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Anyone had a front end clunking?


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Alright, who is smarter than me...I am hoping for some help figuring out this noise I've been chasing for almost a year!!! Here we go...

 

This is happening on my 06 spec B. The noise is an audible clunking that can be felt in the steering over uneven pavement or pulling into driveways. It can be reproduced with the car on the ground by grabing the 12 O'clock position of the front drivers tire and firmly(all my force) rocking in and out.

Things I have replaced to try to eliminate the noise(without success):

-End links

-FSB bushings

-Lower ball joint

-Outer tie rod

-Top hat

-Front and rear LCA bushings

-Steering rack bushings

-Front axles

-I have also re-seated the spring and replaced the spring bushings

 

So I'm thinking maybe wheel bearing, but it seemed smooth, quiet, and without play apon inspection while replacing axles. Also, the bilsten shock seems fine and is not leaking.

 

Lets hear what you think, I can't take it anymore.

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Ha, ha, ha... nobody thinking anything yet? I guess i'll just use this as a log book so I can keep track of what I've do. That way I'll be able to look back in a year when I am still trying to figure this out and know what I've already tried.

 

Well, I worked on this all day....still have not figured out what it is, but I can tell you a what it is not:

-caliper pins and bushings(installed new ones)

 

Some thing I noticed, the sound is worst when turning into driveways and can be heard from 1MPH to 40ish.

 

I lifted the car off the ground today and pushed/pulled on the wheels to feel for play and found nothing in any direction, I couldn't even get it to make the noise, also the wheel spins w/o grinding or harshness. This makes a bad bearing seem unlikely to me.

 

New tought is inner tie rods or sterring rack....something.

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Have you checked the stabilizer links? If they're loose they're probably making noise. Since you can hear it more when the suspension is unevenly loaded I think its sway bar/stab. link related.

 

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

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If you are referring to sway bar end links, then yes, those were the first thing I replaced. I was initally thinking the same thing but since I have repalced end links and sway bar bushings it doesn't seem likely anymore.
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sway bar bushing, ball joints, bad struts, loose strut top nut. it can be any of these things. check the shape of your swaybar bushing "c" brackets. i had mind bend out of shape alittle which caused the bushing to move around even though it was bolted down tight. I bought energy suspension bushings which came with new stronger brackets. got rid of the noise.
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I had a car come in that complained abouf the same thing. Ended up being subframe bushings. Had that down recently?

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

 

You know, this noise has been happening since I bought the car, but the previous owner had the clutch replaced which would require the subframe off... good thinking, I will check it out and report back. Do you know any way to check those bushings?

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sway bar bushing, ball joints, bad struts, loose strut top nut. it can be any of these things. check the shape of your swaybar bushing "c" brackets. i had mind bend out of shape alittle which caused the bushing to move around even though it was bolted down tight. I bought energy suspension bushings which came with new stronger brackets. got rid of the noise.

 

I appreciate your advice, unfortunatly, I have replace all above parts, minus the strut which still looks and feels pretty good.

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You know, this noise has been happening since I bought the car, but the previous owner had the clutch replaced which would require the subframe off... good thinking, I will check it out and report back. Do you know any way to check those bushings?

 

Unfortunately I dont. I would just hit the bolts with a torque wrench first to see if they're loose.

 

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

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Did you tighten the endlinks under load? If you replaced them on jackstands it's possible they are not completely tight.

 

Yes sir, they were tightened under load, it was on ramps. One thing I may do (if the subframe turns up fine) is try driving with the sway bar disconnected to see if it effects the noise.

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You know, this noise has been happening since I bought the car, but the previous owner had the clutch replaced which would require the subframe off... good thinking, I will check it out and report back. Do you know any way to check those bushings?

 

Unfortunately I don't know of any way to check them. But just safely lift the car up and take a torque wrench to the subframe bolts. See if they're loose first. Aside from physical evidence such as marring on the chassis, I think it's one of those things that you just have to replace with a known good one.

 

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

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Spent all day under the car, loosened and retightened every bolt I could reach, checked sub frame, checked sway bar brackets, and checked heat shields... still no luck. I padded some of the brake lines and remounted HID ballasts, all seems tight. I'm still leaning toward inner tie rods since the sound is the worst while turning.
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. I'm still leaning toward inner tie rods since the sound is the worst while turning.

 

Similar boat as you, have replaced the same parts, I also suspect inner tie rods. When my car is parked, engine off, if I wiggle the steering wheel back and forth, not enough to turn the wheels, but enough to expose slop, I hear a clicking noise from down near the rack. Haven't moved forward with that theory yet because I haven't had a chance to do it.

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Check the center nut on top of the top hat. SoCal brother had this issue and he checked everything you've mentioned and it was the center nut - too loose and the shaft was bounching/rattling.
- Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum -
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You know, this noise has been happening since I bought the car, but the previous owner had the clutch replaced which would require the subframe off... good thinking, I will check it out and report back. Do you know any way to check those bushings?

 

Why would he subframe be out or a clutch replacement?

 

Mike

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