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Posted by: Vacca Rabite May 31 2010, 07:09 PM

So, I am driving down the road, and I get an occasional "clunk" sound. It feels and sounds like it is in the forward section of the car. Sometimes it will happen on a turn, sometimes under braking, and sometimes on small bumps.

I jacked the front end of the car up today, and gave the front wheels the shake and spin test. Its not wheel bearings. Everything is very firm, and the wheels turn freely.

I have not looked for loose bolts yet, and might do that tomorrow.

Any ideas on what it might be?

Zach

Posted by: oz371 May 31 2010, 07:18 PM

I get the same thing. Small bumps in the road cause most of it. It feels like it is the steering linkage to the wheel.

Posted by: Cevan May 31 2010, 07:24 PM

Could be the lock ring on one of your struts. I had a similar problem http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=83159&hl=

Posted by: iamchappy May 31 2010, 07:43 PM

Maybe lower ball joint.

Posted by: tradisrad May 31 2010, 07:58 PM

I recently developed a clunk and after investigation I found a loose lock ring on my strut

Posted by: SirAndy May 31 2010, 09:13 PM

Do you have a front sway bar?

If so, the bar is really close to the bottom of the tank and depending on your install can hit the tank under load (they bend slightly when loaded).


It took me a while to figure that one out, but my tank had clear signs of the bar hitting it when i had it out.

A thin rubber or braided hose, cut open and slid over the bar will prevent the clunky noise.

You can also try to raise the tank a bit, but they tend to settle down again after a while.

Andy

Posted by: hot_shoe914 May 31 2010, 09:51 PM

Probably the flashlight I left in your car when I was up there. Take it out and see if the clunk goes away!

Posted by: messix May 31 2010, 09:56 PM

it's your trunk monkey telling you to slow down......

Posted by: Elliot Cannon May 31 2010, 10:16 PM

I had the same. Annoying ain't it. Easy fix.

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Jun 1 2010, 06:39 AM

Ha! Its in my emergency box now. tell ya what. Bring me more ribs, and I'll give it back. I can be bought, and thats my price!


Yes, I do have a front sway bar. Any way I can test for this w/o pulling the tank and looking? Maybe putting a jack under one of the wheels and raising it? Or would the action not be fast enough.


Easy enough to check for, I'll try and look tonight if I can.

My goal is to get this discovered before classes start again this Thursday.

Zach

Posted by: tat2dphreak Jun 1 2010, 07:06 AM

I had that too... tightened up the strut and done...

you can try lifting/bouncing the car at the front corners to find which one is doing it...

Posted by: tradisrad Jun 1 2010, 07:31 AM

bouncing my car did not recreate the clunk..

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com Jun 1 2010, 08:12 AM

I agree. Loose strut securing nut.

Posted by: underthetire Jun 1 2010, 08:26 AM

Just found the same problem on mine friday. Tried to get a answer here on how much to tighten the lock ring, but got nothing. So I guess as tight as you can get it.

Posted by: dflesburg Jun 1 2010, 08:40 AM

We have that on GreatPumpkin's car.

Just had an alignment done so we know that the suspension is tight.

Sway bar sounds like best explaination I have heard so far.

too bad we have to pull the gas tank to fix it, what a PIA that is...

Posted by: tat2dphreak Jun 1 2010, 09:04 AM

you got it... the response I got was "as tight as a banjo string"

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Jun 2 2010, 10:20 AM

Okay, I lowered the suspecting shock, and did not see the lock ring where expected.

I only have about 45 minutes before I have to get cleaned up. Where is the lock ring supposed to be?


Is it the big yellow plated thing at the bottom of the rod?

Zach

Posted by: Racer Chris Jun 2 2010, 10:51 AM

Yes it is.

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Jun 2 2010, 10:56 AM

Thought so. It is very tight.

I guess next will be to check under the belly pan to make sure the steering is not knocking something, and then to eventually look under the gas tank to make sure the sway bar is not knocking it.

Zach

Posted by: 6freak Jun 2 2010, 12:16 PM

rear spring coming out or off of the perch ??????

Posted by: kenshapiro2002 Jun 2 2010, 01:54 PM

Mine was sway bar bushings. BTW...how do you change out the shock absorber without taking out the strut (Vacca's last picture)?

Posted by: Spoke Jun 2 2010, 02:25 PM

Remove the top nut, compress the shock and pull it out like his is shown. It doesn't look like he even took the tire off. Not sure if he disconnected the tie rod.

Posted by: SirAndy Jun 2 2010, 02:42 PM

No need to disconnect the tie rod.

If you have a front sway bar, you might have to disconnect the drop-link to get the wheel to drop down enough.

