Whats most common suspension clunking symptoms?

[dla442]

I have a clunk that seems to be on the drivers side or middle. I have recently replaced outer ties rods, upper/lower ball joints and sway bar links about a yera ago. The struts are relativley old with 30-40k but the 05 TB rides smooth. Can hear it when a hard bump in road in present or driving slower over bumps. Was thinking of bushings, steering shaft(although i dont feel it in floor or wheel), strut mounts(never replaced). I keep up on the maintenance on the TB that the wife drives. Of course, I get in and hear the clunks. It appears when the suspension has to act fast. Just looking for common wear points that have not already been addressed. The TB has 117k.

 

[CaptainXL]

Gotta give my neighbor kudos and fist bumps for changing the struts at 60K. Not everyone thinks about stuff like that.

Since the strut mounts weren't replaced then that could be the cause. However what I would do it put all four corners on stands and with the help of a jack and pry bar lift and tweak each suspension arm . Upper and lower. It could be that either you got a bad shock/strut or a bolt came loose from the last time they were replaced. Also take the wheels off and inspect the brakes and hubs for excessive wear, play. Check the two bushings for the front sway bar as well.

 

[The_Roadie]

I'd agree. A bolt or nut could have come loose. We've seen MANY reports of anti-sway bar end link nuts loosening up, and the holes are slightly chewed out, causing the clunk.

I recommend finding a speed bump you can drive over with one or both wheels at a time, and see if the noise happens when BOTH wheels go up and down, which would rule out end links. If it happens when only ONE wheel goes over the bump, that's what stresses end links the most.

Anti-sway bar frame mounting bushings or broken brackets are also a possibility, as is a loose battery mount, or anything you can find with a thorough wiggling check of everything in sight.

 

[dla442]

lol...forgot to say that i just did all four wheels rotors/pads and was nosing around in there and all looked good. I would hate to think those bilstines are bad again, i am on my third set and those have 30-40k on them. What am I looking for when on four jack stands? Do I pry up on the control arms and look for play on the bushings? While I am at it, who sells a good set of srping compressors for the struts in the area? Do not even mention Harbor Freight...lol. I heard napa's are ok but interested in the single action type. Thanks neighbor..ha

 

[CaptainXL]

I think Bill recommends the napa strut compressors.

The rear shocks can be done yourself. I had the front struts replaced by Muffler Man on 28th street and Beltline across from the Ramada Inn. cost was $120ish. They get 5 star reviews and are super quick. Took them about an hour while I shopped at Lowes. If you got the money and dont have the need to learn or time to do this yourself I highly recommend they do it.

 

[The_Roadie]

I think Bill recommends the napa strut compressors.

I've done over 40 strut compressions with those. Haven't broken them yet, although the screws have always bent in a scary way. I'd trust pretty much nothing that cost under $60. Harbor Freight is OK for stuff that you can evaluate and know won't kill you when it breaks, but I'd only use their spring compressors on my Civic. I tried to buy a wall-mounted one from a brake shop going out of business around Christmas, but was vastly outbid by a professional who paid $400 for it. If I had known eight years ago that I would be helping so many others with their lifts, and I would be changing mine out every year or so for new models, I should have gotten a wall-mounted one first.

Conclusion is: If you've got the confidence and caution required to do your own spring compression, DO NOT cheap out on the tool. If you use the loaners at the local parts store, check them out VERY carefully for robustness and previous abuse.

MacPherson strut vehicles like the Civic typically weigh less than us, and their force multiplier is 1-to-1 because of the design. One pound of compression force is required for every pound the vehicle puts on the wheel. On our design, the spring is INBOARD of the wheel, and is 50% stiffer because of the lever arm length of the lower control arm. Thus if the vehicle puts 1800 pounds on each of the two front wheels, normal compression force at resting height for the spring is 2400 pounds (!) Since you over to OVERCOMPRESS the spring to change it out, I'm estimating the final compression force held in by the compressor is 3500+ pounds, or almost ONE TON per compressor screw.

Be careful out there!

 

[dla442]

I think Bill recommends the napa strut compressors.

The rear shocks can be done yourself. I had the front struts replaced by Muffler Man on 28th street and Beltline across from the Ramada Inn. cost was $120ish. They get 5 star reviews and are super quick. Took them about an hour while I shopped at Lowes. If you got the money and dont have the need to learn or time to do this yourself I highly recommend they do it.

I have been there before for converter install..i do my own struts and other peoples cars too...thx for the advice roadie...i think the napas are 80 bucks or so. the clunk is definitley in the left and had one in the center but 4h high was enable cuz of this freakin snow, clunked when turning left from a stop...most of it is left side so ill look at those links again to make sure they didnt loosen up

 

[Gevans17]

changed front / rear sway bar end links approx 1 year ago. Clunking recently returned. Found broken rear sway bar bushing bracket.