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mysterious clunking

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Old Nov 9, 2003 | 11:33 PM
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Unhappy mysterious clunking

Not too long ago I replaced the shocks, springs, and swaybars in my car. Springs and sway bars are G2. Shocks are Koni SAs. Now the problem...

When going over any bump, small or large, I get a wonderful clunking sound from the front of the car. I can tell it's definatly suspension related. I cannot tell where it's coming from though (other then the obvious wheel well area). I spent 4 hours saturday messing with stuff under there to no avail.

Anyone have any other suggestions as to what I could look at?
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Old Nov 10, 2003 | 03:08 PM
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Originally Posted by jd13
Not too long ago I replaced the shocks, springs, and swaybars in my car. Springs and sway bars are G2. Shocks are Koni SAs. Now the problem...

When going over any bump, small or large, I get a wonderful clunking sound from the front of the car. I can tell it's definatly suspension related. I cannot tell where it's coming from though (other then the obvious wheel well area). I spent 4 hours saturday messing with stuff under there to no avail.

Anyone have any other suggestions as to what I could look at?

Did you torque everything back to specs? like the ball joint nut, lower shock nut to the frame? I did my this weekend and it turns out fine but it's more noisy because of the stiff setting i set my Koni SAs to but no unusual clunking....

Tom
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Old Nov 11, 2003 | 01:24 PM
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I expected it to be noisier too with the stiff G2 springs and the stiff settings on the Konis. This is definatly a louder clunking caused by who knows?

Everything is torqued back properly, if anything though, some things may be over torqued.
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Old Nov 11, 2003 | 04:02 PM
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Could Be Exhaust Hitting Some Where. Since You Did Lower It Everything Is Setting Alot Closer Now.
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Old Nov 11, 2003 | 09:13 PM
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Can you reproduce the noise by bouncing on the car?

Have a friend help you & chase it down .
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Old Nov 12, 2003 | 11:40 AM
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I'm 99% sure it's not the exhaust, that's been determined. I cannot reproduce the noise by bouncing on the car.
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Old Nov 12, 2003 | 07:22 PM
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maybe your sway bar is loose? or u forgot to reconnect the end link or that is loose?
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Old Nov 12, 2003 | 08:19 PM
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I've seen a few cases where the top nut on the front strut didn't get tightened all the way and they "clunk" over bumps. You'll never reproduce that by bouncing on it....Just a thought.

Good luck!
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Old Nov 12, 2003 | 10:00 PM
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Originally Posted by trackbird
I've seen a few cases where the top nut on the front strut didn't get tightened all the way and they "clunk" over bumps. You'll never reproduce that by bouncing on it....Just a thought.
This is the only thing I can think of. All the other bolts are in place and tightened. The sway bar is on very tight.

One of the bolts actually stripped when I removed it. Luckily I was able to make one that would fit. In either case, it doesn't explain clunking on both sides, but its definatly something I'm going to look at again this weekend.
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Old Nov 12, 2003 | 10:41 PM
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I bet it is your LCA bushings! Mine were doing that shat, chased the rabbit for months, then finally had it on a lift, my friend grabbed the bumper support, and while he lifted and pulled the bumper support I looked at each rotational mounting point on the LCA's and sure shiat, both rear bushings were shot! Ordered new ones from Madman GP, rod ends dble adjustable! No more clunking like that!

Charlie.
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Old Nov 13, 2003 | 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by jd13
This is the only thing I can think of. All the other bolts are in place and tightened. The sway bar is on very tight.

One of the bolts actually stripped when I removed it. Luckily I was able to make one that would fit. In either case, it doesn't explain clunking on both sides, but its definatly something I'm going to look at again this weekend.

Make one that would fit? This concerns me.....
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Old Nov 13, 2003 | 09:38 PM
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I'd agree might be better to replace that instead of wonder?
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Old Nov 14, 2003 | 01:14 AM
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I didn't make it fit in a sense that I forced it in. I made it fit as in I found a bolt of a very similar size, just had to be cut to shorten it.

But I'm definatly going to have a closer look at all those bolts this weekend. And CAT3, thanks for the suggestion, but everything in the rear of the car is fine. This clunking is only from the front of the car.
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Old Nov 15, 2003 | 07:22 PM
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I've been since summer over this same problem.
I installed BMR lowering springs and left everything else stock in the front.
I've taken my SS to local suspension shops and no one can find anything
wrong.
The biggest mystery to me is that the "clunking" sound appears to change.
Sometimes it's loud and sounds like the entire front of the car is going to fall off. Other times is fairly quiet.

If anyone can come up with what is causing this, it would be greatly appreciated.
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Old Nov 15, 2003 | 11:41 PM
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I am having the same problem on my stock suspension car with no front sway bar. Clunks in the front passenger side while driving. Cannot be reproduced by bouncing

Could someone please tell me the torque specs on the "strut nut"?
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Old May 26, 2005 | 04:09 PM
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sorry to bring this back, but i'm having the same clunk coming from the front pssngr side of the car, and i don't know what it is. i have bilstein shocks and was told they use a locking nut on the top of the shock, so that doesn't seem like a likely source for the clunk, especially since it's been a year and never done this until recently. any ideas?
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Old May 26, 2005 | 04:21 PM
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I have the SAME problem, i checked my lca bushings on my passenger side it is shot. trying to take the arm off right now to replace bushing, what a bitch
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Old May 26, 2005 | 04:48 PM
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Originally Posted by 95camaroz28
I have the SAME problem, i checked my lca bushings on my passenger side it is shot. trying to take the arm off right now to replace bushing, what a bitch
my noise is definitely coming from the front though, not the rear.
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Old May 26, 2005 | 04:52 PM
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Mine is also coming from the front, thats why i am replacing my front arm bushings
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