Strut Clunk, What Part??

[torqueflight]

******Update: Never mind this is what looks like a e46 M3 upper mount.****** Uhhhh. Guess Ill go order some.


Okay,

Im planing on fixing my passger front clunk, which Im pretty sure is coming from the upper strut mount.

What parts do I need to fix it?

The guy that sold me the car gave me these (below) and said it was this part that goes bad. Im getting a feeling its something different, but thats why Im asking.



And while Im at replacing the part, should I do some polyurethane bushings too? IE?

Thanks,
M

***Im thinking this part has nothing to do with my car. ????

[txmatt]

you have new and/or poly sway to control arm bushings, right?

If not start there. then strut mounts, tie rod ends, control arm ball joints, steering rack bushings. All these need to be in good shape

[torqueflight]

So far from what I can tell. The bushing are in decent shape. Ill have to take another look when I can jack the car up.

I know that the upper mount is completely shot. The car is pulling hard right, and I definitely want to fix it soon, so I can get an alignment. I wanna drive this thing, lol.

I dont have any Ploy bushings. Im pretty sure everything is stock. But I figure if Im going to order the part and install it. I may as well doing everything else thats in the way.

Do any of the bushings need to be pressed in? Or are that some what workable to get in? I dont want to take it all apart and not have a press near by.

Also, who sells Poly bushings?

Thanks

[txmatt]

control arm to sway bar bushings are almost always bad. one option is to remove them an fill them with polyurethane. There are some threads on that and a member, jester323, will fix you up for a decent price if you send him your CA, that is if he still does that. Or you can machine your own out of poly rod if you have access to a lathe. Do a search for more info.

if you replace with stock, the CA bushings must be pressed in. the rest do not. If replacing strut mounts you probably want some with the bearings included, as those may be bad as well.

[epmedia]

Is this the upper strut mount/bearing you referring to that needs replaced?
Robert

[torqueflight]

^^^^ Yeah thats the one I think I need. From the picture on pelican parts it didn't show a bearing, but I can only assume that its in there. I think Im going to get 2 new ones.

Now I know why the guy had a ton of money into this car

I think the CA bushing are shot on both sides. Im thinking of ordering control arms for both sides, that way everything is taken care of all at once.

Also the front shocks seem pretty done. The back seem ok. They look fairly new and they are Boge, which I cant believe are more expensive than Bilstein, wtf?

So I think, I may as well just order 2 front shocks, 2 control arms, and 2 upper strut mounts.

[epmedia]

Well, it may be time to replace all you mentioned, but check them out first.
The upper strut mount/bearing is a piece of cake to change, the other stuff is well - abit more effort. So far I've only had to do one upper mount/bearing and one tie rod end on my '78 - however it's due for more now . I'll just tackle one project at a time though...

Check those tie-rod ends for play - they usually the first to go.
Actually - I think I may have a loose control arm joint too - thanks for reminding me .

Robert

[torqueflight]

Im looking through the receipts and I have

4-28-04
had 133,697 miles (has 146k now)

Replaced leaking Radiator $290 parts $80 labor

Replaced worn front struts $145.50 parts and strut bump stops $31 parts Labor $240

Replaced worn rear shocks $192 parts $192 labor.

Total = $1204.08

Then it says on the same receipt under recommended service: L&R stabilizer mount. But I have another receipt for 15 days later and it wasn't done, and I can find another receipt for it being done. Im not sure what that is referring too. Controls arms? or something in the rear?

Damn Im going to guess to say that the strut mounts are good and so are the shocks. There's no way they would be bad in 15k miles.

Then I have 2 receipts:

06-13-01 with 127,988 miles that says right inner tie rod loose.

06-15-01 with 128,654 miles is for right side tie rod. Parts cost $62.59 and labor was $65.00.

So I would guess to say, maybe the tie rods are okay. Maybe not.

I think Im going to order both control arms and see what that does. Ill replace anything else down the road when I switch to Bilstein and H&R's.

Thanks

[epmedia]

The tie rods are easy to test:
just jack one front wheel off the ground at a time, and wiggle the wheel left to right.
The inner tie rods are inside the boot on the steering rack. The outer tie rods are well-outside the rack. A "hair or 2" of play is ok, but if the boots, or dust covers are torn - they should be replaced.

The control arm joints are abit more difficult to test - I believe its a wiggle from top to bottom - may need some leverage under the tire to tell. If the dust covers are torn - they probably need replaced.

Just dont confuse a loose wheel bearing with loose joints.

Robert

[torqueflight]

Thank you. I will check that out. There is something fairly loose thought. When I pull on the top of the passenger front while the car is on the ground, I can feel something moving.

Any way to tell a bad shock mount? I want to try and figure that one out. Less I have to take apart the better.

Thanks

[superj]

only by looking. the front struts mount into a housing and then go through the spring into a hat (your top picture) and then into that bearing you were thinking of buying. you will not feel if those are loose by wiggling anything because to much is holding it together.

the rears are very easy to check, get in the trunk and look at hte top of the towers and you can see the top of them. they are the same set up as in front though and are actually a coil over spring set up.

the l/r stab bushing is your sway bar bushings. the fronts are right under the radiator on each side and the rears (if you have one) is just inside the rear wheels and looks like a loong bolt is going through them in to the trailing arm

[epmedia]

Originally Posted by torqueflight

....Any way to tell a bad shock mount? I want to try and figure that one out. Less I have to take apart the better....

The "top strut-shock mount/bearing" has a plastic cover where the shock rod is fastened onto the mount/bearing. Just pop the hood, and pop off the plastic cover, and look inside when you wiggle the wheel (listen too).

Hopefully that's all it is, otherwise it be the control arm joint (ie: lower ball joint on some cars). You'll find the problem.

EDIT: don't forget to check those tie rod ends and wheel bearings for looseness too (and all the rubber bushings).

Robert

[Eurotrash323]

One other quick thing to check before ordering anything. Make sure the lock nut on the strut (holding the shock insert inside the strut) is tight and actually there. A buddy of mine had his car over the other day and he had been complaining of a clunk, I looked at his struts and someone forgot to put the lock nut back on the strut housing and the shock would actually lift out of the strut housing.

[torqueflight]

1 more question. What parts bad when, Im braking and when the car comes to a complete stop and it makes a pretty good clunk. I can feel it threw the steering wheel too. Control arms?

Thanks

[epmedia]

Maybe the control arm - Just check everything under there .
Two bolts for the steering rack, engine mounts too.
Robert

[pommeree]

Originally Posted by torqueflight

1 more question. What parts bad when, Im braking and when the car comes to a complete stop and it makes a pretty good clunk. I can feel it threw the steering wheel too. Control arms?

Thanks

Most likely sway-bar-to-control-arm bush. (AKA "Control arm bush" or "Outer Control arm bush")
Next test: On level surface roll slowly back and stop quick then roll slowly forward and stop quick.
Have someone observe from outside the car.
You shouldn't hear anything and there should be no lateral play on the front wheels.
Clunk & Play means control arm bushings.

[torqueflight]

^ cool. Back and forth test has clunk for sure. I'm going to order control arms today. It can hurt. I just wish I had a "is" bar to put in at the same time.

Thanks.