Andy

Posted by: faux916 Jun 2 2010, 03:10 PM

I had this same problem with mine and it turned out to be a loose nut on the front wheel bearing(passenger side)

Posted by: kenshapiro2002 Jun 2 2010, 03:18 PM

SWEET!

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Jun 2 2010, 05:54 PM

Nope. Did not take off tires. Did not disconnect the tie rod. Did not disconnect the sway bar.

That said, I probably am going to take off the tire to make sure that the nut holding the wheel bearing is on tight. but my guess is that it is the sway bar hitting the gas tank, or something along the steering column.

The clunk is decidedly front end. It not the rear spring perches.

Zach

Posted by: jt914-6 Jun 2 2010, 06:03 PM

Ken....when you do that....watch the flexable brake line and don't pull it too tight when getting shock facing out of the wheel well.....

Posted by: kenshapiro2002 Jun 2 2010, 06:09 PM

This piece-o-shit has brake lines?

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Jun 2 2010, 07:57 PM

OKay...
How do I get the strut top through the big rubber grommet so I can bolt it back into place. I can't get any purchase on it to push it the rest of the way though.

Zach

Posted by: kenshapiro2002 Jun 2 2010, 08:13 PM

Drop the sway bar?

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Jun 2 2010, 08:20 PM

Heh. Thats on the wrong end. The top inch of the shock needs to go through a big assed grommet. Its a tight fit and I can't figure out how to pull or push it through.

Zach

Posted by: SirAndy Jun 2 2010, 08:20 PM

Floorjack under the A-Arm and pump it up ...
Andy

Posted by: r_towle Jun 2 2010, 08:23 PM

Zach,

You need to gently raise it up. get it lined up and tweak the cover to get a little friction...

For the clunk...its most likely the sway bar...andy and I hunted the same issue for a while.
To check it...loosen the tank strap and while pulling the tank up 1/2 inch, push down the rubber blocks.
It will raise it up enough to shut up for a few days/weeks.
Eventually it will slide down again.

Two fixed...sliced garden hose on the sway bar, full length.
Second....glue the rubber blocks in place so they hold the tank up.

Rich

Posted by: kenshapiro2002 Jun 3 2010, 05:25 AM

Saw something in a PP forum (I think) about using old throttle cable to fish the damn thing up through the hole...can't remember where, or how you actually attach it to the shock though.

Posted by: tradisrad Jun 3 2010, 08:03 AM

I've got bilstein shocks and it pushed its self through. Maybe a little lube to help it slide through?

Posted by: kenshapiro2002 Jun 3 2010, 08:23 AM

Drop a Viagra in there.

Posted by: messix Jun 3 2010, 10:30 AM

Posted by: vsg914 Jun 3 2010, 11:22 AM

Old clutch cable end will screw into the end of the rod on a boge, not sure about the Bils. Figured that one out long time ago.

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Jun 5 2010, 06:31 PM

Followed andys advise and just put a Jack under the a arm. Not elegant but it worked. Now to pull the skid plate and check my steering just to eleminate that as the issue. I have to admit that I do not want to try and raise the tank right now. If the steering column is not the issue i will deal with the tank when it is a little more empty.

Posted by: dflesburg Jul 14 2011, 10:01 AM

Did you sort it out?

If so, what was the answer?

If not, have you pulled the gas tank yet?

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Jul 14 2011, 11:50 AM

Nope. But I don't much get the clunk anymore either. Pretty sure its the sway bar flexing against the gas tank.
Zach

Posted by: kenshapiro2002 Jul 14 2011, 11:56 AM

That's what mine was too. HI GUYS!!!

Posted by: scotty b Jul 14 2011, 01:43 PM

Twas just a dead hookers skeleton all is good now

Posted by: jsayre914 Jul 14 2011, 01:55 PM

Ken !!!

Oh how I have missed your pickle... ...

that just dosnt sound right. Welcome back !!!

Posted by: kenshapiro2002 Jul 14 2011, 07:24 PM

Thanks, but I'm not back , just responding to a thread I'm still subscribed to. Pickle is in France. Right now I'm looking for a Pontiac Solstice GXP coupe with a 5 speed if you happen to run across one.

Posted by: Cap'n Krusty Jul 14 2011, 08:00 PM

I believe you mean "tighter than you can get it". Use a BF pipe wrench, and crank on that puppy.

The Cap'n

Posted by: avidfanjpl Jul 15 2011, 08:03 PM

Last night I unbolted the passenger side new Bilstein, pushed it down, and the ring nut was so loose, just like Dave, I hand-tightened it, then used the tool the struts came with and socked it up.

Clunk gone!

And we know it was tight when first installed. Also checked the driver side, but it was tight still.

I know that sound forever now.

John