Glowbox

Like the title states I can hear a clunking noise from the front over bumps.

I am lowered on S-techs and on 18s and i have new struts as of last month. The clunking was happening before the new struts and still does after new ones. I have re-put the springs on three separate times making sure EVERYTHING is assembled properly and nothing changed

Could it be the bumpstops just bottoming out?

Anything else this could be that I can check out?

IH8ONYU

did you cut the bumpstops originally when you lowered?
if not, that may be it, you should "feel" them hitting though..

Glowbox

I havent cut the bumpstops but for about a year it never made the clunking without them cut

And also i checked and the top but is also very tight

Glowbox

I also thought it may be the sway bar links/bushings, to me they have always looked like crap. Is it possible to tell by the pictures if they are bad? or are they a "replace them and see if it fixes it" thing

IH8ONYU

thats probly not your issue then.. did you use any wrap on your coils that are touching when you installed your springs?

Glowbox

had the stock tein wrap on them at the top and bottom.

Could it be a ball joint going out? it has 70xxx miles on it now

jbod

you pulling to the side? tires worn? more of a pop when you turn than a clunk? steering so sloppy the cops would probably pull you over or have already, because they thought you were drunk? these are all symptoms i've experienced with bad ball joints. doesn't mean any of these symptoms might be something else, but i've experienced one at least if not more than one of these symptoms with bad ball joints.

Glowbox

nope none of those symptoms.

When i replaced the struts i didn't replace the strut mount with the bearing in it. How do i tell thats worn if its that? take the strut out and test for play/woble in the bearing?

Mouse

I'd say all of the above posts in this thread are good valid things to verify. Just wanted to add my 2 cents for an additional thing to check.

check all 4 wheels/strut assemblies to verify that each spring is properly seated. Look at the top & bottom of each spring. The end of the spring should butt up against the spring stop in the collar. If it has shifted away from the stop you can easily get a very similar result for that issue.

If you see that one or more have shifted, it's easy to put it back where it should be. Just jack up that wheel until it's far enough off the ground to be fully extended from its own weight & completely off the ground. That will release almost all of the tension/compressed on the spring. Then you can manually rotate the spring back into the correct position.

magallan03

I have this same problem with my 06 xb. Even when going in to my driveway at 5mph. As soon as I hit the lip at the edge of my drive way I hear that slight clunk. Not sure what it is either. I want to try and figure out what it is before I replace the suspension next month. I'm replacing my front and rear shocks and struts with TRD Waydo and a new set of lowering springs all the way around also, replacing as many bushings as I can with Energy Suspension bushings.

jbod

hey hate to hijack, but i have a question hopefully someone can answer without me having to make a new topic, so i apologize for the hijack. it's been ***** hot ever since i got this car at the end of march my 04 xb. i been using the ac more than anything. i have noticed, and i'm pretty sure it's been there since i've gotten the car, but does anyone notice when turning the wheel all the way to either side a slight creaking noise that anyone who doesn't have average hearing, or an ear for things would even notice? kinda like a door creaking, but not loud. not loud at all. i mean if i wasn't paying attention i wouldn't notice, and if the windows are up it's not audible at all? only when turning the wheel all the way?


my yokohama's are dry rotted not the worst rot i've ever seen, but not good. though i notice zero abnormal tire wear at all. i also wanna say, and this is the god's honest truth no exaggeration that this car has the absolute best steering in anything i've ever driven at this mileage that doesn't have a brand new front end. my mothers 02 taurus brand new didn't feel nearly as good as this car does now. this car doesn't pull to the side at all, there is no play in the wheel at all, when you turn this wheel even a little the wheels move just as much as you turned it. i mean this is good steering. so i am ruling out ball joints, tie rod ends, but who knows stranger things have happened. no vibration either aside from the fact that the xb has a really stiff suspension, and isn't very smooth, but that's just the way these cars are.


