Suspension / ChassisQuestions about your suspension? Need chassis advice?
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Basicly I'm going to describe a few things, hopefully someone knows what's up.
My front end has a sort of clunk to it now. Only when I'm turning sharply like in a parking lot, or if I take a corner fast. It sounds like something is shifting around, and I can feel it in the steering wheel. The best I can describe it, it's as if the tires feel like they are shifting or jerking around...
Also a non related issue...
The rear end feels like it's almost loose. When my car shifts from 1st to 2nd I've got a shiftkit so the shift it pretty hard. And when it shifts the car seems to almost lurch forward, and the tires seem to shudder. I can hear like a semi loud knock/clunk and it's such a jolt I can hear it in the panels and dash. It doesn't seem to appear in the other gears, or if I'm driving really slowly. But If I stomp the pedal it's very obvious, and if I'm even accelerating sorta fast, like pulling out into traffic, it's very obvious.
hmmm the front seems like it could be a few things, i would jack the car up and take a look i would look for a broken sway bar end link or a bad ball joint. sounds like it would be one of those 2.... i wouldnt think of the strut etc bc that would happen all the time as u drove. i would check one of those 2... and also pull the wheel off and make sure u didnt snap a coil off the spring etc.
your rearend could be a million things. and none of them are any good. i would check all ur rear suspension parts to see if anything borken,etc... torque arm mounts/LCA's/panhard rod... and while u have the rear jacked up also check the driveshaft and see if u have any play in it... as in pull on it and see if u can wiggle it around where it slides into the rear... if it does have any play then u need a new rear... u could also have a bad posi unit etc. look for any broken hardware etc
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oh also with the front end... if its when ur making a sharp turn it could be your steering box could be bad/going. make sure u check the steering box mounting bolts bc 3rd gens are notorious for cracking at the bolt holes due to the flex and stress of the box. if u see a crack make sure u fix that ASAP and get it welded etc or it'll rip out and ur screwed.check front suspension tierods, center link etc up front but if its on a turn it sounds like wat i stated or it could be something stupid like ur tire is hitting/rubbing/grabbing the inside of the wheel well at max turn and when the suspension travels it would limit the room even more so causing it to hit. mine used to do that before i lowered it as well and it made sorta the same noise up front.
ha yea bascially just look for something not right. good luck
Start the car, pop the hood, and turn the wheel lock to lock to lock while watching the steering box making sure it's not flexing or pulling away at all.
For the rear, any chance this is wheel hop? My axle hops like a mother if I punch it anytime in first gear and also on the 1-2 shift.
All of the above is good but don't forget to check your strut mounts. Pull the dust cover and inspect for tears/etc. maybe while you have someone turn the wheel.
I think it may be the strut mount. Mine's done that before.
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my father had a 94 cadillac fleetwood that did the same exact thing, made a clunk when taking a sharp turn and also under heavy braking, and it turned out the shims underneath the control arms were missing and therefore they were loose. under any force they would move around and 'clunk'. might wanna check that real quick as it takes oh maybe thirty seconds to look at your control arm and see if its shimmed properly. hope that helps.