Right front clunk

[ArmedAviator]

Today, driving some classmates back to their hotel in rain, I had heard a clunk from this car for the first time since I bought it a few months ago. Turning into the parking lot with the wheel turned right at low speed led to a loud bang from the front right corner.

I figured it was the drainage grate I was driving over. A few hours later it happened again, with less weight in the car and another right turn into a driveway with a slight bump, like before. Same loud bang from what seemed like front right corner.

Time is limited until Wednesday but I took a quick gander this evening I'm the garage. Nothing unusual that I saw in the front suspension, but I didn't lift it.

I did screw the rubber stops on the hood out a little bit. Hopefully it was just that latch that made some noise. But if it's not, are there any prime suspects that stick out in your mind?

[Ilya]

Might be your sway bar links...mine wasn't as loud as you make it seem, but clunking was definitely a byproduct of bad links. This was on my 07 M35x with BC coilovers...

[armybrat]

Today, driving some classmates back to their hotel in rain, I had heard a clunk from this car for the first time since I bought it a few months ago. Turning into the parking lot with the wheel turned right at low speed led to a loud bang from the front right corner.

I figured it was the drainage grate I was driving over. A few hours later it happened again, with less weight in the car and another right turn into a driveway with a slight bump, like before. Same loud bang from what seemed like front right corner.

Time is limited until Wednesday but I took a quick gander this evening I'm the garage. Nothing unusual that I saw in the front suspension, but I didn't lift it.

I did screw the rubber stops on the hood out a little bit. Hopefully it was just that latch that made some noise. But if it's not, are there any prime suspects that stick out in your mind?

Not sure if this is relevant to your situation...from section 5-98 of the owner's manual (VDC function):
"The computer has a built-in diagnostic
feature that tests the system each time you
start the engine and move the vehicle
forward or in reverse at a slow speed.
When the self-test occurs, you may hear a
“clunk” noise and/or feel a pulsation in the
brake pedal. This is normal and is not an
indication of a malfunction."

[Ilya]

Weird...I've never felt that. Interesting.

[DFW2011M56S]

Today, driving some classmates back to their hotel in rain, I had heard a clunk from this car for the first time since I bought it a few months ago. Turning into the parking lot with the wheel turned right at low speed led to a loud bang from the front right corner.

I figured it was the drainage grate I was driving over. A few hours later it happened again, with less weight in the car and another right turn into a driveway with a slight bump, like before. Same loud bang from what seemed like front right corner.

Time is limited until Wednesday but I took a quick gander this evening I'm the garage. Nothing unusual that I saw in the front suspension, but I didn't lift it.

I did screw the rubber stops on the hood out a little bit. Hopefully it was just that latch that made some noise. But if it's not, are there any prime suspects that stick out in your mind?

I have about the same miles on my 2011 M56 and get the same type of clank or pop turning left into driveways. I looked over the front end and it looks like it might be lower control arm time. It looks like the bushings are collapsing and allowing the control arms to move forward and backward and contact metal to metal. I had a Titan do the same thing in under 40K. On that truck I put Delrin bushings in it and never had the issue again.

[ArmedAviator]

What do the worn lower control arm bushings look like compared to new ones? I turned the wheel and took a look without lifting or pulling a wheel. I do think I see what you're talking about but not sure if it's like this from the factory - it doesn't look collapsed as so much just small for the position it's in.

[DFW2011M56S]

What do the worn lower control arm bushings look like compared to new ones? I turned the wheel and took a look without lifting or pulling a wheel. I do think I see what you're talking about but not sure if it's like this from the factory - it doesn't look collapsed as so much just small for the position it's in.

On my car you could tell the metal portion of the control arm has been contacting the frame. Has a nice little rusty ring where it knocked the paint off the frame from rubbing.

The bad part is they look to be an OEM only part at the moment and are not cheap from the dealer.

[ArmedAviator]

Well, it happened again this evening - twice.

Similarities between all of the events: water. Today was raining very hard and I was driving through decent sized puddles. It only happened after sitting for a while at dinner and then it made the sound as we left the parking lot with the wheel turned right and hitting a small bump and again leaving a gas station with the wheel straight ahead, hitting a small bump - both at low speed.

Instead of describing it as a clunk or a bang, it's more of a loud POP. And you don't just hear it - it can be felt in the floorboard. I am not sure it's on the right side anymore, either. Tonight it felt as though it was on the left side.

Any ideas what specifically it may be to cause such a loud POP to be felt in the cabin? How do I test various suspension parts?

Would a bad CV cause this? I'm hoping it's something simple and cheap like a sway bar end link that's going bad.

[Ilya]

If it seems to be from moisture, perhaps a boot somewhere is ripped (on the axle, ball joint, sway bar link) and the moisture is affecting it's operation? Takin stabs here.

[ArmedAviator]

If it seems to be from moisture, perhaps a boot somewhere is ripped (on the axle, ball joint, sway bar link) and the moisture is affecting it's operation? Takin stabs here.

My thoughts, too.

I removed both front tires and inspected what I could access with only a flashlight. I could not find a torn or loose boot on any piece. All the bushings in the upper and lower control arms were in place and not torn.

My friend, who was with me, and I both agree that this evening it sounded as if it were from the middle-front to the left-front of the car. I felt it in my feet but he said he did not feel it.

I was thinking maybe the rubber gaskets around the front sway bar is swelling with moisture, gripping hard, and when it lets loose, it lets loose with a "bang." I seriously question if this is possible though, as it is very loud and therefore must have alot of spent up energy when it does release - more like a tight bolt that won't give and when it does, it gives a loud bang.

[ArmedAviator]

This is the best video I've been able to find to demonstrate the volume and type of sound I am hearing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMqwSPExuuU

If you read the comments, you'll notice one guy mentioning it's the steering rubber bump stops missing. I've considered that, except in all of my cases, I wasn't very close to the stops in steering travel.

[ArmedAviator]

Something I just noticed....

When getting in the car today, the same pop occurred. I didn't think much of our but it's done it on occasion when getting into the car, only when on a flat surface in park, parking brake not set. Even then.... Only very occasionally.

Anyway end links should be here this weekend and I'll see if that does the trick, if not, would the strut mount be the next most suspect point?

[arortmeier]

I had a 2006 G35x with the same issue. You're right on track with the links. I tried all sorts of things - compression bushings, going through all the suspension, multiple trips to the shop and FINALLY changing the sway bar links quieted it down. Of course I just traded the car for my M37x, but it got to 151k miles and still runs strong.

Good luck and let us know how it goes

[ArmedAviator]

The links arrived today and I'll be getting home from training tomorrow evening. I'll swap them probably Friday and will report with how well it went. I won't know if it solved the popping noise for some time though as I can not find a way to make the noise repeatable.

[DredM56]

I had the same issue and you could feel it too and did under heavy braking. They said they removed the cross member and cleaned debris from the area.

Charged me $57 and it's fixed completely. I thought it was going to be the control arm bushing.