Please bring S14 chassis experienced help (picture inside)

[Kingtal0n]

Hello,

I found an older picture of when the engine was out and was looking at the frame rail area and saw this



I am not good with chassis and suspension stuff.

This S14 will make a sound whenever weight is applied or removed from the strut area on both sides, but I feel this side more. For example if the tire hits a dip, or if turning more than just a little, or when I raise it with a jack and then put it back on the ground then sit on the fender. Its kind of a "clack" or "snap" sound, like a bad suspension part would make. Or a chassis problem maybe?

I've changed all the suspension parts for new OEM (except the original springs, ...) This includes:
LCA bushings
tie rods
ball joints
KYB struts
Strut mounts
Sway bar & links
TC rods

It steers perfectly, alignment is perfect. Drives straight very nice.
The noise doesn't seem to affect handling or driving. But I feel it in the chassis.

So is it possible this is the simple issue? can it be as easy as weld that area up? How does seam welding work in that area? I wasn't going to but apparently I need to? I think the person before me had the car, might have abused it "trying to drift". Does it make sense that this is a result?

[Kingtal0n]

I found some mis matched bolts already (previous owner had used S13 strut bolts in the spindle) so I am going to pull all the bolts in the chassis-suspension and check them next I guess. Its free, its not that hard to do one at a time, I have to clean each one and the area spotless to put it back, okay go

[kyral]

Originally Posted by Kingtal0n

I found some mis matched bolts already (previous owner had used S13 strut bolts in the spindle) so I am going to pull all the bolts in the chassis-suspension and check them next I guess. Its free, its not that hard to do one at a time, I have to clean each one and the area spotless to put it back, okay go

that spot wouldn't be the source of the noise

[jr_ss]

Does that area flex when jacking from different points on that side? I would try various jack points, without crushing the pinch weld(we all know how much straight pinch welds put lead in your ✏️) and see what the verdict is.

[Kingtal0n]

heh. The pinch on this car has already been somewhat deteriorated to the point that I didn't feel bad about cutting into this car.

I can't see that spot when I jack the car up because of the enormous engine in the way. And im worried if I pull the motor the loss of 800lbs weight will prevent the issue from showing up.
Also it doesn't always happen when I raise and lower the car. Sometimes yes, but sometimes I can jack it all the way up, then set it down and its silent.

Other times, I can come out to the car cold in the morning, and just lightly push the fender, and something will go "BANG", presumably back into place.


I'm just being super lazy about this anyways. I haven't even tried disconnecting the sway bar to see if its just the stupid end links somehow making noise (they did this in the past, but I thought I solved it)

Thanks for looking guys