I have a nasty clunk from the front right, i can feel it the floor. It happens when i take off slowly at times, or hard, when i jack on the brakes i heard it once, turning right into a driveway and going over a small bump. Yesterday it clunked when i turned the wheel right and backed up. Sometimes i dont hear it for a while, sometimes i hear it alot. cant figure it out.. always turning right.

Control arm bushings are good, i had a RK one pop out( long story short- i didnt install them). I put in some Prothane ones in and they are good. I first thought the clunk was that control bushing that popped out as it was on the right side. but it wasnt!.
(i have both poly' motor mounts/tranny mounts)
The brakes are brand new. Ball joints are new. and the car just got alligned. The axle dont have much movement, it moves back and forth a realllll little bit.
The strut mounts /axle/ perhaps one wheel bearing(one side is newer, i forget), tie rod ends(i grease them alot) all have 150k miles on them. ( kyb struts with EIbach pro kit springs)

i am running outta things to check, only idea i am kinda thinking about is the down pipe hanger for my header , as we had to bend it once when we did the motor swap for some odd reason, but that has some clearence. I will be under there soon to change the tranny fluid and i will check that out/ check out any ideas you guys give me.

. I cant figure out where it is coming from, and need some ideas on what to check and how to check it.
thanks
jake

Does it make the sound before or after you let off the brake?
Can you get it to make the sound just switching between Dive and Reverse? Maybe giving it a little gas too....
Get a buddy to listen in different places while you do that...

I head something a while ago about the steering column shaft needing greasing and causing a clunk... I'm not sure that this is what that is but it woulds kind of similar from what you described....



Knowledge about everything and yet an expert of nothing!!
Jack of all trades.

Is the top nut on the struts properly tightened down? What type of struts? Do they have spacers if necessary?

Do the spacers serve any purpose if you can get the nut all the way down to the proper torque?

FireHawk wrote:Do the spacers serve any purpose if you can get the nut all the way down to the proper torque?

Absolutely. I think on the AGX and some of the Koni Yellows, there's not enough thread for the nut to come down and hold the mount properly. You can torque it down as hard as you'd like but there's still some play there for the mount to move.

The problem is that you're not torquing the nut down on the mount. You're torquing it down on the end of the threads. Putting a spacer in (usually just a washer or two) will allow you to torque it down properly on the mount.

Hey guys,

I have tokico D-specs and I think I have the same clunking....

Which nut is it that can actually be loose? I hear all the time about using these spacers, but where do I actually place them, and how can I tell if I really need them?

I love the ride with the D-specs, however, sometimes this clunking can get really annoying. It's most noticible when I'm going over small little bumps in the road, and usually at slower speed.

Also, do i have to jack up the car to tighten this nut? Or can I just pop the hood and access the nut from over top?

Any pics or help would be greatlly appreciated.

Thanks.

I have that noise.... it's my right front caliper... I think it's seized, because the pad is wearing at a funny angle. The pin is physically stuck, I think it's rusted in place.

Time for that N/W/F-body front brake upgrade!!

i am not talking about a little clank here,i know what @!#$ty strut mounts on the 2k+ sound like. This more like someone takes a hammer and hits the underside of the front floor board.

struts- i have kybs gr 2's . that is a very good chance that mount might be making that noise. Everything else seems to be in good working order(axle/bushings/brakes/ball joints). it makes sense on if that mount was goofed and how the times i hear this "clunk" is the times that the strut mount would be moving.

i put them struts in years ago, i cant remember how they went together. maybe one day i will get some new mounts and slap some washers in there and see how it goes. i have faith that is the culprit!

thanks ww
.



and how you go about greasing the steering shaft? i am sure that wouldnt hurt.

Silver_00ZED24 wrote:I head something a while ago about the steering column shaft needing greasing and causing a clunk... I'm not sure that this is what that is but it woulds kind of similar from what you described....

That's more of a creaking, lumpy turning sort of noise. Not really a clunk.

Jake, did you try my original suggestion yet?

sorry, overlooked that.

i dont think it makes the noise after braking. good idea, i will listen and try to pay attention more when it happens.. I think if something was messed up with the brakes, i would notice odd brake pad wear, and the car, i would assume would jerk like it is hung up on something if the brakes were messed up. Which it doesnt do.

also,I have a 5 spd.

i am leaning more towards the strut mount nut not being tight enough like WW said .

i had a clunk for about a week when i stopped and i took off hard....and when i turned it made a loud clunk.....i thought it was just the strut bearing or somthing.

then one day it got louder....and my right wheel fell off when i was doing 55mph. the lug nuts had come loose enough where the rim wobbled.

just somthing to check




- Cameron (CaliforniaCavalier)
- www.csc-motorsports.com (my new NOR-CAL car club site!)

i double check the lug nut tightness all the time. i knew people that didnt have them tight and what happened. so i learn from their mistakes.

i had that too. i took apart the upper mount and found that the mount plate washers had worn to an oval shape. So i welded new washer in there and it did the fix. I have a koni/gc setup.

Nate



Evolution of Cavyboy-->C22t--> C24na--->c24s/c
1995 Cavalier W/2k1 Engine
GM S/C 13.940@99.78pmh w/2.068 60ft

I had a bang when I was taking off in my 2001 SunfireGT. Changed the sway bar D bushings and that fixed it.

well i took off the top strut nut and put 3 washers i found on and tightened it back down.

I havent drove it since then. i had to buy a new set of tires as mine on there were horriable. riding 2 years with out a allignment, one tire didnt hold air, and the front tires are pretty bald/ left tire threads showing due to the new fangled power i have being that is the shorter of the two axles.

anyways, i wil post back with a update.

So i had a clunk a while back that i thought was strut mounts.. had them replaced and the clunk was still there, come to find out i had a bad motor mount.. every time i would go in reverse it would clunk then again when i went forward.. it was really annoying and at the pontiac dealership not cheap to replace.. and my .02


~Go Navy~ Accelerate your life... Right into the persian gulf!
Petty Officer Justin Hegenbart, USN

I'm pretty sure it's already been stated, I didn't want to read everyones posts.

But I am sure it's the strut mount. You can get those replaced. I have heard that Cavvy's are notorious for doing that. Mine does it as well sometimes, not that often.. but it does. Hell, my Camaro does it when I turn the wheels all the way, I need to fix it but don't feel like it just yet.



1983 Camaro Z28

If it is some masively loud clunck you can feel in the floor boards then check your hub. It is most likely split in half. They like to come apart on our cars. That could also be why you only here it when turning right or going slow.

i dont think i checked the hub, i might have glanced at it when i did brakes the other week.

i got the few washers on that sides strut mount bolt. i havent had a chance to drive it since then(last week). i am getting new tires put on tommorow. so hopefully that fixed the noise.

i will keep you posted. thanks for the comments on what to look for.

damn it.

still there.

has to be the strut mounts. not sure when/ if i will get around to replacing them.

The clunk I had was the front control arm bolt coming loose, thankfully the lower engine mount kept it from coming out. Tightened her down and no more problems.

Try pushing and pulling on the wheels if you get that sound its probably the same thing.


-Chris

I'm all stock and I have the same clunking noise as well. I'm actually relieved that more of you have it so we can get to the bottom of this.