[BeardyHat]

Well, I'm at a loss here. I've had this clunk coming from the front passenger side of my 2004 since I bought it. It only occurs at low speed going over bumps and pits, but it's very loud and pronounced when it happens. At this point, I've gone through all the suspension components I can think of and it's still there. I'm thinking maybe it's a motor mount--never heard a bad motor mount make noise like this--or even a wheel bearing--again, never heard of such a thing, but I'm at a loss.

I've replaced:

1. Struts completely

2. Control arms, including all bushings and ball joint

3. Inner and outer tie rods

4. Sway bar bushings and end links

I thought maybe it was the splash guard for the belts, as it doesn't hold together great and kind of flops around, so I both put new pins in it and removed it completely and the clunk persists.

Is there something I'm missing? Could it be a bad CV? The axles seem to be in fine shape, boots are older, but they're not ripped and leaking grease, but they could just be original to the vehicle? I was happy to replace all the parts I did, as they all needed it anyway, but I don't want to throw more parts at the problem and not resolve it at this point.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

Are you positive that the sway bar end links are tight? A bit of looseness can result in a CLUNK but would be difficult to diagnose (unless you disconnected both sides for a test drive). They can be difficult to tighten fully. (which is why I like the MOOG brand links, they have a proper hex on the inner side)

Did you replace the upper strut mount bearings?

Are you positive the noise is coming from the front and not the rear?

I've never heard of a bad CV causing a clunk as you describe.

I'll have to double-check the end links, as Jeepman previously mentioned they can back off, but this was the first drive since install. Tops were torqued correctly, bottoms were as tight as I could get them by hand, as my torque wrench wouldn't fit. End links are Detroit Axle and they also have the nut to tighten properly.

Struts are completely new assemblies from KYB, top to bottom.

I'm fairly sure the clunk is from the front, as it's particularly pronounced when sitting on the passenger side front. The rear has it's own noises, as the track bar and leaf spring bushings are worn.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

I'm a bit "down" on the KYB struts for our application. I've always been happy with KYB in the past and I like the stiffness and ride height, but I just can't keep them quiet and functioning properly. I've got a 2005 with KYB struts and a similar sounding clunk on the driver's side. Replaced the driver side strut once due to the lower spring pad "popping out" and, so far, the pad has stayed in place on the replacement; however, I still have a similar clunk that I'm pretty sure is the strut.

I really think the spring on the SR4039 might just be too short and not provide significant resistance at full extension? If I go over a bump that causes the front end to rise to what is at or close to full extension on the struts, then I seem to get a hard "impact" jolt on the driver side as the front end comes back down. Again, thinking the spring is simply not resisting and strut is "locking" momentarily due to rapid compression as the front end comes back down... causing an excessive jolt. Figure this may also explain how the lower pad escaped on the first one... particularly if the center nut was loose at the time to make the problem worse.

One thing to check is the strut rod center nut being tight as my experience with the KYBs is that the strut rod nut tends to back off, ending up loose and causing some noise on bumps. Ended up snugging them with an impact wrench and that seems to have helped, but my front left noise/jolt on larger jounces is something else.

Just out of curiosity, do you remember what part number was placed on what side of the van? I've got SR4038 on the front right (passenger) side and SR4039 on the front left (driver) side, so it's the SR4039 I'm having issues with. With center rod nut tightened, SR4038 seems to be happy on the passenger side. Thought maybe I had them installed on the wrong sides initially, but I followed up with KYB tech support on this and, following that conversation, it does appear I have them where KYB intended them to be.

Interesting, but I'm thinking it's probably not the struts, as the clunk was there when I bought the vehicle with the original struts and then persisted in exactly the same manner with the new struts.

I did, in fact, purchase the SR4039/8 and the 8 being the passenger front and the 9 being driver front, so they are definitely on the correct sides.

But I may go back and see if I can torque the center nut and see if that solves the problem, as you mentioned. I think I recall reading that it's like 175ft lbs.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

Went ahead and looked around this morning and the seats for the struts look fine, so I went ahead and hit the sway bar bushings with some lithium grease wherever I could. It sat for a couple of hours before my wife decide to take it this afternoon, so I asked her to listen for the clunk, so we'll see what happens here when she returns.



Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

Beardy, unless you opened up the bushings, you didn't do anything, which is why I said to spray away with a 'liquidy' lubricant. You need to get between the rubber and the sway bar and the rubber and the clamp.

Ah ok, good to know. Well, guess it'll have to wait until I've got up on stands again and the time to take it off and give it a spray.

Makes sense then, wife says it was still clunking.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

I think I did put the MOOG poly bushings in there, but at this point, I'm gonna have to wait to disassemble, lube and see what happens.

Though, driving today, it really sounds like it's coming from the wheel area itself, rather than up near the firewall. Maybe it's just transmitting there, but it certainly sounds like it's from the wheel or strut. I'm wondering if I can retorque the top of the strut while it's still on the vehicle.

At any rate, when I have some time again, I'll see if I can retorque the end links as well and I was thinking that maybe I can jack the vehicle up and then use a big lever to force the suspension to compress on that side and maybe cause the nose from the outside.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

So is this worth even attempting to continue to track down? It looks like even if I'm able to resolve the problem, it'll come back in short order.

