I have a loud rattle/clank/clunk over broken pavement that I haven't been able to diagnose yet. It is on the driver's side and the clunks are fairly heavy and can be quite quick in succession, much like a diving board rebounding after somebody jumps off of it. I've disconnected my swaybar at the lower arm and the noise remains, so it's not that. I've re-torqued every bolt to spec, so it's not a loose bolt somewhere. The noise seems most prevalent at low speeds, but it might just be because of less road noise, or perhaps there is less deflection at higher speeds. I'm not sure of the physics of that. Oh, and the lugs are torqued to 110 ft-lbs.

So I guess I've narrowed it down to either the upper or lower control arm bushings or the shock. Which would be your best guess and how do I go about testing them?

Thanks.

 

Have you tried jacking up the car and rattling the wheel back and forth to see if you can replicate the noise. Try spinning the tire and giving it a nudge or a kick to see if something feels lose or make the clunking noise. If you can hear something then you should be able to locate it. You have probably already tried this but just a thought.

 

Yes, I have tried, but unfortunately I can't reproduce the noise. It seems like it has to be under the weight of the car and hitting a bump. Everything seems fine when the suspension is just hanging there. I've run it up and down with a jack, but it's too slow to make the noises. I need one of those nifty lifts that "jiggle" the car by the four corners. I don't know what it's called, but I saw a car being "jiggled" on a commercial once.

 

Need more info about the car. How many miles on the car? Aftermarket springs and shocks? Do you track the car? What are your driving habits (normal or aggressive)? I might be crazy saying all of these stuffs, but it will provide more information about the parts being talked about here (the age of the parts).

 

++ on monchie

Did you change the sway bars? Poly bushings will stick, and make that sound if they need grease.

 

Ok, more info:

53,000 on the car with original springs/shocks. I have installed a Hotchkis swaybar, but I just greased it up, thinking that was possibly my issue. The endlinks are in good shape and all the bolts are torqued to spec.

I autocross on the weekends, which I'm sure has accelerated whatever problems I have going. Other than that, it just normal but spirited driving.

I'm now leaning toward a blown shock. My ride height is nearly 1 inch lower on the drivers side, where the noise is emanating from (measured on flat ground with nobody in the car). Also, lately upon moderate breaking at highway speeds, the car will dip and pull to the left...which is unsettling at 80mph

 

I bet it's your lower control arm, based on what you're saying about pulling to the left. I forgot to tighten up an adjustment bolt that goes through the subframe, and I the car pulled heavily to the right. I tightened it up, and the car brakes straight now.

Also, it may be that your lower control arm is cracked, in the bushing that houses camber adjustment bolt. Mine clicked under braking from this cracked part of the LCA.

 

Hmmm...interesting, I'll have to take a look at that. I haven't really considered the LCA much. But I don't think that would explain the fact that the car sits an inch lower on the drivers side. BTW, that is measured from top of the wheel well arch to the wheel lip.

 

I have somewhat similar noise from passenger side, but didn't have time to troubleshoot it. I did jack up the car and gave the front left wheel a good tug at 9-3 and 12-6 o'clock positions..it felt solid without any play at all. I will check the sway bar end links next, subframe bolts and then control arm.

I am also on stock suspension but my ride height appears to be normal with out sagging.

 

Check out my thread in the Trouble Shooting section, let me know if its the same sound.

 

LCA or wheel bearing. I'd also check stuff not directly related to your suspension in the engine bay.

 

If it is the LCA, what's the best way to check it other than jacking up the car and giving it a good tug to see if it moves? The bushings are visibly ok, but of course I can't see inside.

I just had the alignment guy looking at my camber yesterday because he left the bolt loose when he did the adjustment two months ago and he didn't see anything obviously wrong.

 

New info:

The clanking stops under braking, so I guess that rules out the shocks. But I think that means it could be the LCA because the braking action would put the bushings under a bind and cause them to tighten up as the wheel is pushed backwards.

 

or brake pads are making the noise?

 

I'm pretty sure it's not the pads because it takes a fairly firm pressure to get the noise to stop. I would think the pads would stop clanking as soon as any slight pressure was applied. But it's a good idea nonetheless.

 

Problem solved! It turns out the all four of the bolts holding the hub on were slightly loose. I torqued them down and the rattle is gone. Kind of scary that I've been driving on it like that for a while now.

 

Having the same problem, what hub?

 

Front wheel, driver's side.