Really weird front end clunk (was embarrasing 4k sway bar Q)

[Ken Keith]

RE:auditude at neta.com
CC:mxbreed at lancnews.infi.net
EN:0
CS:1
RC:1
DC:0
UR:0
SS:1
SG:-1
MI:0
ID:neta
EX:0
TE: 1
FL:0

Sounds like a bad CV joint to me.  Outer, that is.

Ken

mxbreed at lancnews.infi.net wrote:
> 
> Tue, 03 Apr 2001 19:07:49 -0400
> Next message: Really weird front end clunk (was embarrasing 4k sway
> bar Q) Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
> Continuing with the diagnosis, I've determined my problem is NOT the
> sway bar mounting. It only hits the strut bottoms when the car is
> topped out, i.e. up on jack stands. Plenty of clearance on the ground.
> Symptoms (and read them all and think first; it's not the obvious
> answer): 1) Thunk or pop during hard left turns, like parking 2)
> Steering wheel straight, then will 'pop' and be off center while going
> straight   (after a turn, usually a left). Tracks basically ok with
> only a slight pull off center. Squirrely, unpredictable cornering
> during left turns. 3) With the wheel turned hard left and pushing the
> car slowly, I can see the RF wheel 'pop' along with the thunk sound.
> 4) This is the good one...reverse is intermittently a problem.
> Depending on the position of whatever is causing the problem, reverse
> will work either perfectly or pop out of gear every time and be
> impossible to hold in! The problem is concentrated on the right side.
> It appears (but may not be) it is related to the
> hub/axle/bearing/transmission more than the steering or strut action.
> This all started very suddenly after driving carefully on a gravel
> road. Nothing was impacted. Tie rods ok, steering rack firmly mounted
> and ok. No noise from wheel bearing or cv joints. All bushings are new
> or reasonably new. Ball joints, A-arms, subframe mounts, etc. all
> appear fine and are not moving. This is baffling to say the least. My
> only ideas are: 1) wheel bearing (should make noise, or have made
> noise previously) 2) CV joint or axle (where is the clicking sound?)
> 3) transmission (worked fine before, and why would it be related to
> the wheel angle?) 4) ??? Ludicrous suggestions welcomed. Dwight Varnes
> 86 Coupe GT

Ken Keith
Production Control Planner
Special Devices, Inc.
Automotive Products Division
Mesa, Arizona
(480) 832-0774, ext. 4335