Maxima Man

I need help finding the cause of a clunk in my front suspension I seems to be at the worst when going over bumps ...

I just recently replaced my balljoints and the sway bar link bushings and the tie rod ends ...

I think it might have gotten alittle better at first but now it is like it was before again!!!(MAD)

What other bushings are there up front that could cause clunks ?


I don't think it is my CV joints either because they are not torn but I guess they still could go bad ?...

If my lower control arm bushings are bad will it cause this metal to metal clunk sound?

Thanks for all input given!!!!!!!

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Strut mount bearings?

Could be a cv though,does it clunk while turning or just over bumps??

sublunary

iTrader: (2)

i doubt it is the ca bushings. are your struts and strut mounts in good shape? are you sure its the front and not the back?

Sgibb

iTrader: (3)

when i had a clunk from my car it was the lower control arm bushings

Maxima Man

It is in the front for sure and it clunks while turning or going over bumps

How can I check the condition of the strut mounts ?

Sqibb what type of clunk can you be more descriptive?

Thanks

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Sounds like a cv axle to me..

Maxima Man

Greenmax I just asked my dad and he said the CV axles are 1 year old with less than 300 miles on them so I doubt its them ........

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

.

slickblack94

iTrader: (5)

I would guess strut mounts.Mine clunk on bumps and brick roads,and when flying over rail road tracks he he he

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Yellow brick roads??

Josh

iTrader: (5)

1 year and less than 300 miles? who are you Cliff Clavin? but really that does sound like a CV axle to me too.

Sgibb

iTrader: (3)

If i hit the breaks too hard i would hear a loud clunk and when i went over some bumps i would hear it squeaking too

Josh

iTrader: (5)

Wheel bearing maybe? I don't know man this is wierd.

sublunary

iTrader: (2)

im not sure how you can check the mounts other than just looking at them but if they've never been replaced it could be more than a coincidence.

92 Max

Does the front wheel squeek or chirp. If it chirps it could be the brakes. Did you check the tightness of the brake mounting bolts ( and also the suspension bolts). If these are not tight they will cause clunks.

sublunary

iTrader: (2)

use a torque wrench, they can be too tight as well (strut tower bolts)

Maxima Man

Well I am leaning towards the strut mounts and Its sometimes a clunk while hiting a bump but also there is another noise is heard when just driving straight and it sounds like a pop noise that has alittle bit of tap noise to it as well and you will here this once every 1-2miles sometimes much more frequent...

How much do you think a shop might cahrge me to replace the strut mounts I know its pretty straight forward but I just don't feel like screwing with the springs..

Thanks for the ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!

dv3

lol.....brick roads ......cant say i ever had the opportunity to take my max on one of those

sublunary

iTrader: (2)

it is straight forward and you can borrow spring compressors from autozone for free. you should do it yourself. im not a mechanic and i changed my struts and springs. it was easy, you can look at a write up on here and just look for the info about the mounts.

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

jack her up, inspect and tighten anything loose.

the car....the car

Maxima Man

OH OK THE CAR..........

I might do it myself if I look at it and It looks simple enough ....

I checked and everything is tight under there and I have replaced all but lower control arm bushings ......

Any idea what the pop/snap sound might be

Thanks

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

Maxima Man

How much could I buy the lower arms from you without the balljoints (already replaced them)

Thanks...

You think thats half the prob the lower control arm bushings?

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

the bushings on these cars tend to go bad especially the right front when there is an oil leak there ( I went through 2 in a year or so)
I can sell you arms without *****, but the pricing difference is only like $5

Maxima Man

why arent the ***** like 30.00?

maxitech

iTrader: (7)

If it is the strut mounts, you can save money by taking the strut assemblys of and taking them to the shop. I would let them deal with the springs, though.

A good indication that it is the control arm is if there is abnormally high tire wear on the inside edge of the tire.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

because I don't generally buy them seperately for the arms, they come packaged with them.

Pepi

umm my car clunks on both... so the turning would be? control arm? and over tracks/bumps strut? or actually sound more like a banging noise? could that be bearings i dunno

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

A "clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk clunk" sound around turns is a common sign of a bad cv joint..You can "feel" it in the body of the car when it clunks...

Hectic

iTrader: (20)

have you ruled out where the lower ball joint connects to the steering knuckle? if that nut is loose, it will definitely produce a clunking sound although your stability will also be affected when turning which you haven't mentioned. just an idea.

Maxima Man

I changed out the ball joints and I guess it could have worked loose but it does have a saftey pin through it so it won't go that far

Thanks I will check it out!!!

Tarzan

The CV joints make noise when you turn your steering all the way either side while moving. It's click-click-click-click-click-click-click....
Clunks on the straight line over the bumps is not CV, not ball joints either. The ball joints make noise when the wheel drops, when the wheel rises, they are quiet.
I think it's the strut tower mounts or control arms.

Maxima Man

Thats what I think too thanks for conferming my suspisions......

I think I might get a shop to replace my front struts and the mounts as well as the lower control arms..

Thanks

Tarzan

Front strut job is a 2-3 hour DIY fun, if you have good spring compressors. There is my write-up somewhere in this forum dated 2003-2004, and lots of other's write-ups. You basically borrow the spring compressors from a store, do the work and return them. You need a set of wrenches besides that. Very straightforward and saves you lots of $$$.
Rear struts are a bit trickier, but it's only in the part where you have to remove the gland seal nut, which I recommend doing by bolting the strut to a wheel and turning the cap with adjusting plyers. Then there might be some grinding on the bottom of the new cartridges if you get Kyb GR2 and they are tad too tall. That's it.

4dscPat

What about the outside edge? My car is lowered on Eibach springs.

Maxima Man

Tarzan how the hell do you know all about suspension work but you don't know how to change your oil and sparkplugs.........

Tarzan

'cause I was pulling your leg and some bought that

dadsmax

Just change out the drive axles. They could be coming apart inside the boots may still be good but it is the guts that count. The could be rebuilt and porly done and change both at the same time. Not a hard job to do. Or just get stuck on the road at night in the dark somewhere