autohunt

Just bought a 01' S2000 with 70k and noticed that there is a squeaking/cracking sound coming from the driver's side rear wheel-well. I had a 350Z that made the same noise, and it ended up being the bushing in the rear lower control arm of the suspension. It was a minor squeak, but on this S2000 it is a LOUD CRACKING sound.

Is it the same thing, and how expensive is it to fix? On my 350Z I had to replace the WHOLE control arm becasuse the bushing is attatched permantley to it (which sucked) The dealer told me it was no big deal to drive it like that, but they replaced it anyway because it was under warranty.

I hope this is not the same deal, if so, is there any problem with leaving it like that????

thanks

MK

negcamber

I've not heard of an s2k control arm bushing causing that kind of sound...not that it hasn't happened...but I just haven't heard of that.

There is a well known problem that causes a click when you begin moving. Not sure I would call it a loud crack...but your ears may be more sensitive than mine. The click is caused by an axle hub nut that was torqued incorrectly. It should be torqued to 220ft-lb...the manual incorrectly says 180ft-lb. It is an easy fix. If it is left alone, it will turn from a click to a squeal as your wheel bearings die...which can leave you replacing the entire hub...not a fun task.

wildcardtrd

I have the same problem as you, but from the passenger front. It's the rear bushing on the lower control arm. Honda doesn't sell the bushings, you have to buy both lower control arms

negcamber

Nate...what were the symptoms you were noticing when the bushings went bad? Noises? Handling? Since our cars a pretty close to age and milage, I want to watch out for this myself.

wildcardtrd

It happened suddenly Robert. I hit a humongous pothole at about 50 mph. Scared the crap out of me. The car continued to drive fine, so I carried on my way till I got to school. I got out and looked at everything, and it all seemed fine, so I didn't think anything else of it. The first time it did it, I was backing out of my driveway the very next time I drove it. Reversing while backing out to the left, the right front suspension made a terribly loud "SNAP" that I could feel thru the steering wheel. I got out and checked, and everything still looked ok, so I drove off. When my car came to a stop from moving foreward, it snapped again, but then wouldn't do it the entire rest of the trip. I took it to 1st class automotive, and we put the car on the chassis stethescope (sp?). The snap was comming from the passenger front caster adjustment bolt, so we put the car on the lift and dropped the subframe. The bushings and caster adjustment sleeves were frozen together. We could not get them apart. The snapping sound is caused by the oblong end of the caster adjustment sleeve being torqued at an angle and slipping up over the subrame tabs that hold the sleeve in alignment. It snaps up out over the tabs after a left/reverse manuver, and snaps back into alignment after a forewerd/brake manuver.

Honda is a dick about the bushings too, you have to buy BOTH front lower control arms. $500 or so just in parts.
Since it only happens under those conditions, I haven't tried to fix it yet, but if the snapping sound means SCCA won't let me run on the 6rth and 7th, it'll get fixed really quick.

negcamber

Interesting...thanks.

Did you try ordering just one from Majestic Honda online? When you first mentioned the problem, I went to see if the part numbers were different for AP1 and AP2 since I thought maybe picking up a newer used one at a junk yard might be a cheap solution (they aren't the same # btw). But I did see that the left & right were different prices...so they may sell them separately. Looked like they were around $200 from Majestic.

And if the pothole caused the failure...maybe you can pickup a used control arm from a salvage car.

wildcardtrd

I'll check them out, thanks!