Front Suspension Nightmare - Help.

MartianBob

Registered User
I'm at my wits end on this.
Front suspension started feeeling/sounding bad.

I replaced the shocks with Tokicos, lower control arm -> strut rod bushings with rubber stock ones. Replaced the lower arm -> frame bushing with third party poly bushing (no comment). Also replaced ball joints. Handles great but now I have a horrible clunking noise from front end drivers side when I go over sharp bumps (maybe passenger side too, but I can't hear as well). And I can feel it.
This is a Serious clunking noise when going over sharp bumps; I mean it sounds like a steel tennis ball is in my wheel well. I torque everything down a few days later and notice the metal bushing sleeve (lower arm -> frame) has walked down the poly bushing and is rubbing on the sub-frame metal to metal.

I thought this was the culprit. I was wrong. Although it wore a substantial ring into my subframe on both sides, this is not the problem.
I replaced the entire lower arm with a stock piece (new bushings and ball joint in one unit). I also replaced the motor mounts (no small task), and thoroughly inspected the upper ball joints, upper control arm mounting bolts, sway bar end links, tie rod end links, stearing gear bushings, sub-fram mounting bolts (torx E-18), brake callipers, exhaust headers and tubes are all tight, and I have pushed and jumped on the front end a zillion times to no avail. I can only hear it going over bumps.
Everything feels tight and almost everything has been replaced. The steering gear has a minute amount of slop but nothing to account for this noise. This noise is Awfull. It sounds like something is being damaged on every bump.
The onlly thing I did not do myself was swap out the shocks inside the springs. I had this done at a shop and had them press in my first set of new ball joints and busings too.
What could have gone wrong when the shocks were swapped out?

Does anybody have any ideas? I've tried everything I can imagine. I am open to any suggestions.

thanks
MB
 
Just giving you some things to look at...

Have you changed the endlinks or outer tie rods? They have ball-joints that could make a clunking noise if loose or failed. Did you get an alignment after working on the front suspension? Check your wheel bearings.


I've had a similar problem tracking down a suspension sound for a few months. I replace all the front end suspension bushings and shocks. I still had the sound. Mine was more of a rattle at slow speeds and sounded like it came from the front. It ended up being the rear brake caliper pins were frozen and one of my brake pads was just moving freely and causing the rattle. So the sounds can be deceiving to their location.
 
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