General Maxima Discussion This a general area for Maxima discussions for all years. For more specific questions, visit one of the generation-specific forums.

Dull clunking noise from front suspension.... what could it be?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-25-2004, 05:18 PM
  #1  
...needs to please stop post whoring.
Thread Starter
iTrader: (9)
 
NYCe MaXiMa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 9,283
Dull clunking noise from front suspension.... what could it be?

Driving over any little bumps on the road.. at any speed, there is a dull knock/clunk coming from the right side... especially heard/felt when sitting in as a passanger. It is like dribbling a basketball only more dull.. I also feel that my steering response is not as good as it was..


1. What could it be?
2. how do I single out the problem?



So far, I came up with ball joints, tie rod ends, control arm bushings? perhaps upper strut mounts?


but how do I know which one it is?



thanks a lot.
NYCe MaXiMa is offline  
Old 02-25-2004, 05:29 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
95GreekMaxSE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 433
upper strut mounts, replace them on both sides. They hold the struts to the body of the car and bounce around more freely when worn, thus causing your suspension knock.
95GreekMaxSE is offline  
Old 02-25-2004, 05:44 PM
  #3  
...needs to please stop post whoring.
Thread Starter
iTrader: (9)
 
NYCe MaXiMa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 9,283
Originally Posted by 95GreekMaxSE
upper strut mounts, replace them on both sides. They hold the struts to the body of the car and bounce around more freely when worn, thus causing your suspension knock.
thanks.. are you sure?


can they be changed without removing the strut and spring assembly?



also.. we are talking about the things you see when opening the hood, holding the top of the strut on each side with 3 bolts, right?



thanks
NYCe MaXiMa is offline  
Old 02-25-2004, 06:05 PM
  #4  
LithiuMax
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Mine clunked like that on both sides for about a day. Turned out that the main strut tower bolts weren't tightened all the way.
 
Old 02-25-2004, 06:12 PM
  #5  
...needs to please stop post whoring.
Thread Starter
iTrader: (9)
 
NYCe MaXiMa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 9,283
Originally Posted by LithiuMax
Mine clunked like that on both sides for about a day. Turned out that the main strut tower bolts weren't tightened all the way.

yeah, i had that happen before I've checked for that.. definitely not the problem.. but that is the exact clunking noise that i am hearing right now..
NYCe MaXiMa is offline  
Old 02-25-2004, 06:48 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
drewm's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,391
Originally Posted by LithiuMax
Mine clunked like that on both sides for about a day. Turned out that the main strut tower bolts weren't tightened all the way.
I also had that same problem, but only because a locking washer snapped in half, causing the tower bolt to become loose.

I'd take a look at that nut first, at least it's a fix that will cost you $0, and you can do it yourself.
drewm is offline  
Old 02-25-2004, 06:58 PM
  #7  
192.168.1.1
iTrader: (50)
 
gtr_rider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 17,637
It cant be the strut tower mounts because I installed new ones with me lowering, and it makes it still. It must be something thats in the lower portion of the suspension because thats all that was reused in my install.
gtr_rider is offline  
Old 02-25-2004, 07:47 PM
  #8  
Senior Member
 
Max96LSU's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 721
i hear that clunking in the rear once in a while.. can't seem to figure where it's coming from....
Max96LSU is offline  
Old 02-25-2004, 08:31 PM
  #9  
192.168.1.1
iTrader: (50)
 
gtr_rider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 17,637
Yea, in the right rear also sometimes..
gtr_rider is offline  
Old 02-25-2004, 11:53 PM
  #10  
Donating Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (-1)
 
spiff56747's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,371
i used to have a clunking noise going over bumps, especially when turning right... i replaced like every single part in the suspension but i still had it

it turns out the bottom of the spring was hitting against the metal spring seat on the strut...where it curves upward to hold the spring in place... i just had to bend back the spring seat a little bit
spiff56747 is offline  
Old 02-26-2004, 05:43 AM
  #11  
192.168.1.1
iTrader: (50)
 
gtr_rider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 17,637
hmm, that sounds like a good idea.. Do you have a picture of the bend?
gtr_rider is offline  
Old 02-26-2004, 10:17 AM
  #12  
Donating Maxima.org Member
 
ChillWill2000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 734
Originally Posted by gtr_rider
hmm, that sounds like a good idea.. Do you have a picture of the bend?
bc
ChillWill2000 is offline  
Old 02-26-2004, 01:46 PM
  #13  
...needs to please stop post whoring.
Thread Starter
iTrader: (9)
 
NYCe MaXiMa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 9,283
strut mounts are 50$ a piece here damn..

this better be the problem. lol
NYCe MaXiMa is offline  
Old 02-26-2004, 02:18 PM
  #14  
Donating Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (8)
 
Ladzio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,987
Originally Posted by Max96LSU
i hear that clunking in the rear once in a while.. can't seem to figure where it's coming from....
I've got this problem, too. Clunking in right rear especially when I have people sitting in the back seat, read few threads here that say that could be a strut going bad... what do you guys think it is...

Thanks.
Ladzio is offline  
Old 02-26-2004, 04:11 PM
  #15  
...needs to please stop post whoring.
Thread Starter
iTrader: (9)
 
NYCe MaXiMa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 9,283
will i be able to see if they are busted once i remove the strut?
NYCe MaXiMa is offline  
Old 02-26-2004, 04:24 PM
  #16  
I love lamp.
iTrader: (24)
 
maximase86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 6,697
Well from what I see from your symptoms, your noise is definately probably the strut assembly. The easiest to find out is if you still have the rubber insulator the sits between the top of the spring and the strut mount, and the bottom of the spring and the perch that the spring sit on the strut. If you don't have anything, what you can do is put some 3/4 wire loom around the first 1 or 2 winds on each side. That may solve it. The other thing to check is to make sure you have the top hat/space piece that sit between strut mount and the car itself. It comes up thought the center hole and positions it self around the top portion of the strut mount. Often people leave this out or they converted thier struts from electronic adjust that didn't have it and it causes noise. The last thing that is probably causing it is the main nut that holds the strut to the mount is loose. Those are the normal suspects.

S
maximase86 is offline  
Old 02-26-2004, 06:54 PM
  #17  
192.168.1.1
iTrader: (50)
 
gtr_rider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 17,637
Originally Posted by NYCe MaXiMa
strut mounts are 50$ a piece here damn..

this better be the problem. lol
courtesy has a good deal on those strut mounts, .orgy discount
gtr_rider is offline  
Old 02-26-2004, 08:30 PM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
95GreekMaxSE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 433
Open ypur hood and turn your steering wheel left to right while paying attention to both center bolts for the struts. If either one moves around while the steering wheel is being turned than it's the upper strut mount. Good idea to replace in pairs.
95GreekMaxSE is offline  
Old 02-26-2004, 08:32 PM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
95GreekMaxSE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 433
Originally Posted by gtr_rider
It cant be the strut tower mounts because I installed new ones with me lowering, and it makes it still. It must be something thats in the lower portion of the suspension because thats all that was reused in my install.
Are all of your bolts torqued tight enough? Are your strut bearings new aswell?
95GreekMaxSE is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
adamgalazka
8th Generation Maxima (2016-)
10
02-05-2023 08:24 AM
dvcamp
6th Generation Maxima (2004-2008)
7
09-18-2015 10:17 AM
GregL65
3rd Generation Maxima (1989-1994)
2
09-05-2015 09:37 PM
jfl330
7th Generation Maxima (2009-2015)
4
09-04-2015 01:44 PM



Quick Reply: Dull clunking noise from front suspension.... what could it be?



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:29 AM.