Hey guys, Need some help tracking down a suspension clunk issue. In the last few months I heard the suspension clunk a few times during an auto x event. Then I heard it again a few weeks later when hitting a big hole with the front right tire. It was really loud, my buddy in the car behind me heard it hit. I got out and checked the car, checked bolt torques to verify nothing was loose. Heard it again last week and now Im determined to get to the bottom of it. I have taken the front right suspension apart and check all the ball joints. The have no movement in their sockets even when prying on them. Wheel bearing is good, all of the bushings are there and dont seem to be in bad condition. Didnt find any loose bolts.
The car needs some maintanence work and I want to fix this at the same time but Im not going to rebuild the entire front end if it doesnt need it.
Parts Im replacing:
Outer tie rods, they arent bad but the boots are torn Inner tie rod boots, they are ripped but the joint is tight Driver side wheel bearing New pads and rotors with SS lines
The struts are tokicos and have probably 50k on them, anything Im missing that could be the cause of this clunk. Its starting to piss me off that I cant track it down.
#33702, "RE: Front suspension clunk. Cant track down" In response to Reply # 1
CV joints normally click or pop when turning, I havent ever seen one clunk when the suspension cycles. Could be wrong, Ill check it out when I pull things apart again. Not sure how to tell if its bad or not. I know the boots are not ripped I just checked them
#33703, "RE: Front suspension clunk. Cant track down" In response to Reply # 2
What about the sway bar end links and bushings against the body? I have a clunk issue on my drivers side that I suspect is the bushing and hope to look at it further soon. I plan on upgrading my front sway soon anyhow as well.
#33704, "RE: Front suspension clunk. Cant track down" In response to Reply # 3
I forgot to add that I have already ordered a new set of endlinks. The bushings didnt look to bad. They were still there so I dont think thats it. Im hoping to find it when I start tearing the car down, trying to make a track day in less than a month and dont want the tire falling off.
#33707, "RE: Front suspension clunk. Cant track down" In response to Reply # 4
From this past weekend I replaced the inner/outer tie rod ends and also upgraded my front sway bar to the RMDSM with the upgraded bushings and still have a clunk... my final suspicion... upper ball joints.
I never really checked them, but I ordered a replacement set and will replace them as soon as I get them and hope that gets rid of my clunk.
#33708, "RE: Front suspension clunk. Cant track down" In response to Reply # 5
That sucks, I have checked all of my ball joints so I dont think that is the problem. I have the whole front torn apart now, going to check the struts as well to eliminate them. If I cant find it I may just have the alignment shop check it out. Next autox is in 3 weeks and dont have time to try and track this thing down anymore
#33713, "RE: Front suspension clunk. Cant track down" In response to Reply # 6
That damn front clunk noise is still there after replacing all of these parts and inspecting everything in the front end. Took the struts and spring apart, everything looked good, ball joints where fine, didnt see where there was metal contact on the control arms.
Only makes a noise when hitting large holes and I heard it on a first to second hard shift. Car is getting an alignment today so Ill have those guys take a look at it and see if they cant figure it out.
#33714, "RE: Front suspension clunk. Cant track down" In response to Reply # 7
Check your front sway bar bushings. Believe me, I feel your pain. I replaced EVERYTHING in the front end, only to find out after the noise persisted, that it was just worn bushings, allowing the sway bar to bounce back and forth in their mounts. Replaced them with ES bushings and quite suspension once again.
95 Eclipse GS: 10.5:1, Crower 2's and MSII 186 WHP - 150 WTQ 14.697 @ 93.85 MPH......Gone, but not forgotten 99 420A Avenger: Given to my sister 99 GS OZ: Sold 03 Evo 8: Family Car with balls
#33715, "RE: Front suspension clunk. Cant track down" In response to Reply # 8
Well the shop couldnt find it either, Im not sure how hard they tried, they blamed it on the exhaust tapping on the body. Which it does but thats a different sound. I might just replace them for the hell of it to eliminate that.
#33718, "RE: Front suspension clunk. Cant track down" In response to Reply # 9
I had a clunk in the front end that I found to be the bushings on the top of the struts.
I checked every ball joint, every bushing and every bolt. Still couldn't find it. One day I was outside and noticed a slight squeak when I would get out of the car. Put more weight on the car and couldnt' hear it. Drove down the road, hit a pot hole, *bang* heard it again.
Put the car up in the air, grabbed a block of wood and a long handled maul. Block on the ground, handle underneath the wheel and gave it a little leverage. You could see the whole suspension unit shift a ways. Took the load off of the front, dis-assembled the damper fork so I could get to the bushing at the top. It had cracked and was allowing metal on metal. Replaced the bushing, sound went away.
This was my noise, yours could be different, but it's worth inspecting.