I mean, it's driving me nuts, so I guess that makes it worth it to investigate further, but at the same time I'm getting exasperated with the issue and it just started to get cold this week

Although, I forgot that with the cold, the sound gets worse, so that may be another clue and drive me even more crazy.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

Any suggestions for torquing the bottom nut on the passenger side? I need a deep socket to actually get on the nut, but with that and my torque wrench, I can't fit it into the space without contacting the control arm.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

I'm thinking this weekend, probably Sunday (got a lot of soldering projects to complete Saturday!), I'll get the van up on some stands and start looking through stuff.

I do think the nuts on the end links have backed off, because as of today, I have a new, smaller clunk when coming to a full stop. This also leads me to believe it isn't them that's the source of my problem; but the local Lowes has lots of the Fluid Film in stock, so I'll pick some of that up too and hit those bushings.

I have recently looked at my subframe bushings when I did the control arms and while they appear old, they don't seem like they're in too bad of shape. I probably will lever up on the control arm a bit this weekend too and see if I can hear anything that way.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

You didn't mentioned anything about replacing the motor/transmission mounts...I had that problem on both my '02 Grand Caravan and Dodge Neon at low speed. You're looking at 4-5 mounts for engine and tranny...hope that helps!

This has definitely been a thought of mine; I thought I had written it in a post on this thread, but now I can't find it, so I may have written it and then deleted it before posting.

Seems like it could be an issue, but I've had plenty of cars with bad motor mounts in my years and never heard clunking like this from them, so I kind of dismissed it for the time being and focused on the suspension here.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

Now this is weird. I always have at least 4-5 insured vehicles, never ever replaced a single motor mount on any of those vehicles.

Might be my climate. I'm in Colorado, very high and dry here, so pretty much every vehicle I've owned, with the exception of my newer one, has had rotted out rubber.

There was only one vehicle I owned that I didn't change the mounts on, but only because I sold it after only owning it for several months.

But, I've never had to deal with rust, that's pretty nice.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

Beardy, keep you foot off the gas, and coast in areas where the van creaks and groans, this should eliminate the motor mounts.

Have sprayed your bushing yet?

Think I've done that already, per not giving it gas and going over bumps, but I'll try that today.

Nope, haven't done anything on it yet since last week or whenever I last posted. Hopefully going to have some time this weekend to start poking around in there.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

I just came here to say, if it really were a "telltale" sound, shouldn't you know what it is?

Fair point! Never did read much Poe.



Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

Ok, so here's where I'm at:

Went through today and retorque my end links, but they were still tight. I did end up fixing the little tears in a few of them with some of the Black stick and seal tape and regreasing them. I also retorqued the brackets on the sway bar bushings, one was slightly loose and then I hit them with some of the fluid film.

No change, I'm still hearing the clunk, just as bad as ever. I did take a little video, where you can sort of hear it: clunk

That said, while attempting to capture this video, I was in the passenger seat (I usually drive) and notice that I can feel the clunking coming from almost directly UNDERNEATH the passenger side footwell, which is making me think it may be the subframe bushings on that side.

Based on where I'm hearing the noise and feeling it, I'm really thinking it's not the sway bar bushings. But can I do the same test, as was recommended for the sway bar bushings? Seems like the same methodology may not work here.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

What's the brand and product # for your sway bar bushings.

Unweight the link and you may find a bad one out of the box.

Check the large subframe bushing for tightness.

Moog Stabilizer Bushing Kit K7406

As for the end links, I played with them before putting them in and while I could move them by hand, they didn't seem loose or floppy.

I'll have to get back out there and see if I can retorque the subframe bolt. I didn't have any issues tightening it in the first place, so I imagine it's still tight.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

OK. I'll give the WD40 a try. I'm not convinced it will hurt the rubber. I'm probably going to replace them as a last resort anyway. I notice when looking at Moog and the cheap ones I put in they are both an 1/8" smaller than the other good quality one O'Reilly carries. It's also wider. Might do the trick.

Desperate to know your results

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

Good to hear, metalguy. Hopefully the new stuff solves your problem.

When spraying the WD-40, did you just spray in there or did you remove the bracket and spray inside the bushing?

I'm wondering if WD40 would be worth it for me to do the same troubleshooting in this instance or if the Fluid Film I sprayed in there this weekend is similar enough that it wouldn't make a difference?


Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

Control Arm Bushing Preload, Important Information!

Similarly, sway bar bushings should be tightened when the suspension is in a neutral position. I use ramps for that.

Interesting. I definitely put mine in while the suspension was hanging. I don't have any ramps, but maybe I'll have to get some so I can tighten things properly.

Though I guess I could support the van on its control arms with the jackstands. I always feel a little uncomfortable with that though.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

I also ran a test to see if it was really the sway bar that was causing the problem after the rattle came back. I unbolted the bar end of the link on the driver side and wired it up out of the way so then there were no significant forces acting on the bar. i drove it around for a few days and sure enough never made a sound. Put it back on and there was again.

Don't have an answer, but I was thinking about running the same test. That said, I haven't done anything on my van since about November, because I just haven't felt like crawling around in my garage.


Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk

 

[BeardyHat]

Ok, I give up. Finally did the bushings again, this time the nice ones with a collar and new brackets and the clunk is still there. Paid extra attention to how the bushings and bar were sitting and made sure everything lined up correctly and is torqued to spec.

As I have been for years now, I'm just going to live with it.

Sent from my moto g stylus using Tapatalk