Clunk over load speed bumps
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 114
Likes: 5
From: Fowlerville Michigan
Clunk over load speed bumps
Ok, to be as brief as I can, I have a pretty bad clunk when going over bumps under about 45mph. Seems to be worse when the passenger side goes over bumps and both front and rear do it.
I've done the "wobble" test on both wheels - grab left and right then top and bottom of tire. Both are tight. I even went as far as taking apart the front corner. Both ball joints check out and the tie rod seems fine. I even checked the inner tie rod.
All sway bar end links have been replaced within the past two years with metal ones and I can't feel any play in them.
I thought maybe the axle-back was contacting the sway bar, but there doesn't appear to have any witness marks.
I even checked the o2s since I have LG headers and no witness marks there, either.
I also checked the motor mounts and neither look collapsed.
Checked the front cradle bolts, all were tight.
I've even checked the battery per a thread I found while searching :p
I'm really at wits end. I have a track day coming up the 25th and I"m worried they're going to fail me at tech since you can kinda hear it if you shake the car REALLY hard. It almost sounds like it comes from the steering gear box but I feel nothing in the steering wheel.
Is there a common problem with the steering gear box?
I've done the "wobble" test on both wheels - grab left and right then top and bottom of tire. Both are tight. I even went as far as taking apart the front corner. Both ball joints check out and the tie rod seems fine. I even checked the inner tie rod.
All sway bar end links have been replaced within the past two years with metal ones and I can't feel any play in them.
I thought maybe the axle-back was contacting the sway bar, but there doesn't appear to have any witness marks.
I even checked the o2s since I have LG headers and no witness marks there, either.
I also checked the motor mounts and neither look collapsed.
Checked the front cradle bolts, all were tight.
I've even checked the battery per a thread I found while searching :p
I'm really at wits end. I have a track day coming up the 25th and I"m worried they're going to fail me at tech since you can kinda hear it if you shake the car REALLY hard. It almost sounds like it comes from the steering gear box but I feel nothing in the steering wheel.
Is there a common problem with the steering gear box?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,496
Likes: 353
From: Little Rock Arkansas
I don't know if this will help you and I may even sound like an idiot asking but how do you approach speed bumps? Do you use the slow to a crawl method and then accelerate over them? Or do you just slow to a crawl and then ride over the bumps at slowed speed?
The reason I ask is because if you use the accelerate-over-the-bump method, that seems to not only lower chance of scraping but also reduces overall suspension travel. As an example, I have a squeak that I'm pretty sure is coming from the plastic sway bar end links. If I accelerate over a speed bump after slowing to a crawl, the suspension barely moves and I hear no squeak. However if I enter a situation where there is excessive suspension travel, a dip in the road, riding over a speed bump at constant speed, etc, I get the squeak.
That may help you narrow down exactly where it's coming from.
The reason I ask is because if you use the accelerate-over-the-bump method, that seems to not only lower chance of scraping but also reduces overall suspension travel. As an example, I have a squeak that I'm pretty sure is coming from the plastic sway bar end links. If I accelerate over a speed bump after slowing to a crawl, the suspension barely moves and I hear no squeak. However if I enter a situation where there is excessive suspension travel, a dip in the road, riding over a speed bump at constant speed, etc, I get the squeak.
That may help you narrow down exactly where it's coming from.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 590
Likes: 57
From: Aurora Colorado
I would suggest checking and make sure that there are rubber bump stops at all four corners and undamaged. If one or more of the bump stops is missing or damaged--the suspension arms will bottom out and hit with a bang when the suspension is compressed.
Last edited by phoneman91; Jun 10, 2016 at 01:02 AM.
