[urq] RE : Front end clunk

[Louis-Alain Richard]

Mike, 

For a while, I had that same klunk sound which was also felt in the
footwell/firewall area. Like you, I did a once-over and found nothing
major, but I did managed to get rid of it. :-))

What it wasn't:
- subframe bushings (logically because of the feeling of the clunk in
the floor)
- a-arms bushings
- ball joints
- tie-rods outer ends or inner bushings
- engine or transmission mounts


What it may have been, by order of importance:

- upper strut mounts (green, 18 months old). They were looking fine, but
the bearing was really loose in the radial plan. It wasn't possible to
"feel" the play with the car on its wheels, too much weight. But once on
the bench, there was as much as 3mm of play. Now the "blues" are
installed and tightly fit.

- The "Lewis" clutch bracket. It's been on the car since a month, but
the 2 steering rack bolts were not really tight, so there was a
possibility there too. 

- Swaybar. I did replace the inner bushings with the Mercedes donuts
just because it was removed from the car. But it didn't look faulty.


Now, driving the car is back to spec. It feels like when you remove a
pebble from your shoe, it was not enough to impeach you to walk, but it
was annoying... 


Louis-Alain
Montreal PQ


> -----Message d'origine-----
> 
> There are as many of these causes as UrQ out there but I finally got
one
> and no ideas! Replaced front struts, strut bearings, wheel bearings,
subframe bushings and
> control arm bushings ball joints and have a pass side front end clunk
when
> steering is max loaded in either direction and the car shifts from
> standstill to movement in either direction.  Can "easily" be
replicated by
> keeping steering locked in travelling aboput 20 feet in an arc.
Doesn't
> appear to be spring as it is properly seated and doesn't have the
spring
> noise vs heavy mechanical metal on metal clunk.  Have has strut
housing
> back apart and no help, strut is solid in housing.  Any other likely
ghosts to check?
> thx
> Mike