Horrible front end clunk. Please help!!

[RalliartRsX]

Well, ever since I bought the 240, it has had a very disconcerting front end clunk. This happens when you initially turn the steering. What happens is, as the steering begins to go through its rotation, you hear a violent clunk, and it feels the steering (or tire) is hooking on something as it moves through its rotation.

Also, a very loud clunk happens when braking. What happpen is right before the car is about to come to a complete stop, you hear a violent clunk in the front end and you actaully feel it through the steering. I did the complete front end this weekend (Tein inner and out tie rods, brand new FLCA from PDM racing with new bushing and ball joint and new bushings in the TC rods). After all this, it stills makes this very disconcerting clunk.

I have no idea what else to change, and if this continues, I am selling this piece. Tired of fixing every thing the previous owner broke (which seems to be every single part of the car, arggggggggggg!!!!)

Thanks

Suspension setupTear drop and 7 spoke wheel on each front wheel195/55-15 tires (dunlop FM901)KYB AGX and sportline springs (the drop is unkown and too low)And above installsThats it.............

[180fan]

check the upper mount for the struts

[RalliartRsX]

yep, checked and a ok

Anything else??

[SethRx]

I'm just starting to have this problem....

it happened to my friend's s40....exact same situation...backing out of the driveway or whatever it would clunk like that...and then when braking. If i remember right they just replaced his sway bar and all was good...i was assume that was what was wrong with mine.

[SlowBack]

Make sure everything is torqued down. How are your motor mounts?

[rogoman]

The steering rack may be shifting; check the rack bushings.

[RalliartRsX]

Ordered some sway bar bushings from courtesy. Motor and transmission mounts are brand spanking new (drfreaq for motor mounts and nismo transmission mount)

As for the steering rack bushing, wheres it located?? I was looking in the FSM and didnt see it and I havent been under the car in about 3 days

Thanks

[positron1]

Well, ever since I bought the 240, it has had a very disconcerting front end clunk. This happens when you initially turn the steering. What happens is, as the steering begins to go through its rotation, you hear a violent clunk, and it feels the steering (or tire) is hooking on something as it moves through its rotation.

Also, a very loud clunk happens when braking. What happpen is right before the car is about to come to a complete stop, you hear a violent clunk in the front end and you actaully feel it through the steering. I did the complete front end this weekend (Tein inner and out tie rods, brand new FLCA from PDM racing with new bushing and ball joint and new bushings in the TC rods). After all this, it stills makes this very disconcerting clunk.

I have no idea what else to change, and if this continues, I am selling this piece. Tired of fixing every thing the previous owner broke (which seems to be every single part of the car, arggggggggggg!!!!)

Thanks

Suspension setupTear drop and 7 spoke wheel on each front wheel195/55-15 tires (dunlop FM901)KYB AGX and sportline springs (the drop is unkown and too low)And above installsThats it.............

PDM Racing says that the pop and clunk that we are experiencing is due to the front top bearing mount insulators being worn out. Mine pops like a breakdancer and I can hear a grinding noise when I turn the steering wheel.

[RalliartRsX]

Any idea on where I can get a set of these?? And I take it thats where the strut assembly mounts to the fender well at top?? Not certain on where this is located either.

And as for the steering rack bushing, is it located on the right side of the steering rack??

I will be checking courtesy nissan and midway for parts

[positron1]

Any idea on where I can get a set of these?? And I take it thats where the strut assembly mounts to the fender well at top?? Not certain on where this is located either.

And as for the steering rack bushing, is it located on the right side of the steering rack??

I will be checking courtesy nissan and midway for parts

Pdm racing is selling these...I want a set myself. Check this link towards the end of the page for S13 Top bearing mounts...they describe our problem exactly. http://www.pdm-racing.com/products/suspension.html

[positron1]

Any idea on where I can get a set of these?? And I take it thats where the strut assembly mounts to the fender well at top?? Not certain on where this is located either.