i do wanna note this car has been hit before. i'm the third owner, and it was probably hit during the first. the passenger side fender is not the original, the bumper, and hood aren't either. think the passenger door isn't original either. looking under the car it looks like the cv joints aren't the same as the ones on the drivers side. it's like a different color metal. no problems in alignment though. i've driven many cars who had been hit like that, and they always had problems whether it was coming out of alignment, or noises that would never go away, etc. i got a 2000 f350 7.3 diesel like that. it was hit before i had it, and i've even changed the whole front end, and there is always a nasty noise when turning the wheel all the way.


so sorry for the long post, and the hijack, and thanks for reading it if you take the time. sentraSE-R haven't seen you post in a while dude, but i'm looking at you. anyone else who wants to answer or take a stab is more than welcome. is this just my power steering system maybe? cv's make a different noise, no symptoms of a bad tie rod end, or ball joints, and no symptoms of a steering rack. at least not the classic common symptoms. like i said slight creak when the wheel is turned ALL THE WAY like going into a parking spot is the only time you can hear this. am i worrying too much, and this is normal?

2004 xb with stock suspension.

jdmbBox

i would say its the sway bar bushings, the lower one looks thrashed and the washer is one sided. just to make sure before u replace then take the links off and drive to where u usually hear the noise, if u dont hear it, then u have found the issue. just dont slam on brakes or do and hard cornering without the links. thats how we check them at the dearlership i work at!

not2old4anxb

I just installed new TRD lowering springs and TRD-Waydoo struts and shocks at all 4 corners, and now I'm getting a clunking from the front end over any small bumps. I re-tightened the struts, but can only hold the top plate so tight while tightening it. Is there a way to tighten the struts down as tight as the originals were, and if so, do you think that will stop the noise?

roundheya

I am all stock suspension, slightly taller tires is only mod. 210,000 miles on the odometer, oversized tires probably equates to 245k.

I am having the same issues as the poster, a mechanical clanking while going over bumps. Ball joints seem tight, bearings tight, tie rods tight, even the suspension which has endured countless jumps seems tight. I can't figure out where the clunk is coming from... Any ideas?

Bushings? It a metallic sound like dropping an aluminum can onto concrete from shoulder height. I want to fix it, but everything I grab on to and shake is tight.

If the car goes airborne and lands, I don't hear it... Just small bumps.

evilBOXevil

My bet is on bushings. It may or may not be the control arm bushings. Check all bushings on the front end.
Also, check the appearance of your axles. I had DF210s for a while, and it was low enough that the axle would clunk against the arm on bumps and hard cornering!! I didn't know it until I looked and could see spots where it would rub (off-roading in an xB with a 2.5" drop is not the best idea).

not2old4anxb

Just an update - I discovered the source of the clunking noise and was able to eliminate it. The struts were not completely tight at the upper mount even though I had tightened them at much as I could when installing them. I ended up having to remove the trio of upper bolts (including the one that's amost impossible to get to) and drop the bushing so I could properly tighten the the upper strut mount and eliminate the play in it. Although the struts originally appeared tight, they were just loose enough to make some noise.
By the way, the new spring/strut combination dramatically improved the handling characteristics of the car. It's truly amazing now!

Rayman

I recently switched my springs back to stock. After replacing them I noticed there was this clicking/clacking noise coming from where the passenger side strut area. Mechanic gave it a listen and he said that when he had installed the strut back he thought that maybe the strut mount looked weak on that side. Bought a new one and he installed it. Sound is gone. Hope this helps for some.

Product used on Amazon:

extrem344

Good thing I read this, I just fixed my clunking noise by this...haha was gonna post abt it...


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neckbonenick

I imagine the problem was the nut that attaches the mount to the strut want tight enough. Speaking from experience. But the aftermarket strut mount are much better than the stock; at least the KYB's that i got, are. They have a sealed ball bearing rather than the grease packed ones with the felt dust cover.

magallan03

I replaced the Struts and springs and still have the clonking noise. My a-arm bushings are completely worn, rotted,broken,brittle and E.) all of the above. Gonna be replacing them this weekend with some Energy Suspension bushings this weekend. Hopefully this will fix the problem. I'll be looking at all possible bushings and tighten everything up. Hopefully this fixes the problem. Does anyone know how much dealerships would charge to take a look at this?