Symptoms:
Clunking sound when driving over bumps. The sound is more prominent when the wheel is turned. When driving straight over bumps, there is no clunk.
I’ve already taken a pry bar to everything and checked:
ball joints, bushings, control arms, strut mounts, shock/springs, tie rods
All are solid and intact.
Now, I am narrowing down what it could be. I’ve considered removing the strut and re-sitting the spring to see if that would solve the problem. Before I go ahead and queer the alignment, I’d like to look at other options to see if I may have missed something.
From what I’ve read into it - there could be an issue with the steering assembly. With that said, I don’t feel anything wrong with steering or in the wheel when I experience the clunking sound. But it’s possible I overlooked something in the steering assembly. How would one diagnose a problem with steering?
This might be a useless response but: TC rods, loose TC rod brackets, rotted rad support (loose bolts), worn balljoints, worn tie rods, torn steering rack bushing, rotating springs, something loose inside the engine bay, swaybar endlinks, D-brackets, strut mounts. Could be anything up front. Try identifying the exact location of the clunk, that might help narrow it down. Maybe a pry bar doesn’t provide the sudden metal to metal contact that a bump would, causing the clunk.
Mine clunks in the rear when turning, both sides, based on turning direction. My traction rods have a lot of play, you can wiggle the whole spindle by physically turning the rear wheels. I have HICAS, but I guess it’s not too crisp at the moment loll. Gonna have to hit Bing up soon for multilink.
Just grab a 17mm deep socket with an extension and ratchet. Make sure they is noice n tight. I am sure they are. But you are describing a weird noise. So it could be something weird.
I don’t think the steering column bushing would create your clunk. At least not over bumps. If it is that bushing you should feel and hear it when you turn the wheel alone.
Strut/spring, if the spring is in it’s place at the bottom (kinda locks in) then chances are there is nothing wrong with that. YET, could be a strut plate…possibly.
The slightest turn will cause the clunk - anything from slight on-ramp curves to full lock.
It sounds similar to a ball joint clunk coming from the front passenger sides. But there’s been a few times when I swear I heard the sound come from under the engine, more like from subframe area. In most cases, it’s always coming from the front passenger side.
Check the steering column inside the engine bay… grab it and try and move it around. notice any unusual movements in the bushing, was a problem for me and made a hell of a lot of noise.
its probably iether the sway bar end link its self and not the bushing or blown strut one of mine is blown it makes loud noises while driving sometimes