And as for the steering rack bushing, is it located on the right side of the steering rack??

I will be checking courtesy nissan and midway for parts

According to pictures on the factory service manual the steering bushings are located on both the left and right sides of the steering rack. I saw a set on ebay with the bushings and mounts included for around $20.
Modified by positronone at 8:20 AM 7/13/2006

[91nissantwo40sx]

Well, ever since I bought the 240, it has had a very disconcerting front end clunk. This happens when you initially turn the steering. What happens is, as the steering begins to go through its rotation, you hear a violent clunk, and it feels the steering (or tire) is hooking on something as it moves through its rotation.

Also, a very loud clunk happens when braking. What happpen is right before the car is about to come to a complete stop, you hear a violent clunk in the front end and you actaully feel it through the steering. I did the complete front end this weekend (Tein inner and out tie rods, brand new FLCA from PDM racing with new bushing and ball joint and new bushings in the TC rods). After all this, it stills makes this very disconcerting clunk.

I have no idea what else to change, and if this continues, I am selling this piece. Tired of fixing every thing the previous owner broke (which seems to be every single part of the car, arggggggggggg!!!!)

Thanks

Suspension setupTear drop and 7 spoke wheel on each front wheel195/55-15 tires (dunlop FM901)KYB AGX and sportline springs (the drop is unkown and too low)And above installsThats it.............

Holy crap sorry to bring this 2 year old post up again but i am having the exact same problem and i have also replaced the same things as you. TC Rod, Front lower control arm but the noise seems to not want to go away.

just wondering if you solved the problem or ended up selling the car? i hope u found out the problem because this is pissing me off and im sick of spending money on unnecessary things when im trying to save my money

[Lev_96_240sx]

Ditto, I'm starting to develop the same problem. It's not quite violent but it does pop and clunk at the exact same instances you are describing. I would really love an answer to this

[91nissantwo40sx]

Ditto, I'm starting to develop the same problem. It's not quite violent but it does pop and clunk at the exact same instances you are describing. I would really love an answer to this

Hey guess what i think i might have figured out the problem. Another person above has mentioned this so today i got underneath the car and moved my front stabilazer bar to see if there was any play and there was. so i think the problem is the front stabilizer bar because it makes the noise when i try and shake it. i will replace the bushings and see if that fixes the problem.

[Lev_96_240sx]

I went to the shop today and had the car on the lift. Nothing in the suspension is loose. They checked sway bar, wheel bearing, tension rods, tie rods you name it, and nothing was loose. They did find that a motor mount wasn't properly set and fixed that but other than that nothing. So I talked to Function and Form and they are sending out a new right coilover. Hopefully that fixes the problem.

[2.4Loflove]

Bringing this post back from the dead. I'm having a similar problem but only when I'm making right hand turns. Me and my buddy are going to look into it tomorrow but I was wondering if anyone came up with a possible solution? It definitely sounds like something is loose I'm going to check all the bolts because I replaced my steering rack about a year ago and almost all my front end bushing are urethane now except for control arms and pillow ball strut mounts.thanks

[2.4Loflove]

Small update: me and my buddy got up under the front of the car today and looked around grabbing on anything and everything to find something that was loose. The genius mechanics at Nissan didn't tighten my camber bolts properly which was causing play in the strut/spindle. The only other play we found was in the passenger's side of the steering rack. I'm going to take it back to Nissan tomorrow morning and tell them about it and how they screwed up an alignment. As of this point it is looking like another fried steering rack.

[2.4Loflove]

just got my beast back from the Nissan dealer and the tech said that my driver's side ball joint is fried. They were trying to charge me $300++ to install a new one, and I said NO WAY. Advanced had them for $56.00 bucks each but.... http://www.pdm-racing.com/prod....html ... PDM has a sale where you can get both arms with ball joints and urethane bushings already installed for just $90!! Once they come in me and my friend can knock this install out in about an hour.