clunking in the front driverside.

[ladiesman8527]

ok well this all started about 2 weeks ago. my S13 started clunking and it kept gettin worse and the clunking turned into a combo of clunking and squeeking. after about 4 or 5 days i just decided to park it. i jacked up the car and noticed that my driverside tie rod and tie rod end had a lot of play. i just replaced both the driver and passenger side tie rods and ends to Tein tie rods and ends thinking that would solve the problem. the funny thing is, it did solve about 50% of the clunking. now what i hear is a very noticable clunk whenever i hit bumps in the road. it is definately coming from the front driverside. if anyone has any ideas, gimme, cause its drving me crazy.

[punxva]

hmm, its still something to do with the actual tie-rods, but im not sure what it would be.

[ladiesman8527]

i'll go back and make sure everything is tight. i have no clue what it is.

[ladiesman8527]

by the way i have Stance GR+ Pro coilovers if that matters. sorry for the double post.

[ledzeppelin240]

Did you do the normal check of the front end. Ball joint, tie rods(you replaced),wheel bearing, stabalizer endlinks, etc...Check all of that and if it is out of spec. replace it.

[ladiesman8527]

the sway bar mounts and endlinks have new RS*R bushings....i checked the ball joint and i couldnt feel any play. im gonna make sure the driverside bracket that holds the rack down didnt come loose. i replaced the rack bushings with RS*R bushings and maybe i didnt tighten the brackets enough. i dunno

[Dousan_PG]

on the coilover
the top nut on the coilover, when u pop ur hood
that nut is probably loose
its probably a 17,19 or 21mm nut

[ladiesman8527]

on the coilover
the top nut on the coilover, when u pop ur hood
that nut is probably loose
its probably a 17,19 or 21mm nut

i'll check it. when i had the car jacked up and the wheel off, i tried grabbing and shaking the coilover and it didnt budge a bit. its worth a look though.

[Dousan_PG]

nah do it on the ground buddy
i had my teins do the same
bingbangboom
fixed.
youprobably will want to use an impact gun
because the shock itself will spin
or take itall the way off and do it w/ a friend
or shove your arm up in the wheel well nad stop it from spinning

if it still clunks, its possible the shock is blown.

[ladiesman8527]

nah do it on the ground buddy
i had my teins do the same
bingbangboom
fixed.
youprobably will want to use an impact gun
because the shock itself will spin
or take itall the way off and do it w/ a friend
or shove your arm up in the wheel well nad stop it from spinning

if it still clunks, its possible the shock is blown.

blown? god no. dont say that. i havent even put 1000 miles on these things yet. i'll hit the nut with my impact gun and see how tight i can get it. when i do it by hand the shock just spins like you said.

[ladiesman8527]

for anyone who cares or might have a similar problem, the clunking was a combo of blown tie rods and a top nut that wasnt tight enough on my front driverside coilover. the clunkin is gone.

[Silverbullet]

i know the tie rods will clunk when you hit the brakes because of the load going from rear to the front but after you fixed them, would it only clunk when you turned the wheel?

I have a clunk that only happens when i turn my wheel and i suspect it maybe the top pillow nut. Another thing that leads me to believe that is my camber has noticable change when u turn the wheel and return it back to the same position and my car pulls inconsistnatly (sometimes to the left sometimes to the right LOL).

[ladiesman8527]

mine just clunked when i went over bumps. everything else was fine.

[gotta240]

i dont agree with taking an impact to the top nut on the shock, but i do agree that could be the problem.....as it was mine, and was very annoying!

[ELITE_S13HATCH]

i have a similar if not the same problem.. mines is alil different.. .. the clunk comes from the front driverside.. when i would hit the brakes i would hear it.. clunk ! .. but now it kind of went away.. but sometimes it does it in the mornings as soon as i take it out and hit the brakes or go over a bump i hear it.. but then when i brake again it dosent do it.. but when i go over a bump it does it sometimes.. i kno is alil complicated .. if anybody can help me out. i would apreciate it.. thanks..
im also planning on buying new suspension.. ive searched alot but i havent found what im looking for.. im trying 2 decide between .. silkroads or the new stance.. wich 1 do u guys recommend.. thanks guys..

[aznpoopy]

check t/c rod bushing

but really everything down there is worn after so many years
if you have all stock parts

lca bushings
t/c rod bushings
tie rod ends
lca / spindle ball joint

they should all be replaced if you are serious about fixing up the car.

[nrg]

I have a weird clunking sound too. it only happens when i accelerate the car and turn left. Sound is coming from the back/right wheel area. I've checked all the arms, brand new ES subframe bushings. looked at the drive shaft bearing. Maybe it's coming from the diff. bearings out of specs. I need to try and get it on videotape. It's a stedy clunking sound too. I've thought about straping it down on a dyno and have someone drive as i look under.

[motonagam]

i know the tie rods will clunk when you hit the brakes because of the load going from rear to the front but after you fixed them, would it only clunk when you turned the wheel?

I have a clunk that only happens when i turn my wheel and i suspect it maybe the top pillow nut. Another thing that leads me to believe that is my camber has noticable change when u turn the wheel and return it back to the same position and my car pulls inconsistnatly (sometimes to the left sometimes to the right LOL).

Have you just recently installed coilovers? If so, you may have set your spring preload too loose. That happened to me when I first installed my Kei Office XT-a coilovers... the springs would pop as I turned the steering wheel lock to lock. I tightened up the spring preload perch some more, and no more clunking/popping.

[gfisch]

Have you just recently installed coilovers? If so, you may have set your spring preload too loose. That happened to me when I first installed my Kei Office XT-a coilovers... the springs would pop as I turned the steering wheel lock to lock. I tightened up the spring preload perch some more, and no more clunking/popping.

I've been having similar problems since I installed my coilovers. That's a good call, I have tried looking at all the other parts and didnt see anything loose or wrong. It does sound like the spring may be popping when making full turns at low speed. Pretty much only in my parking garage.

[motonagam]

I've been having similar problems since I installed my coilovers. That's a good call, I have tried looking at all the other parts and didnt see anything loose or wrong. It does sound like the spring may be popping when making full turns at low speed. Pretty much only in my parking garage.

Mine popped at full turns at low speed as well. I initially have set my spring preload to "zero preload," but apparently it was too loose because my springs were popping, so I preloaded the springs another full turn of the perch, and it has been ok ever since. Hopefully that will fix your problem.

[jdm538]

oops brought a thread back for the dead didnt look at the date. my bad....

my car is clunking at full turn i have my camber plate at full neg camber. i have inspected the suspension and everything looks okay the camber plates are tight.

[gotta240]

DO NOT FUCKING IMPACT THE TOP NUT ON COILOVERS......

How many fucking times must i say this shit before people listen.....


DO NOT FUCKING IMPACT TOP COILOVER NUTS
DO NOT FUCKING IMPACT TOP COIOLVER NUTS

Doing so can result in a broken strut!!!