Checked everything again. cant find anything. Everything seems fine.

Tightened all subframe bolts, tried to pry the subframe bushings, all seem ok. ball joint, tie rod ends, links, bushings, all fine. Axles, steering rack, no slack or play anywhere. Car drives well. No noise on small bumps. It's just when I hit a large hole in the road, and the front suspension all goes down, then it does that tok tok thing, but not all the time. Oh well. I'll just live with the sound I guess.

 

Ok, I am really starting to think that this might be due to the caliper slide pins on which I removed the bushings on the lower pin, and I get caliper banging after braking or reverse.

I'll order new slide pin bushings, and try it. BTW, avoid any solvent, brake cleaner, or petroleum grease on those.... they will stick, thats why I removed them. I think last time I cleaned them #1 with brake cleaner or a rag, and then applied brake grease... guess what, 2 weeks later, caliper pin seized...bushing swelled.

Brakes work #1 now that there is no rubber bushing and pins slide really well, but Im really starting to think that there is now some up and down torsion play in the caliper that that's what "clunks" a bit.

I'll tell you once I install this. Would be really dumb if it was only that.

 

Have you checked the axle nut to make sure it is torqued properly? I was having a clanking noise all of a sudden this week and a grinding noise on the front drivers side. So I got down there figuring I needed to do the brakes but the brakes were fine. Just by a chance I grabbed the axle nut and found I was able to spin it with my finger - kind of scary. Anyway, just passing on my recent experience.

Good luck.

 

Hmmm. Interesting. Let me know if you find anything with this. I would really like to get rid of that noise.

 

I'm having clunking noise on driver side. Do u have pic off axle nut located on the car?

 

Seriously, dude?

 

Ok, I just installed new slide pin bushings and lubed everything with synthetic silicone brake lube.

STILL clunks. I think im done with this until something breaks, then I'll know what it was..... I suspect the ebay parts..... but cant get eny of them to clunk/move specifically.

 

You have to take off the tire and it is dead center in the middle of the open spot of the rotor.

 

theres a locking cotler pin there. shouldnt be loose...

 

Ok, I noticed something today. When the car is supported on the frame, I cant make the noise happen.

Today I had the car lifted on the front subframe, and i tried turning the wheels left and right. wheels are way harder to turn when car is jacked on subframe. (normal?) There are 2-3 places where they will do a clunk in the steering rack. If I move it around one of those spots, I turn the wheel left a bit, clunk ,right a bit, clunk. Like the steering rack is clunking or something, only when there is tension on the subframe. Would explain why it clunks while turning over bumps.

Steering rack going bad ? Get ebay remanufactured one or pay full price OEM new model?

 

I changed the steering rack, it still clunks....

Been to nissan, 3 guys, 2 hours, they didnt find the clunk.
Been to another nissan, 2 guys, 1 hour, didnt find the clunk.....

They hear it well, but they cant find the cause.
I'll keep my damn clunking car until something breaks or gets loose, then I'll know what it was.....

I'm sick of paying for parts that dont fix the problem, plus 200$ labour to have ppl looking at it.

 

sorry to hear that bro, i went through that b4 and it's really frustrating. did the steering rack at least fix the shimmy? again good luck, hope u get it fixed soon.

 

i never had shimmy unless my wheels are out of balance (they are now).

 

Ok, I removed the stab bar links and did a test run, still clunks. so it's not the bar or links.

Disconnected the ball joints to check them. Right side (clunkiing side) ball joint stud has no "play", but is kinda loose. I can move it freely with a finger, and rotate it with fingertips.

Defective ball joint?

 

Maybe control arm? Balljoint is kinda loose. I'll check.

 

He finally replied to my emails and sent a replacement control arm. It's not the control arm....

I ordered 4 new monroe sensatracs, well see....

What else could be clunking ?%!?!?

 

If I go in an uneven hay field, and body/suspension play alot, it will constantly popclunk non stop.

 

Ok, it was the ebay front stabiliser bar links.
Both boots were completely torn after 6 months. Right one has major in and out play after 6 months.

Bought from maximumsuspension on ebay.

Replaced with MOOG links. MAN THE THING handles like god now. They are like 1.5x as thick, grease fittings, quality.

Dont buy ebay parts :| ****.

 

I have the same issue on my max. I haven't replaced anything yet but I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the strut mounts. The noise is like a pop almost like there's a little to much body play when ur driving and u hit a bump or a pothole there's a pop n it's like the car shifted side n came back. Many other people with the same problem say they changed end links n sway bar links and the problem was still there so that's why I'm pretty sure it has to do with the strut, mounts.

 

Hey Jay66,

It is definately the strut bearings, which is a plastic ring between the strut and strut mount. I had the same problem 2 years ago- the noise is downright embarassing.

Get the new strut bearings from your local Napa auto or Nissan. If you buy from Nissan make sure the bearing is a medium gray color and not black color. The grey one is silicone vs. plastic of the old model.

If you dont have Monroe or Moog strut mounts, get and install them at the SAME time you have the bearings replaced. The KYB mounts are junk last I knew, I had to replace those in a separate install as the contribute to the noise problem. Watch is actually causing the noise is that the strut shaft is binding (not spinning freely) when you turn or ride over speed bumps. Update us once you get the work done.

As far the end- links thought - they are of concern if you have a clunking noise in the front-end when you ride over uneven pavement, speed bumps, or turning into/out of driveways. In 85k miles, have not had to replace them yet even as my car is lowered on the KYB/Eibach setup.

 

Ok, and so to put an end to this:

After replacing the steering rack, shocks, mounts, rubbers, endlinks, tie rods, tables, and almost everything on this damn car.

The popping sound was caused by sheet metal rubbing.
On the passenger side, when you remove the plastic covers under the hood.
There is a bolt on the inner part near the suspension mount. A small bolt that attaches a bracket to hold a large wire loom.
Well, under body movement, that bolt was rubbing against the sheetmetal under the wipers and causing a clunk. Removed this, made the hole way bigger with a grinder in the metal and plastic, and the dreaded clunk is gone.

Jesus.

On a side note, all those ebay parts failed, and I ended up replacing all that **** twice. Replaced the last ebay parts today because the balljoint failed again.
Went with beck/arnley, hope I am good for a while, cost me 700$ again.

 

Same here. I feel some kind of vibration every time I hold the accelerator pedal

 

wtf?

 

No ****. Thats awesome. I have the same clunking noise in the same spot. I'm going to go check that out on the weekend. Thanks for the tip.

CM

 

hate to say it, lol but worthless without pics. Please provide to help stimulate my senses.

 

I will try to take a picture when I have some time.

There is only 1 bolt on the passenger strut tower, near the engine bay. It's this bolt....

I wasted probably close to 1500$ to figure this clunk out. eh.
At least all my parts are new now. car handles like a new car.

 

Just changed the sway bars (front), and although they were worn and needed repllacing, still hear the sound. Am going to check this tomorrow.....

 

guess what my clunk is back now. Probably some sheetmetal still rubbing elsewhere, I give up. It just wants to clunk. Screw that.

 

you are talking about the end links right? because there is only one front away bar, and it's a huge hassle to remove. you usually change the bushings, and /or end links.

The bushings are also a huge pita to get at, and so far they are fine on my 2004 and I dont plan to ever touch those.

endlinks have been changed for moog, that are MUCH better than oem.

 

Hey Kryogen,
Thanks for the persistence to find the clunk noise. I have the same issues after sensen strut replacements on my 03 Pilot.
Had to go off the Honda forum for answers. And yeah I bought EBay control arm kit too. I’ll take a look at my sway bar links. Thank you for posting!