Clunk Redux

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

I think I hve found the source of my elusive clunk.  I pulled the RF 
wheel, and found that the boot over the shock was broken, and has 
been for some time.  On the top of the shock body, there appears to 
be oil leakage.  It's a bit hard to tell, because I blew a CV boot on 
this car not too long ago, and lot of grease was thrown around...but 
it appears to me that the slippery stuff on the top end of the shock 
and the immediate area is light viscosity oil.

I therefore suspect that I have a bad RF shock, which could account 
for the clunking with weight transfer, and might just explain a 
slight pull to the right.  My wife also says that bumpy roads have 
been feeling a LOT more bumpy recently.

My plan is to do the following as corrective and preventive 
maintenance, since the car has 90K miles:

Replace both front shocks
Replace both front ball joints
Replace both strut bearings
Replace outer sway bar bushings (already have them...)
Replace inner control arm bushings (already have them...)

Tie rod ends appear to be in fine shape, so I'm not messing with 
them.  They appear to be an easy replacement at any time, if 
required.  Once this is done, the clunk should be gone and the front 
end should be secure for many, many miles.

The nice part of this routine is that everything except the inner 
control arm bushings is part of the same disassembly process, so I 
will minimize labor charges.  

I am open to suggestions on shocks, but I want to preserve the 
original ride, as this is a sporty family car and not my auto-x 
car.  My wife drives it and likes the OEM ride, so I'm inclined to 
use OEM shocks.  After all, they lasted almost 90K in this car, and 
they lasted more than 90K in my 1984 5KT.

I truly hope this will solve the ongoing clunk problems.

Best to all....




*.......................................................*
Al Powell, Ph.D.                 Voice:  409/845-2807
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.          Fax:    409/862-1202
College Station, TX 77843      
Http://agcomwww.tamu.edu/agcom/satellit/alpage.htm
*.......................................................*