Suspension Clunk

[Hijacker]

Blah. While I was autocrossing, I noticed my suspension on the front passenger was clunking a lot. My mechanic friend (who is a nissan expert) was there and I had him go around with me one time to hear it. It was happening under heavy load through a near 180 degree keyhole turn with the wheel turned hard right (towards the side it was clunking from). He suggested it might be a loose bolt in the chassis bracing or suspension components, but I checked them all. Where the TC rod connects to the chassis brace, I was able to get another half to a full turn on those bolts. I doubt that that's what was causing the clunk though. My last guess is that the top hat bushings might be going. Any guesses?

[candela]

I would also guess the hat busching...Make sure that the fron strut bolts (washer on teh busching) are tight...that can cause clunking like that as well

[Hijacker]

the front strut bolts are tight as can be,

i forgot to mention in my first post that When I was checking everything out, the passenger side D bushing bracket for the sway bar showed signs of movings (you could see bare metal around it where everything else had road grime on it)

[D1SR240]

my suspension sometimes clunks too, but i haven't had time to check it out. if you find the solution let me know.

~swave

[richd]

I have clunking too, looked underneath and found the pass side end link bushings had rotted away.

HTH,

Rich D.

[Hijacker]

all of my bushings are fine. I'm afraid that it's the top hat. After I tightened the TC rod bolts down further, I took her out and stood on the brake from about 40 or so, and no clunking. Tomorrow, i'm gonna find a place where I can trash her around a wide open space for a minute and see if I can't get her to clunk while under hard steering.

[ricebike]

I have clunking too, looked underneath and found the pass side end link bushings had rotted away.

weird, that was the source of my problem as well... when i hit a pothole in nyc... the bushing @ the pass endlink went thru the metal washer...

so take a closer look @ 'em... i missed it when I did my quick initial visible suspension check

[Hijacker]

I checked all rubber bushings and boots. They're all in good shape.

[driftMachine]

I had a clunking noise too (especially during auto-x or sharp turns!) and when I replaced my stabilizer bar bushings this winter I noticed that the passenger side endlink was toast. By this I mean the rubber around the "ball joint" at the top of the endlink was gone and the "ball" was just banging around in there, causing the clunk. I replaced this and everything is fine now. Worth a look, the endlinks are not expensive either.

This could be the reason you are seeing movement by the d-braket on the stabilizer bar.

[xns]

Clunking sound eh? When I had one of thems, I replaced the tie rod ends, and the strut bearings. You know... the little piece that tops the shocks and connects them to the body of the car? No clunking sound, dont know if this helps :/

[kyle1911]

lower ball joint?

[Hijacker]

ball joint is fine. no play at all. endlinks of the sway bar are fine. I think it might have been the extra turn on the TC rod bolts was just enough to keep it from moving around.

[rousie13]

I noticed a clunking on the drivers side when I'd go over a bump or turn hard while going slow. Also when I'd hit bumps, I'd feel a vibration against the floorboard and against the dead pedal/clutch area. Well today it did it a lot, so I got nervous. I got home and jacked it up. Yanked on the wheel-very tight, checked everything under the car-great shape and tight, finally check the nut on the strut(Tein He Coilovers with about 2500 miles on them) and it was very loose. I had to give it about 4-6 turns to tighten it. Is this bad that it came loose?

[cory2081]

I had this same problem and decided that it was the strut mounts. As I was replacing them today, I noticed that the previous owner had installed the front springs upside down. What an idiot!! So, after replacing the mounts and re-installing everything CORRECTLY my car drives much smoother and the clunking is gone. Make sure your springs are on correctly too!!

[Nismo_Freak]

I noticed a clunking on the drivers side when I'd go over a bump or turn hard while going slow. Also when I'd hit bumps, I'd feel a vibration against the floorboard and against the dead pedal/clutch area. Well today it did it a lot, so I got nervous. I got home and jacked it up. Yanked on the wheel-very tight, checked everything under the car-great shape and tight, finally check the nut on the strut(Tein He Coilovers with about 2500 miles on them) and it was very loose. I had to give it about 4-6 turns to tighten it. Is this bad that it came loose?

Typical if you just installed them... mine did that.

The front clunk is a result of insufficient torque on the tension rod bolts on the lower control arm. If you look at the lower arm you will see how the tension rod has been moving. Tighten them down to about 65 lb. ft. of torque. The bushing side takes 80 lb. ft. of torque.

[Neejay]

Typical if you just installed them... mine did that.

The front clunk is a result of insufficient torque on the tension rod bolts on the lower control arm. If you look at the lower arm you will see how the tension rod has been moving. Tighten them down to about 65 lb. ft. of torque. The bushing side takes 80 lb. ft. of torque.

old thread I know...

By "them" you're talking about the 2 bolts that connect to the tension rod? The by "bushing side" you mean the 1 bolt that goes through the bushing?