Disturbing klunk from front wheel

SolReaver · 06-22-2013, 08:22 PM

Hey Guys!

Getting old blinky back on the road again and wanted to get a little help with diagnosis. I am getting a kinda klunk from the right front suspension. I can reproduce it if I put the car in reverse with the brake on and then go forward with the brake on. I will be putting the car up soon but don't have a good place to do so right now. I was in there for the front wheel bearings and brake pads just a few months ago but didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

What should I look for? and, what is the best way to manipulate the suspension to check for play? Hopefully some suspension guys can help me out with this one.

It is of course a 1987 924s all original, sooooo.....no great surprise if some of the suspension parts may be worn by now.

Thanks for your help guys.

Gawernator · Gawernator's Garage

Ball joint? Strut? Strut mount bushing/bearing

SolReaver · 10:37 PM

Well yes, I guess it COULD be any one of those things. however when I muscled it around as part of the bearing replacement, didn't notice the ball joint being loose, and the strut mounts seemed to be in good shape.

I did some thread searching and I am Leaning towards the theory that it is Control arm bushings, which, would explain the scraping sound on really hard corners. To test this I have to take off the wheel and pull the spindle front and back......ahh.... foreward and back...seems to fit.

As I have an 87 924S it seems that I can use the control arm bushing kit Prothane 22-201 for a 75-84 VW golf Mk1/Rabbit should I have to. I did not know that my suspension used VW parts but my wallet will be glad to hear it. AND I gotta be careful not to strip out bolts while I am there. Turns out I can even make my control arms fancy by stitch welding and powder coating them. Another example o how the search function is YOUR friend.

These are the preliminaries, can't be sure until I have the wheel off and inspect.

mytrplseven · mytrplseven's Garage

Here's a strange one that happened on mine. When I backed out of the drive-way and the front suspension had to move, it sounded like the front wheels were loose. Having rebuilt the front end components previously, I was worried I may have forgotten to tighten something. What it ended up being was a frozen shock insert. It was binding and the way I found it was to push repeatedly down on the front bumper to see what the shock rebound looked like. The driver's side didn't even move down vs the other side that rebounded properly. New struts and I was good.

BTERRY1 · BTERRY1's Garage

Are any of your sway bar components loose causing binding sand then a sudden release? are the lubed properly?

SolReaver · 06-23-2013, 10:36 AM

The rebound seems OK, on the first couple of bounces on the driver side there was bit of wiggle to the wheel and then it went away on the third bounce. The Sway bar components look OK but haven't been lubed. What would you suggest for sway bar lube?

The disturbing clunk does sound a bit like a loose wheel. BTW, the struts were done a few years ago, however, they were done by my brother and he tends to scrimp on parts. Now...WHY he just went out and changed the struts on my car without telling me, I may never know. All I can tell for sure was that garage that serviced the car bunged up my pristine frame rails. So to be honest with you, there may be a re-do of what a so called mechanic did wrong in my future. This is why I do all my own work.

mytrplseven · mytrplseven's Garage

that's why NOBODY touches my baby but me (unless I'm watching).

SolReaver · 06-23-2013, 04:30 PM

I wholeheartedly concur with your sentiments sir. No one touches the car but me. It seems best this way. The only downside is that I have no one else to blame, but, I can live with that. Besides, I would never be able to afford this thing at the hourly rate most shops charge to bungle the job.

However, perhaps a shop could give me a diagnosis and an estimate. IF I watch them like a hawk.

pfarah · pfarah's Garage

SolReaver,

A question; have you checked whether the front brake pad clip was installed? I'm not sure of the exact type of clunking sound you're experiencing but I had quite a bit of clunking coming from my rear right side that's been driving me nuts for a while. I finally broke down this past weekend, lifted the car and discovered the brake pad securing clip (known as the "Cross Spring" in the factory manual) was missing. The sound you hear just may be the pads clanking around the mounting frame or I may be totally wrong... It's worth a quick look anyway. The attached diagram reflects the item as part #14.
Good luck!

SolReaver · 06-23-2013, 09:51 PM

Pfarah: I did the brakes with the wheel bearing replacement. I am, among other things, ASE certified for brakes, and yes, that clip is installed. ( I just went out there with a flashlight, whew!) Good idea though, that spring not being there will cause a clunk. Wondering how you lost yours. Used to have a goodie box full of them from the boneyard as so many cars came in missing them and you can't release a car with missing brake parts.

kdjones2000 · kdjones2000's Garage

Another simple thing to check is your camber adjustment bolts. They can work themselves free and cause that clunking sound - they did for me one time.

Good luck, Keith

mueller944s2 · mueller944s2's Garage

that's funny, I have a clunk in the front right assembly whenever I hit a bump

pfarah · pfarah's Garage

The clip disintegrated so I spent some time locating it so I wouldn't have to purchase a whole kit. I would gladly accept a clip or two as spares...

Anyway, good luck with finding the problem.

Patrick

SolReaver · 06-24-2013, 07:04 PM

pfarah: would love to help you but that goodie box was left at a garage in Houston where a brake tech occasionally fishes for a way out of a bad day. I suggest boneyard trawling focusing on VW, Audi, Saab, Volvo, etc. The clips are not as rare as you would be led to believe. I will keep an eye open for you. Have you posted a WTB here or on rennlist?

Kdjones: Camber adjustment bolt, hmmm...Ok, sounds worth a check.

Mueller: it isn't a clunk when I hit a bump, it is more of a front and back thing, which is making me think control arm bushings, but, I really gotta look see. you should check your strut on that one. We can compare notes.

pfarah · pfarah's Garage

Thanks anyway! Trolling for Porsche parts is one type of fishing where you want to keep the bycatch!!