Hey all! I changed out my front struts and did the front disc brake pads. Now, when I do a hard start or stop I have a klunk coming from the front. Just sounds like its on one side (passenger). I put on Monroe's... just the OM replacements. I tightened everything back down but can't figure out whay would be getting suspension noise now. Any ideas?? Thanks!

Not a loose brake pad? One of my rear brake pads was loose (after having to take the pads out) and the tab had o be re-bent to get it back in securely.

you sure it's from the front? could be a transmission mount, but then again you would be able to tell definitely that it's the mount... well, could be a motor mount as well.. couldn't it?

I think one way to check if the motor mounts are shot is get someone else to help you out... fire up the car, put it in drive, while pressing the brake, step on the gas and see what type of movement the engine makes... I don't think there should be much movement if the mounts are in working order...

Ditto, that was my first thought.

I'll check the pads.

I don't think it would be motor mounts. I did not have this problem before changing the struts and pads.... but anything is possible! There's a momentary delay between acceleration and the sound. Almost like the top of the strut wasnt tightened fully down... but it is.

Two votes for pads Gotta check those!! Funny, on that side the cylinder was fairly easy to compress compared to the drivers side which did not want to go back far enough to get the pads in.

Thanks all for the posts and ideas!

check to make sure the nut on the strut is still tight and the idler arm is another area that causes this problem.

I'll check it... thanks!

I cannot figure this problem out. Not that the following was a potential fix it's just something I had planned. Last weekends little project was new ball joints (fun!) new front wheel bearings and new rotors. The rotors were a little warped and the shimmy on brake was driving me nuts... but that problem is fixed. Obviously, most of the front end was apart to do this so everything was retightened. Anyhoota, I rechecked everything in the front end and I still have the same klunk or pop upon accel and decel. It just seems like it needs to be in the suspension but when I push down on the front end there's no klunk or binding sound. Car sits level so I have kind of ruled out a spring out of the pocket. Heck the only thing left to replace on the front end are the coil springs, a-arm bushings and steering linkage. Anyone else experience this or have any additional thoughts or things to check? Thanks all for taking a read on this.

I recently helped a friend chase a mystery clunk on his car. Turned out he had a Bilstein strut coming apart. The body of the BIlsteins thread together for rebuilding-Don;t know what your Monroes look like but just something for you to check. This sounds very similar to the clunk he had.

look at the torque arm bushing at the trans as well

make sure your sway bar end links are there and the bushings are ok, had a similar sound on my car turned out the sway bar link bushing was gone

Bushings good... they are new

Interesting.. the Monroes are a one piece design.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I'm still thoroughly stumped. I'm now beginning to think it's brake related or a bad new strut or even tie rods. I took a video from inside the wheel well (web cam) and when I put it in drive and the car lurched (you can see tire movement) after going into gear I heard the klunk. The file is to big to post here but maybe I can get it onto you tube or something. It's actually pretty cool to see all of the movement in the suspension and how the parts work together.

Again, I didn't have this problem until I swapped the struts and brake pads. Since then I have put in new ball joints thinking they were binding but same noise so that wasn't the problem. At first I thought it was a weak spring or spring not seated but that's not it but it sounds like it. One thing I forgot to share is when I putting in the first strut, (opposite side from where the noise is) my friend let the entire a-arm drop because he's a know-it-all and didn't put a jack under it to keep it from dropping. I'm beginning to wonder if that could have caused a problem on the opposite side of the steering assembly?? Anyways, just more information for thought. If I can post the video of the inside motion of the suspension I will put a link here to it.

With the car on the ground reach in over the top of the front tire(s). Grab the strut body and shake it side to side and to and fro. See if there is any clunking. I had the same issue with a Bilstein as vetruck mentioned. And it would also clunk when I did the above.

For the brake pads, the tabs need to be crimped over/onto the caliper. This prevents the pad from moving around and clunking.

RBob.

Thanks Rob. The pads I have already had the tab attached .. kind of imbedded. As promised, heres a video of the suspension in motion. Take note of the popping, klunk sound, as well as the slight motion when it happens. This is about :54 sec and 1:10 into the video. It looks like the entire suspension lifts slightly at the sound. If I didn't know better I'd say it had something to do with the ball joint but this sound was present before I changed it out. I'm wondering if this could be in tie rods either inner or outer???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Gzk1hgPR7k

Could it be a ball joint?

When the bracket that held my front sway bar to the frame broke it made a cluck. I ended up replacing both just to be on the safe side.

I watched the video several times. THe pop noise at about 0:57 seconds appears to be a cracked frame rail behind the steering box. These cars are notorious for cracks developing here. THe noise takes place as you are turning the wheel.

THe second noise you can clearly and aburtly see the sway bar jolt against the chassis at 1:10. You sway bar end links are too tall and making contact in suspension travel against the chassis. You will need to shorten them.

Dean

Thanks Dean. Very inciteful. Is there a visusal inspection I can make to confirm you analysis of the cracked frame rail? You're right when it happens on turning... but it's not constant on every turn and seem odd the sound would occur on the opposite side of the steering box. Not doubting your suspicion here but I'd like to make sure. Also, if it does turn out to be this problem what's the fix?

Can you or someone tell me what height the end-links should be? These were put on the car by the PO so I have no idea if they're the right part or even what height the bushings should be at.

Again... thanks for thaking the time to take a look at the video and offer some ideas.

Hey all... still looking for any additional input on this video. Vetrucks observations seem pretty good but I can't see any cracks around the steering box and the sound is coming from the right side. Also, anyone confirm the correct length for the say bar end links??? Thanks