svezarov

I wanted to describe my latest challenge to get back to stiff front suspension. I have had this unpleasant clunk at start and braking at very low speed. Basically as the car starts moving from stop or just before it stops when driving at 5mph it would clung and I would feel it in my feet, the steering column etc. I did lots of searches and found all kind of reasons and that’s why I spent more than $500 in parts in advance so I can have the parts at hand when I start disassembling the front end. I bought all 4 engine mounts, the front strut mounts and the lower radiator support + some other things like sway bar end links and couple of ball joints. I had changed my control arms already 2-3 times because of the ball joints going bad, but there the clunk was different.
So at the end it turned out to be the big rubber bushing of the right side control arm which for some reason had gotten the hole enlarged around the control arm. So the pointy end of the arm would just be going back and front at slow speed acceleration and thus the clung. I had couple of the control arms that I had replaced before in my basement and jut took the bushing from one of them and put it on the existing control arm and that is it. Now my front end is again stiff like a rock. And … have all these spare parts in the basement …

Phromethius

I did this to one side but not the other due to money issues at the time. Is this something like A DIY job? I have a very strong feeling my other side has deteriorated the same way. I'd like to try myself but can simple tools do the job or would I need something specific?

svezarov

There are 6 bolts size 22 I think that hold the control arm to the chassis. I got them off in 15 mins since I have changed these arms 3 times each side. You will need an extension pipe to slide over the ratchet so you have more leverage. Also you need to remove the top nut (size 14 I think) of the sway bar link. Once you do this the arm will be held only at the ball joint at the knuckle. Thus you can pull it down at the other 2 ends and can change the bushing.
Took about 45 mins from start to finish.

JNCoRacer

iTrader: (6)

I'm going to have to check mine as well. I changed out every bushing on the front end just a few months ago but I have the same noise. Last week when I was looking under the car I noticed one of those 22mm bolts wasnt tightened down all the way. I torqued it back down but I guess the damage is already done.