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clanky clunk

Yao

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 6, 2001
Messages
810
Location
Denver, CO
Car at rest, two hands on top of wheel and rock back and forth, I get a loose clank noise. Any guess what it might be? I think it's either wheel bearing or lower ball joint...
 

FlyingEagle

Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2005
Messages
1,635
Location
THE Ottawa
You will never hear/feel a wheel bearing testing it that way.

You likely have something in the steering system that is loose. Tie rod ends and inners (especially noisey due to resonance coming through the rack), plus universal joints as applicable or even the column assembly itself.

Double check all the bolts on subframes and steering rack to frame mounting points as well, because anything is possible until you have someone trained to feel for this stuff.

Sometimes you can compress outer tie rods with a pair of large channel locks, and it will be evident the amount of excessive play.
Ball joints can be very evident with either compressing as above or prying apart (dependent upon load bearing or non load bearing as to how you test), usually by hands at 1:30 and 7:30 o clock for the LF, and 10:30 and 4:30 oclock for the RF, and push/pull along the line that is made between the two hands.
Inner tie rods you can hang from the inner boot like a monkey and have the accomplice doing the 3 and 9 oclock tire shake side to side, in small quick motions. If noise is reduced the compression on tie rods, and or weight to load the inner, then you can eliminate one possible point.

It is a systematic approach.

If you feel comfortable doing this sort of diagnosis, great.

IF not, I highly advise going to a shop to at least pay them to find all the loose points and show you why.

If the clunk is quite extreme and or you cannot find any great looseness with the tests above, consider a tow to a shop.

Ball joint boots and or inner/outer tie rod boots are great places to suspect eventual premature wear compared to likely sealed units, but all of the joints are going to be suspect if original or where lesser grade parts are currently installed.

Be safe, work with a partner, and properly support the car off the ground at the front end, both sides.

If the car stays on the ground and you have a "trained" partner, not just any old monkey!, you can try loading the steering side to side with engine off, and feel the outers for looseness. It will be very evident if the clunk clank is there.

If you have more than just a subtle clunk in the column/steering area, I suspect you might be looking elsewhere, but I can only speculate.
 
Last edited:

Yao

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 6, 2001
Messages
810
Location
Denver, CO
Sorry, I didn't meant steering wheel. I meant LF TIRE/WHEEL. Thanks for the diagnostic, I'll try to follow through what I can.
 

iceman69510

Turn Right Racing
Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2001
Messages
10,964
Location
Michigan
When I hear clank, I think loose bolt or something where you have metal to metal contact. Ball joint usually makes a sharper knock noise, and wheel bearings howl. Bearings can make noise long before the deteriorate enough to be wobbly or loose (some cases).
 

FlyingEagle

Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2005
Messages
1,635
Location
THE Ottawa
Quoting Yao:
Sorry, I didn't meant steering wheel. I meant LF TIRE/WHEEL. Thanks for the diagnostic, I'll try to follow through what I can.


Driveline will clunk/clank as you roll the car back and forth that way. Shouldn't make too much noise.

What brought about trying out this diagnostic technique?
 

Yao

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 6, 2001
Messages
810
Location
Denver, CO
not forward and backward on the tire/wheel, but side to side.
 

FlyingEagle

Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2005
Messages
1,635
Location
THE Ottawa
Ball joint, strut to knuckle bolts, axle nut, axle cup loose in front diff, loose wheel (usually easier if in the air), upper strut mount nuts loose, strut tube loose or internal damage, etc.

Vehicle on the ground or both front wheels in the air?
 
Last edited:

Yao

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 6, 2001
Messages
810
Location
Denver, CO
car on ground
 

toybreaker

iconoclast
Joined
Apr 30, 2006
Messages
3,581
gotta be loose fp turbo bearings /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif
 

prove_it

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 3, 2008
Messages
4,201
Location
Sioux Falls, SD
Damn FP!!!
 

FlyingEagle

Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2005
Messages
1,635
Location
THE Ottawa
Loose turbo to manifold bolts, due to solid mount exhaust system?

We are all wondering. Yao, time to grab someone local and see if they can figure it out.
 
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