones linked by nsxnut - Part no. 63195K16 x8 + the shims.

These are not certain to cure the problem but should be better than what's already there?

Cheers

Ed
 
You are on the right track at least in eliminating what seems to be one culprit. But if you really use your suspension, and you are paying a mechanic to do this, go for the ML version to avoid doing this yet again just in case .... Don does some of these types of fiddling by himself, so you know why he is slower :tongue:
 

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