sc suspension issues

craigmakes3 · 06-06-2015, 04:17 PM

I have an 81 sc with 118 k on it. I had a terrible sounding front left corner over the bumps, and found that most of the oil had leaked from the shock insert, all over the ball joint, and needed to be replaced.

So I replaced both inserts. I found that one green dust cover had the big spacer/washer on the inside of the dust cover, and the other had it on the outside. I couldn't find any info on this, so I presumed the spacer was supposed to be on the outside.

I just finished this repair, which included turbo tie rods, ball joints, bump steer kit, and the aforementioned inserts. On the first ride , the left side of the suspension is beautiful and smooth, but now the right side is making a noise. (GGRRRRR!) It is a clunk or thunk when I go over a good bump. When I got home I jumped on the front bumper; left side up and down silently, right side clunk on the up-spring.

What gives?

michael lang · michael lang's Garage

What happens if you put it back together the way you found it? Maybe at one time, your car made that exact noise and the repair was to move the spacers around from inside to outside the one dust cover or vice versa. You may never know. I always take pics of the tear down so I can go back together exactly the way I found it...for that very reason. Safe to assume no noise before you did the repair?

jason2guy · 06-07-2015, 02:47 AM

might be control arm bushings. if they are original theyre probably in rough shape.
i recently replaced mine with the ER rubber bushings. noticeable difference, everything is nice and tight now

craigmakes3 · 06-07-2015, 10:03 AM

Thanks for the advice. The only thing about bushing failure, etc., is that the noise didn't exist before I re-did the front end. My conclusion is that I screwed something up. The only relief I may get from blame is if by installing the bump steer kit, I created some sort of geometry issue with an existing problem.. Pretty frustrating.

Bob Kontak · Bob Kontak's Garage

Why did you install the bump steer kit?

The giant spacer is for US cars to meet US ride height specs. Normal to remove them if you are lowering some.