front end clunk??

[Jspeed17]

Anybody experience this? I've recently developed a jiggle/clunking in the front end of my msp, mainly while driving slow while turning going over bumps. Since i hit a pothole on the highway recently before this problem, I've checked every front end part on a lift, (ball joints, tie rods, sway bar links/bushings, etc.) and everything is tight!!!! My only other guess would be play inside the steering rack, only because i really feel it in the steering wheel.....anyone run into this problem???

[livelyjay]

How many miles do you have on the car?

[Jspeed17]

Just turned over 63k.

[livelyjay]

My friends front bushings went in his MSP after 30k, but you said this started after hitting some nasty bumps and you're feeling it in your steering wheel. Maybe take your car in and get your wheels balanced. Maybe you threw a weight or two, which threw your wheels out of balance. Just a thought.

[BOOSTR]

I think its a strut and/or strut mount issue. Mine makes the same noise under those situations but I've never hit a pot hole. 70K here and I don't think performance suspension parts are designed last that long. But my car is still reasonably tight so I'm in no hurry to fork out $700 for new struts + mounts.

[Jspeed17]

Happens at slow speeds like i'm turning around in a parking lot going over bumps. Nothing to do with tire balance, brand new tires....Yeah i hit a seam from an overpass on the highway going like 70mph....everything is tight in the front end including sway bar bushings and end links....i pryed on everything to see if there was play, wiggled tires to check tie rod ends/ ball joints too....it's just another noise that pisses me off!!!!

[Jspeed17]

I think its a strut and/or strut mount issue. Mine makes the same noise under those situations but I've never hit a pot hole. 70K here and I don't think performance suspension parts are designed last that long. But my car is still reasonably tight so I'm in no hurry to fork out $700 for new struts + mounts.

Could be.....Same here though susp. parts are seroius dollars!!!

[livelyjay]

Come on, I get a new noise every 5k-10k miles, it's awesome. I have a vibration in the right rear when the RPMs get up, and a noise from the front left that happens at certain speeds and certain steering wheel angles. It's great.

If you haven't already: Check where the strut attaches to the knuckle, make sure those bolts are tight. Check the bolts for the strut in the engine compartment. Grab the top and bottom of the wheel and try to wiggle it (top to bottom movement) to see if the wheel bearing is ok. Also check the strut to see if it's leaking oil. Check the coil spring and see if it's still correctly seated in the spring perches.

[xboxlivemonkey]

i was going to say check your ball joint since you said it happens when you turn on a speed bump but since you checked it thats out of the questioan , if you chekced the control arm , try checking if the ball joint is dry , just do what livelyjay said

[BOOSTR]

Of all the things I've checked in the past, never checked those strut bolts. I'll take a look, good tip!

[Jspeed17]

Of all the things I've checked in the past, never checked those strut bolts. I'll take a look, good tip!

Good point....i did put tein springs on awhile ago, like 30,000 miles ago. Really feels like play in the rack to me though.

[Jspeed17]

Changing the sway bar bushings as we speak, had them in my tool box for awhile, we'll see if it helps!!! Thanks for all your help guys.

[MSP4G63]

I've had this clunk since I bought the car march 07, I have checked for this clunk everytime I did any work on the car and still nothing. I guess its just another one of the many noises this car makes like stated above.

[livelyjay]

Changing the sway bar bushings as we speak, had them in my tool box for awhile, we'll see if it helps!!! Thanks for all your help guys.

Have fun. From what I have heard changing the front sway bushings is no easy task. Don't you have to drop the front cross member?

[BOOSTR]

Checked the strut bolts, wheel bearings, strut cartridges for leaks and the tightness of all front suspension bolts. No problems found.

[StealthWyvern]

Mine turned out to be a sway bar bushing backing out on the front... still haven't figured out whats up with the rear.

[Stormtrooper77]

It's your endlinks. It does not matter how tight you think they are. Mine were changed last year (October) and they are bad again.

[martispeed]

well if your going slow over bumps, your probably hitting your brakes. So it might be the slider pins for your front calipers.

I say this because i had a clunk just like this when i would go through parking lots at slow speeds. I thought it was part of my steering, but after i greased the slider pins the sound totally went away. This might not be your problem but it sounds like it.

[gadget]

It's your endlinks. It does not matter how tight you think they are. Mine were changed last year (October) and they are bad again.

(iagree)

i had a zx-3 that went through a set a year after i lowered it. they use a little ball joint at either end that has a narrow arc of motion. spherical joints with a tapered bolt are better... I think the adjustable ones that you see for sale use that setup instead.

[livelyjay]

The AWR end links suck. They break all the time. Stick with OEM unless you figure out how to build your own.

