05 LGT front end click/clunk issue.

[Militarybuilt]

So after I installed coil overs a week or two later I developed a click/clunk in the front end, I can feel it in my feet but not in the steering wheel or the shifter. It happens going straight, turning, and at all speeds and it's mildly intermittent which is even more annoying. I replaced the driver's side CV shaft thinking that could be on it's way out, no dice.

 

I've seen some reports of the steering rack doing it, but it steers fine with no dead spots or any other issues.

 

ANyone have any ideas? any input is appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[boxkita]

this is a death knell. I'll give you $500 for your car as-is.

 

did you get the coilovers tuned or just stuck them on? did you replace anything else? how many miles on your car? where are the roads yer driving over? what's your car? what tires do you have?

 

all part of the problem

[Militarybuilt]

this is a death knell. I'll give you $500 for your car as-is.

 

did you get the coilovers tuned or just stuck them on? did you replace anything else? how many miles on your car? where are the roads yer driving over? what's your car? what tires do you have?

 

all part of the problem

 

 

Haha add a zero to that and you may be a bit closer.

 

 

What do you mean by tuned? I did set the preload and dampening.

 

SO far the car also has the new drivers side CV shaft and all new sway bar end links and bushings, that's it for the steering and suspension besides the coil overs. I've done a ton more to the rest of the car though.

 

I'm in Upper MI so the roads are generally terrible.

 

And for wheels and tires I'm running 18" Sparco wheels with Falken tires but I cant remember the size.

 

The car has 186k miles.

[Militarybuilt]

I do have Whiteline steering rack bushings to go in the car when I can get it back on my buddy's lift, along with Whiteline trans bushings, and lower control arm bushings.

[VespaGTS]

Check end links as well. Kartboy are solid endlinks if you have rough roads.

 

 

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[Militarybuilt]

Check end links as well. Kartboy are solid endlinks if you have rough roads.

 

 

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I have brand new endlinks, granted they're from oreillys.. I may have to upgrade.

[norutah]

So after I installed coil overs a week or two later I developed a click/clunk in the front end, I can feel it in my feet but not in the steering wheel or the shifter. It happens going straight, turning, and at all speeds and it's mildly intermittent which is even more annoying. I replaced the driver's side CV shaft thinking that could be on it's way out, no dice.

 

 

 

I've seen some reports of the steering rack doing it, but it steers fine with no dead spots or any other issues.

 

 

 

ANyone have any ideas? any input is appreciated.

 

 

 

Thanks!

Disconnect end link and zip tie sway bar to isolate. Carefully drive car and see if it still clunks

 

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[Militarybuilt]

Disconnect end link and zip tie sway bar to isolate. Carefully drive car and see if it still clunks

 

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Yup still clunks. I feel it has to be a bushing somewhere as it almost does it when I'm on and off the gas. I'll do all new control arm bushings and see what happens.

[bubbagump]

Yup still clunks. I feel it has to be a bushing somewhere as it almost does it when I'm on and off the gas. I'll do all new control arm bushings and see what happens.

 

Is it a fluttering clunk, or more of a solid clunk? I recently had a fluttering type of clunk when I hit road roughness on the passenger front wheel. I traced it to my steering rack. I did not feel it in my steering wheel at all but when I took my rack out, the passenger side rod definitely had some radially play in it while the other side didn't. Granted - I think I damaged my rack doing other work, so this type of thing might be uncommon among people who don't use an impact wrench to take their inner tie rod off .

[Militarybuilt]

Is it a fluttering clunk, or more of a solid clunk? I recently had a fluttering type of clunk when I hit road roughness on the passenger front wheel. I traced it to my steering rack. I did not feel it in my steering wheel at all but when I took my rack out, the passenger side rod definitely had some radially play in it while the other side didn't. Granted - I think I damaged my rack doing other work, so this type of thing might be uncommon among people who don't use an impact wrench to take their inner tie rod off .

 

 

It's a solid noise for sure, not fluttering. I can feel it in the gas pedal when it does happen though. I was under the car today and nothing sticks out, for the amount it makes noise I figured for sure I would see something worn.

