GT3 MKII: Twang noise from the front??

[housemaster]

Over the last couple of weeks I have noticed a twanging noise coming from the front of the car, sounds like something catching but it is very intermitent. Seems to be coming from the top of the car rather than the bottom but I might be wrong. Odd sound really, similar to someone flicking a bit of metal, and twang is really the only way I can describe it.

Any ideas?

[speedyellow]

When the front lip spoiler was loose on mine (after yet another speed bump) I had a similar sound, noise appeared to be coming from behind the dash or bottom of the screen, but all was fixed when new splitter was fitted.

[jeremyc]

Check that the front drop links aren't coming loose.

[gdunc]

Once test drove a mk2 which twanged and the OPC salesman said it was suspension bushes. For reference - I've an arb drop link needing changed on my mk1 and it doesn't twang.

[lightweight]

1) Front ARB drop links may need tightning

2)the lightrinic lights plastic droplink may need tightning(if fitted)

If both those are ruled out then its

3)TADS ,GT3is so stiff that H&R springs twang as you unload them ie if you stear accross a spead bump.
Both Parr and my OPC came to the conclusion it was 3.

[spb2]

lightweight said:

1) Front ARB drop links may need tightning

2)the lightrinic lights plastic droplink may need tightning(if fitted)

If both those are ruled out then its

3)TADS ,GT3is so stiff that H&R springs twang as you unload them ie if you stear accross a spead bump.
Both Parr and my OPC came to the conclusion it was 3.

When Parr set up my car it made this same twang as the main spring and preload spring turned on top of each other. It shouldn't really do this. I can't remember what changes were made, but it was got rid of.

[housemaster]

Thanks guys, will pop it into my local OPC and get them to look at it. Why do I feel that it will be something not covered by the warranty....

[johnfm]

Is it only under braking? I get a weird twang and whirr very intermittently under brakes. It sounds like it coming from the front luggage compartment, so I assume it is something to do with the ABS pump or similar.

[gdunc]

johnfm said:

Is it only under braking? I get a weird twang and whirr very intermittently under brakes. It sounds like it coming from the front luggage compartment, so I assume it is something to do with the ABS pump or similar.

Mine has done that too. Apparently it's a cross member thing whose bush mount to the chassis starts to fail - hence the strange, hard to determine or locate noises.
Mine has been silent for a while though so never looked into further.

[pope]

The twanging noise you mention can sometimes be caused by the spring winding up on the top or bottom seats of the damper assembly, a tech. info bulletin was released to the dealer network

Tech. Info Group 4 No. 5/02

This covered the retrofitting of plastic tubing onto the coil spring to reduce contact noise of the coils touching each other under certain loads. Your OPC will have this on PPN, under Tech. Info. This should sort it.

[housemaster]

And here was me thinking it was just me who was a right twanger

[slippydiff]

Steve, ditch your standard suspension and put some KW V3s on the car (they come with a bearing race placed specifically at the end/base of the spring) this stops the spring being subjected to any rotational force along it's length as you turn the steering from lock to lock.

Edited by slippydiff on Wednesday 18th April 16:42

[johnfm]

Slippy

I have just had the KW variant 3s on the car - I will writing up the huge improvement for Toal911. The car is transformed - but then again, my old suspension was shagged.

I don't think the twang I get is suspension related, as it existed before the suspension swap and I think I heard it since the swap too.

THe suspension is fantastic - no wonder Olaf Manthey uses it on his cars.

[housemaster]

Bugger the magazine, I want to hear all about them NOW

So come on then chaps, where you getting these from, whats the detail, how much fitted, how and where do you notice the key improvements etc?

[gdunc]

johnfm said:

Slippy

I have just had the KW variant 3s on the car - I will writing up the huge improvement for Toal911. The car is transformed - but then again, my old suspension was shagged.

I don't think the twang I get is suspension related, as it existed before the suspension swap and I think I heard it since the swap too.

THe suspension is fantastic - no wonder Olaf Manthey uses it on his cars.

Is the KW set up much better on road John?

[slippydiff]

johnfm said:

Slippy

I have just had the KW variant 3s on the car - I will writing up the huge improvement for Toal911. The car is transformed - but then again, my old suspension was shagged.

I don't think the twang I get is suspension related, as it existed before the suspension swap and I think I heard it since the swap too.

THe suspension is fantastic - no wonder Olaf Manthey uses it on his cars.

Better late than never eh John ? (see the final post on this thread...................ttp://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topi

[johnfm]

gdunc said:

johnfm said:

Slippy

I have just had the KW variant 3s on the car - I will writing up the huge improvement for Toal911. The car is transformed - but then again, my old suspension was shagged.

I don't think the twang I get is suspension related, as it existed before the suspension swap and I think I heard it since the swap too.

THe suspension is fantastic - no wonder Olaf Manthey uses it on his cars.

Is the KW set up much better on road John?

Well, to put things in oerspective, my old suspension was shagged! The difference on the road is chalk and cheese. The car is much more compliant over shit surfaces - I expect that is because the dampers are actually doing some work, unlike my old ones. But, there is also a really marked and obvious improvement in grip. Now when accelrating out of corners with, say, a slightly choppy surface, instead of the rear loosing a bit of grip and me having to back off, I can apply much more throttle and the car jsut grips more. I can really feel the inside wheel working more - its a lot more of a catapult feeling out of corners instead of feathering the throttle as grip comes and goes. Turn in is much better, but also the car is less jittery. FOr example, on a constant radius bend - say a fast sweeping right hander, you can set the car, and as you get near the edge of grip steer with very subtle throttle adjustments. Very littel steering correction needed, as the rear end doesn't squirm and oscillate as before.

It is likely I would have got similar results from other dampers too - say Bilstein or others, BUT KW seem to have a couple of decent differences. The tubes are machined from stainless steel and so they are supposes to be much more resistant to corrosion from salt etc. THis is especially important as the threads need to be kept in good shape if you ever wish to adjust ride height. Internally, they have some clever valve design which supposedly gives slightly more control over damping at low and high damping speeds. THis is a bit sciency, so I won't bore you with it.

Overall, pretty pleased with how th car handles. Now need grippier tyres, as now that is the weak link. Will try R888s for the summer.

[nervous]

mine used to make this twang too, from memory it was when i was doing something with the brakes. nothing ever broke or owt, so perhaps its a deliberate twang. they probably charge more for it on lesser variants.

[johnfm]

Nerby

good to know the 'twang under brakes' is not just my imagination. Might have to hunt down the problem now.

[nervous]

johnfm said:

Nerby

good to know the 'twang under brakes' is not just my imagination. Might have to hunt down the problem now.

no problem, Johbfm.