[Jspeed17]

Ok, so i changed those sway bar bushings, wasn't too bad of a job on a lift....and still same noise. Going with the endlinks next.....i've worked on cars that produced a similar noise and have found play in the endlinks :), but on a lift, they seem like they are solid on my car, unless the sway bar is putting so much tension on them i can't move them.....hmmmm

[Jspeed17]

well if your going slow over bumps, your probably hitting your brakes. So it might be the slider pins for your front calipers.

I say this because i had a clunk just like this when i would go through parking lots at slow speeds. I thought it was part of my steering, but after i greased the slider pins the sound totally went away. This might not be your problem but it sounds like it.

Nope, I'm not on the brakes, actually under light acceleration....thanks though.

[Spooler]

+1 endlinks, You can's tell if they are gone if the car is sitting on the wheels, but if you jack both sides up and remove the wheels, you'll be able to find very quickly whick side is faulty on just by shaking them

[gadget]

Ok, so i changed those sway bar bushings, wasn't too bad of a job on a lift....and still same noise. Going with the endlinks next.....i've worked on cars that produced a similar noise and have found play in the endlinks :), but on a lift, they seem like they are solid on my car, unless the sway bar is putting so much tension on them i can't move them.....hmmmm

it's tough to tell unless they are really bad; I doubt the bar is preloaded, though. You'd know if it is b/c you would have had to crank on it to install the second end link after you put the new frame bushings in. Over clamping the frame bushings or under lubing them will cause you to pre-load during installation as well.

I used to check them by jouncing the front end up and down while it was on the ground, but this also only works if they are really bad.

Good luck in the hunt

[livelyjay]

i've worked on cars that produced a similar noise and have found play in the endlinks :), but on a lift, they seem like they are solid on my car, unless the sway bar is putting so much tension on them i can't move them.....hmmmm
My end links have gone bad and I couldn't tell just by looking at them or messing with them while they were on the car. I just had a noise before, then replaced them, then the noise was gone.

[Jspeed17]

Lol....trying the endlinks today....hope this does it!!!!

[mgerst1]

try the easiest solution:

you hit a pothole so the weights on the wheel that hit may have come off, if the steering wheel is shaking that sounds like your wheel is unbalanced. check that

[Jspeed17]

OK so i replaced the endlinks. Same problem.....I started this thread to see if maybe this was a common problem, but that isn't the case. I definitely have come to the conclusion that it is from hitting the raised expansion joint on that bridge.....and my steering rack has play inside now---not inner tie rods, but where the pinion gear coming from the column meets the steering gear. I have heard this can be adjusted, but i'm a little nervous to try!!!! Again thanks for everyone's help.

[mgerst1]

have you had the wheels balanced since then? that may be an easy fix

[Jspeed17]

have you had the wheels balanced since then? that may be an easy fix

lol.....(stoned), dude, going slow in a parking lot while turning has nothing to do with tire balance at all, besides i have 4 brand new hankook's that are balanced...but thanks.

[BOOSTR]

Well at least now you have new bushings/endlinks. Still think the noise is strut/mount/bearing related, at least the one I have anyway.

[mgerst1]

lol.....(stoned), dude, going slow in a parking lot while turning has nothing to do with tire balance at all, besides i have 4 brand new hankook's that are balanced...but thanks.

well obviously, i thought you hit a friggin huge pothole and were driving on a normal road

[Jspeed17]

well obviously, i thought you hit a friggin huge pothole and were driving on a normal road

Sorry dude!!! Nah just turning though a bumpy parking lot or going across an intersection....

[nstygrnhatch]

let me know what fixed your problem...I have a 02 protege5 and have the same exact problem. I have been scratching my head, im leaning towards the ball joints because it seems only to happen when turning and when the suspension is being loaded and unloaded going over bumps and such. Only reason I say this is because the ball joint rotates with the knuckle and is also made into a socket which can wear out and cause a clunking noise. But please let me know what fixed your clunking

[Jspeed17]

let me know what fixed your problem...I have a 02 protege5 and have the same exact problem. I have been scratching my head, im leaning towards the ball joints because it seems only to happen when turning and when the suspension is being loaded and unloaded going over bumps and such. Only reason I say this is because the ball joint rotates with the knuckle and is also made into a socket which can wear out and cause a clunking noise. But please let me know what fixed your clunking

I'm still gonna keep fightin it until i get it....i'll let you know for sure. Your car feel normal on the highway too???

