I have a clunking when I go over bumps, recently got worse, sounds like it’s in the front end, but it is always hard to tell from in the car as it echos around you. My question is: what could be doing this, what should I check and how? I am fairly familiar with basic suspension components, and general automotive knowhow, however I have never had to find and fix a clunking on a car before. So if anyone has any advive as to what to look for and how to check it I would be grateful.
Thanks
Could be your ball joints, tie rod ends, bearings or upper strut mount if you dont have coilovers. Just have a look at everything and double check that everything is tight.
I double checked everything was tight, and I have spherical bearing upper mounts on my coilovers. How do you check bearings and balljoints? Just wiggle them around and see if they have play or take them off and look if they are worn??
Thanks
ball joints are easy. I jack the car up just a bit in the front and then grab a big bar or snipe and put it under the wheel and try to pry the wheel up and down. You can do this with your hand but sometimes it will take the bar to find it. I think you will be okay though. I am pretty sure it is your front suspension. Blown struts for sure! You will hear big bangs from this and is very common.
Now there is 2 types of clunking Ive had and one is from the suspension being crapa nd the other is more in the steering and thats from your lower control are just being loose. So take a couple 17mm wrenches and make sure that is tight!
It better not be blown shocks, I just got the set of tein HA’s off of a guy on this forum. I’ll double check the steering components, but the nuts have cotter pins through them so I don’t think they could have loosened!
Thanks for the advice, I allready knew about jacking up the car and wiggling the wheels to check for play in the bearings and ball joints, never felt anything out of place there sadly…that would have been an easy fix!
Put your finger on the top of the strut and the mount and then bounce on the front corner of the car. If you feel relative motion the mount is goofed.
oddly enough i had this happen once, and the clunking you describe could be a result of something truly stupid…
Make sure you have all your wheel nuts…
And cotter pins can allow some play in the bolt below. They only stop the bolt from backing off all the way.