sources of suspension clinking noises Topic is solved

carlo · Post by **carlo** » 18 Jun 2004, 15:47

Hi there again,

I hear clinking noises when:
1) getting in and out of the car (rear);
2) hitting potholes (front and rear).

I am assuming these are caused by suspension elements. The shocks are good - the car handles great when cornering.
Any guesses where I should start looking?
Or is it better to take it to a garage?

All help is much appreciated (as always:-)

Cheers.

Tsquared · Post by **Tsquared** » 18 Jun 2004, 18:10

Check you caliper bolts on your brakes. If they have loosened thay can rattle...

Heat shield on muffler...

Sway/track bar components on the rear end...

screw driver in rear fenderwell (torx driver from factory found in mine last year)...

wheel bearing - see how-to's on Matthews home page.

good luck,

T

potroast · Post by **potroast** » 18 Jun 2004, 21:05

could be some suspension elements failing... how many miles? I have to replace several suspension parts on mine.

hjself · Post by **hjself** » 23 Jun 2004, 14:49

I recently had trouble with noises coming from the suspension system when going over rough pavement, potholes, etc. I found several problems that contributed to the noises. 1) When I replaced the front struts, I discovered that the central metal sleeve of the Rubber-Covered Spring Seat located at the top end of the strut under the Strut Mount had broken loose allowing the whole assembly to move up and down when I encountered rough pavement. 2) I found that the Anti-Sway Bar Links ( both sides ) had gone bad, thus allowing lateral movement which resulted in noise in the vehicle when those parts moved for any reason. 3) When I installed the new Anti-Sway Bar Links, I used new parts that had a hardened steel central shaft at each end but the nuts used to secure them were Soft Steel. When I tried to tighten them, the nuts stripped ( however I did not know it at the time ). After re-assembly, road testing still revealed some slight, occasional noise. I later discovered the stripped nuts which were just loose enough to allow lateral motion of the attaching posts within their mounting on the strut housing. Replacing the Soft Steel nuts with harder nuts and using lock washers completely stopped the noise. The car rides as smoothly as a piece of silk now. I hope this helps you out.