[autoxrs]

Searched, didn't find a decent thread

Going over bumps the RF makes a clunk. Makes the noise regardless of speed or how bad the roads are. Although, noise is more pronounced at low speeds and with rougher roads. Noise is pronounced if you go over a bump. This is where I started suspecting the strut mount. Took off the strut and didn't see the mount to be visually bad. But, that's not saying much since the strut mounts were notorious for being bad.

Checked the sway bar endlink, that was fine. Checked the lower ball joint, that was fine. Checked the steering tie rod, that was fine. No undue movement when shaking the tire/wheel side to side or up and down.

Guessing all signs point to a strut mount?

 

[OldMan]

Post Deleted

 

[AgSpyder]

Did you try greasing it?

 

[luxuryrules]

Searched, didn't find a decent thread

Going over bumps the RF makes a clunk. Makes the noise regardless of speed or how bad the roads are. Although, noise is more pronounced at low speeds and with rougher roads. Noise is pronounced if you go over a bump. This is where I started suspecting the strut mount. Took off the strut and didn't see the mount to be visually bad. But, that's not saying much since the strut mounts were notorious for being bad.

Checked the sway bar endlink, that was fine. Checked the lower ball joint, that was fine. Checked the steering tie rod, that was fine. No undue movement when shaking the tire/wheel side to side or up and down.

Guessing all signs point to a strut mount?

I'll be here with you too. Same symptoms on mine, same troubleshooting yields the same observations. Let me know if a strut mount fixes yours, or if I get to it first I'll let you know.

 

[autoxrs]

Strut mount didn't do the trick on mine. Suspension seems fine on the bounce test, although the strut shaft was moved a little too easily by hand. My next suspicion is the struts are done. Tie rods are fine with no play on the wheels. End links are fine and aren't loose. Lower ball joint is fine without any play. KYB GR2s are $58 a piece, may as well replace them. On my black car it made the ride a lot more comfortable in our awful roads.

 

[AgSpyder]

Seriously, greasing the top of the mount eliminates the binding and the clunk noise when it unloads. Its in the BGB.

 

[Ferrino]

When I looked up the cost of a replacement top-mount, it was more than a new KYB strut!

 

[rcntype]

I'm hearing similar clunking sounds up front with similar results when checking all that could move but i'm on Bc coilovers. I hope my coilovers aren't done.

 

[autoxrs]

When I looked up the cost of a replacement top-mount, it was more than a new KYB strut!

Who said I bought one, I used a known good mount from the other car and did grease them. No harm no foul, everything else looks solid up front so I'm going with the struts are done option.

 

[SDSUsnowboards]

You did not say you checked it, so I'm going to throw this out there. Did you check the lone nut atop the strut? It must be tightened with an impact wrench. If it's loose then you get a clunk sound.

 

[autoxrs]

Yes checked that nut too. I ended up taking apart the whole strut assembly and cleaning and reassembling it with my known good strut mount. Torqued the top nut to the correct spec as well.

Also, you don't want to tighten that nut with an impact. You can actually break the piston and end up with a very dead shock. I've seen plenty of busted shocks as a result of people going nuts with an impact. I was always taught to tighten with a ratchet and then final tighten to the correct torque setting.

 

[pwhitersxs]

I'm hearing similar clunking sounds up front with similar results when checking all that could move but i'm on Bc coilovers. I hope my coilovers aren't done.

Funny, I was about to make a post about BC coilovers. All of mine, on every corner, clunk. I tightened the strut bolt and that did not help. The clunking is loud too. Let me know how this progresses on your car.

I was thinking of trying the yellow speed racing coilovers next. Not going back to BC unless they send me a free set.

http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-2000-0...r=8-1&keywords=mr2+spyder+yellow+speed+racing

Yellow Speeds look like every other coilover out there.

 

[Ben88]

Funny, I was about to make a post about BC coilovers. All of mine, on every corner, clunk. I tightened the strut bolt and that did not help. The clunking is loud too. Let me know how this progresses on your car.

I was thinking of trying the yellow speed racing coilovers next. Not going back to BC unless they send me a free set.

http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-2000-0...r=8-1&keywords=mr2+spyder+yellow+speed+racing

Yellow Speeds look like every other coilover out there.

Clunking and coilovers seems to be a related issue. I have heard lots of complaints from people about this sort of thing.

Im wondering if the top jap brands like cusco, HKS, silk road section etc. have these same issues? or other even more expensive ones like ohlins or aragosta.

 

[murfdaddy]

I'm getting a "clunking" in the steering when going over bumps in a turn. I'll have to get my front end up in the air to see what it is, but seems like a loose tie rod end or something. Do our steering racks have bushings?

 

[carlbecker]

The tie rod would be the last place I would look when trying to locate a clunk. Something loose in the frunk, struts and bushings, other bushings then balljoint, rack mounts then tie rod would be my order of preferrence, dependinig on mileage and usage. I don't recall bad tie rods to make much if any noise. A thorough check is never a bad idea either way.

 

[Rswimports]

Check your front swaybar bushings where it mounts to the body. Any play makes a surprising amount of noise.