 

The car does have 186k on it so it wouldn't surprise me if the rack was worn out. Where did you get yours from?

[bubbagump]

It's a solid noise for sure, not fluttering. I can feel it in the gas pedal when it does happen though. I was under the car today and nothing sticks out, for the amount it makes noise I figured for sure I would see something worn.

 

 

 

The car does have 186k on it so it wouldn't surprise me if the rack was worn out. Where did you get yours from?

From my understanding racks don't usually fail the way mine did. I would definitely investigate before buying another. With mine I could feel it by grabbing tie rod and yanking it around. I am rather doubtful that's exactly what yours is, would hate for you to buy something just because I brought it up.

 

But what could it be. Sway bar links have been eliminated. Hmmm. Clunks straight line, turning. Any other clues? Only over bumps? From one side or the other? Have you gotten under there with a pry bar yet seeing if you can get anything to move? Being that you just did struts and stuff I'm wondering if not related to that.

 

But, to answer your question - I ended up buying a brand new STI rack from newenglandsubaru or something like that. Definitely not most cost effective option. Car-part.com is a great place for used parts.

 

Pardon my rambling.

 

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[Militarybuilt]

From my understanding racks don't usually fail the way mine did. I would definitely investigate before buying another. With mine I could feel it by grabbing tie rod and yanking it around. I am rather doubtful that's exactly what yours is, would hate for you to buy something just because I brought it up.

 

But what could it be. Sway bar links have been eliminated. Hmmm. Clunks straight line, turning. Any other clues? Only over bumps? From one side or the other? Have you gotten under there with a pry bar yet seeing if you can get anything to move? Being that you just did struts and stuff I'm wondering if not related to that.

 

But, to answer your question - I ended up buying a brand new STI rack from newenglandsubaru or something like that. Definitely not most cost effective option. Car-part.com is a great place for used parts.

 

Pardon my rambling.

 

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Yea I have been under the car looking, and pulling, and prying, and nothing sticks out. I have a pile of Whiteline bushings and parts to install so maybe that will help. Besides the new coil-overs and the sway bar end links/bushings, the rest of the suspension has 186k on it and looks all original, so it's probably time to start replacing.

 

But there's no rhyme or reason to the noise, it happens in all situations and scenarios. It's definitely getting worse, which will help me find the problem haha.

 

The car is up in the air now getting a Cobb downpipe so I'll end up tearing it apart for all the suspension work then getting an alignment.

[bubbagump]

Yea I have been under the car looking, and pulling, and prying, and nothing sticks out. I have a pile of Whiteline bushings and parts to install so maybe that will help. Besides the new coil-overs and the sway bar end links/bushings, the rest of the suspension has 186k on it and looks all original, so it's probably time to start replacing.

 

But there's no rhyme or reason to the noise, it happens in all situations and scenarios. It's definitely getting worse, which will help me find the problem haha.

 

The car is up in the air now getting a Cobb downpipe so I'll end up tearing it apart for all the suspension work then getting an alignment.

 

Well, I recently went down the same path. I went to swap struts for JDM Bilsteins, and brakes but ended up doing wayyy more than planned.

 

-Swapped to used aluminum control arms that I installed new bushings in

-New sway bar bushings.

-New inner and outer tie rods

-New steering knuckles because I sort of damaged one getting caliper bracket off. I did not try hard to be careful, I think I was looking for an excuse to replace my nasty knuckles.

-New wheel bearings, because knuckles.

-Rotors, calipers.

 

After I did that I only drove for a couple hundred miles but man was it a good couple hundred. So much tighter and more stable, no more getting thrown around by the wind. However, during that couple hundred miles it also became obvious I did in fact damage my rack because of a stupid mistake I made while too tired to continue working on my car.

 

-So now, new STI steering rack! And all the lines that go with it. 15 year old rubber is nasty.

 

I would caution against following my lead though just trying to track down a clunk, I went a little willy nilly on things.

Edited May 29, 2021 by bubbagump