[Cloudland]

I'm still gonna keep fightin it until i get it....i'll let you know for sure. Your car feel normal on the highway too???

i have the problem with squeaking sound when turnning steering wheels, particularly when car warms up, at low speed.

i started to hear the sound occasionally 2 years ago, not long after i installed eibach pro kit with adjustable endlinks. it disappeared after a service, the guys said it's probably coming from top of struts.

the sound came back since this Jan. it's pretty annoying. i had it checked twice (2 month ago and today doing regular service). the first guy said it's a common problem and it's coming from top of the struts (where they are mounted) and said i'll need to remove the struts to check them out.

today the guy said it's probably coming from steering rack, that the pump need extra effort to pump the fluid - this view was mentioned a few times on the net but i'm not so convinced - each night when i carefully get off the car, i can hear the sound as i "unload" myself - so it's more likely coming from strut/spring or endlink/sway bar.

i might put stock springs back on at some stage cause i will have 4 ppl on board quite often from later this month. this is driving me nuts.

[blaineog]

Check the sway bar end links again, most likely item to be the cause.

[Jspeed17]

Sounds like dry sway bar bushings to me....take them out and lube them with grease, worth a try:)

[Cloudland]

Sounds like dry sway bar bushings to me....take them out and lube them with grease, worth a try:)

i hear the front sway bar is a pita - one of the bushing did break apart couple months ago and I had it reinstalled during the service. nothing changed.

how's your car going?

[Spooler]

Verdict is dry sway bar bushings. I had the same on my car, I greased them and the problem went away.....and now it's back, but that is definitely the issue. Good luck removing the darn brackets......perhaps someone can share a good tool to do this, there is very little room to do this with a regular wrench

[Cloudland]

ok my problem solved kinda.

it came from the (aftermarket adjustable) endlink. i took the wheels off yesterday, and when i grabbed the front left endlink and tried to move it back n forth i got the same sound i've been hearing.. i put my ears upclose and the sound comes from the top swivel.

i tried to clean the screws and sprayed lots of WD40, that did nothing. i then realized the right hand side endlink, which doesn't cause that sound, has more visible screw thread on the adjustable part.

so i tried to loose the left hand endlink about 1/4 of a turn. and the sound has reduced to nearly inaudiable. i took a test drive for a few KM, no more annoying squeaking sound.

too bad 3 mechanics couldn't identify this simple problem.. the swaybar bushing does look like need some love, but there is no way to take it off with my few pieces of tools.

if the sound ever come back again, or i feel the driving is affected, i will order a set of OEM endlinks.

thanks all and gl on ur car JSpeed.

[Jspeed17]

PROBLEM FOUND!!!! Sometimes you gotta just go back to basics. I had to bring it back in my shop after dicking around on the forum....i was able to duplicate the noise with car on the ground, steering wheel unlocked, turning to one side and letting it jerk back. With my hand on the tie rod i could feel the play in the inner tie rod!!!! Only $36 bucks from Autopart int'l. HOORAY!!!!

[Diehonda]

PROBLEM FOUND!!!! Sometimes you gotta just go back to basics. I had to bring it back in my shop after dicking around on the forum....i was able to duplicate the noise with car on the ground, steering wheel unlocked, turning to one side and letting it jerk back. With my hand on the tie rod i could feel the play in the inner tie rod!!!! Only $36 bucks from Autopart int'l. HOORAY!!!!


Was it cracked? What was the failure?

[Jspeed17]

I wouldn't call it a failure, cause the car was still drivable just rattling while turning across a bumpy intersection....it was more of a looseness in the
ball-and-socket type joint where it screws into the steering rack.

[99ProtegeKV]

what kind a part is it JSPEED, like what would i ask for.. i have the same god damn problem in my 99 protege LX. its so annoying. if i hit ANY kind of light hole/difference in a road, or even a bigger pot hole or somethin, i get the rattling sound for a second. its not cool. and then roads here on Long island suck so i hear it probably 100 times a day. ive almost gotten used to it, but if someone drives with me, they are like.."dude that doesnt sounddd goood"

[Jspeed17]

Inner Tie Rod.

[BOOSTR]

i pryed on everything to see if there was play, wiggled tires to check tie rod ends/ ball joints too

I don't know about back to basics as you did check it back in July. Anyway glad you fixed it and which side was it drivers or passenger for the tie rod?

[Jspeed17]

Driver's side--it was definitely the wheel that took most of the impact... made my ass jump off the seat when i flew over that bridge joint...lol

[BOOSTR]

Ok, was curious as I have finally solved my rear noises but still get the front end clunk. Sounds like its something on my passenger side and I've never hit any holes or joints. I'll check my tie rods though when its up in the air to replace the drain flange O-ring.

[scott42]

JSpeed, do you happen to have a part number? I'm finding tie rod ends, but no inner tie rods specifically.
I'm pretty sure i have the same thing; I'll be replacing the endlinks too just for good measure (I just put the AWR endlinks on the back)

[Jspeed17]

I went with a MOOG part, a good aftermarket, i'm sorry i threw out the box!! It came out of Georgia---special order, took a few days