Problem with clunking wheels

Jarago · Post by **Jarago** » July 21st, 2006, 9:49 pm

my mx-3 (rs) has a pain in the a-- problem and wondering if anyone knows what it is or if it happened to them.

When I go over little or big bumps my suspension goes "clunk" and sometimes makes abit of a sound like metal, it especially does this when I am turning to the right and it seems to alternate between the two front wheels. I did a search and can't find anything so I thought I'd post. What would possibly be doing this?

Thanks guys.

ryanlindenberg · Post by **ryanlindenberg** » July 21st, 2006, 10:56 pm

put your front up on jack stands, pull/push on the top and bottom of the wheel, also try pulling and pushing on the sides of the wheel. while the car is up, look at your coil springs and make sure they are not broken.

another possibility is your CV joints. what does the noise sound like when you turn? is it a popping sound? does it do it all the time when you turn or only when you turn quickly?

let us know what you find.

ariesdude · Post by **ariesdude** » July 22nd, 2006, 1:58 am

i had the same sypmtoms - turned out i needed new struts

Jarago · Post by **Jarago** » July 24th, 2006, 4:59 pm

Thanks for the replies,

I'll be propping up my car here shortly, buying a couple stands today.

I had my CV joints checked the other day in the shop and they were fine, and I have new springs/struts in the front which are fine, aligned and tight.

The noise originally started when turning to the right and went over a little bump. Its not a popping noise, it sounds like a clunk, almost like something is bottoming out. Now the noise is there all the time whether I'm turning or not and the clunking now sounds like clunking and sometimes metal clunking as well.

ryanlindenberg · Post by **ryanlindenberg** » July 24th, 2006, 8:02 pm

yea just giving the wheel a good shake should make it clunk since it is happening all the time. at least then you will know which corner it is coming from.

i had a clunking during hard right turns, it turned out to be a bad driver's rear strut.

95 rs · Post by **95 rs** » July 24th, 2006, 8:33 pm

check the sway bar links.... i had the same problem and found that mine were loose. i replaced them and well it helped alot and the sound is gone.

Jarago · Post by **Jarago** » July 25th, 2006, 12:39 am

95 rs wrote:check the sway bar links.... i had the same problem and found that mine were loose. i replaced them and well it helped alot and the sound is gone.

I just had them replaced at the same time I had them check the cv joints and boots, didn't fix the prob

DJsMX-3 · Post by **DJsMX-3** » July 25th, 2006, 4:18 am

I could be a combo of worn out strutbearings and coilslap in your new springs?

Coilslap you fix by putting a rubberhose over the part of the coil that makes contact when the suspension gets a little compressed.

Strutbearings you check by getting someone to turn the steering wheel while you touch the spring and feel if it moves jumpy and not smooth.

You can check thoose two things quite easily and if you want a more detailed how to check, there was another post about it not so long ago here in the suspension forum.

Jarago · Post by **Jarago** » July 27th, 2006, 8:51 pm

bump stops supposed to be down by the wheel or up by the strut mounts?