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Annoying noise finally found and fixed

Old Mar 5, 2013 | 01:06 PM
  #1  
Catch22's Avatar
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From: Massachusetts
Annoying noise finally found and fixed

Been trying to find an annoying noise coming from the rear suspension. Clicking sound from rear when going over bumps, could easily replicate by goving over a speed bump fairly slowly. You could have the car parked and with hands on the rear wheel well - lifting the car up and down it would click. I put 4 new struts on about 3 months ago (new bump stop, bushings and bellows). Clicking started about a month later. Could not see anything or determine what it was when i crawled under car when someone else rocked the car. Finally put the rear suspension up on stands, removed wheels and calipers and rocked the car again. Couldn't believe what was making the noise. It was the Bellows - it would seat on the Strut - but would 'pop' off the strut and make a loud sound. This could not be seen with the tire on and sounded like something metal - versus a plastic bellows....Anyway, I put hose clamps on both sides and sound is gone. Sway bar links and Ball joints are next
Old Mar 5, 2013 | 05:13 PM
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congrats on fixing it!
unfortunately mine slipped of and are smashed to the point of no return - but they were not causing any noise or anything
Old Mar 5, 2013 | 05:51 PM
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Mine is doing the same thing after strut replacement. Can you provide more info and maybe pics on what you did.
Old Mar 6, 2013 | 10:38 AM
  #4  
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Sorry - I didn't snap any photos - but all I did was seat the Bellows on the bottom of the Strut and put on some hose clamps. There is plenty of room inside the spring for the clamp. Kind of hard to get the strap into the clamp mechanism - but its manageable
Old Mar 11, 2013 | 12:58 PM
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Put new Sway bar links on in the front this past weekend - It has quieted down some of the clunking. There are two more issues I need to fix. There is another clunk that happens when going slow but over rough, rutty ground or hit a bump at speed. Was in a dirt parking lot with alot of divots, drove slow and would hear a loud clunk which you can feel throughout the car. Sounds like its coming from the back of the car - but not sure. The other issue is a clicking from the front that happens everythime I on an off ramp that I drive everyday. offramp curves to the right and gets louder and faster as I accelerate. I'm thinking the drivers side axle needs to be replaced. Would bad ball joints ever cause a rythmic clicking? With a wheel spinning I would guess its possible - but logical thinking tells me a bad ball joint would clunk once, twice or three times and not be constant rythmic clicking but at this point wouldn't be surprised. If/when I do the axle/CV I will probably do the Ball joint since I'll have averything apart. In the past few months I've done all 4 struts (new everything, bearings, stops, bellows), Did the Rear Trailing arm bushings with Energy Suspension bushings and front sway bar links).
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