Front End "Clunk" Driving Me Noisily Insane

If the right side steering rack bushing is shot it will make a clunk sound.

Mike

A Hudson...
Jack up the front of the car and check how close the cooling tubes are to the cross brace they run under. Some of us put a piece of hose around the brace that the cooling tubes may hit? (clunk clunk) Lets hope its that easy!?
Let us know
Good Luck
Curt

If I recall correctly, when I bought my car ten years ago, it made a clunking sound. I believe it turned out to be bad shocks.

Art

...Curvee's Right!! On My cat it was the cooling tube 'tapping' on the front Anti-Sway Bar, everytime I hit a small bump, or drove in or out of a drive way. A piece of slit hose and two bundle ties does the trick...

I know EXACTLY what you're talking about and read past posts HOPING that the wayward water tubes were the culprit... but my clunk persists.

Thanks VERY much for the tip, and at least I've ruled that out, plus have a VERY nicely padded coolant line to show for it!

I'm on to the rack bushing next I guess.

Still Clunky,

Rad mount grommets?

I second David's (deeb's) suggestion as a possible source of clunking. Look at your radiator mounting.

There are two "tabs" tack welded to the front crossmember, which support your radiator. There is only a small clearance between the top of the front crossmember and the bottom of the radiator. If the rubber grommet were missing, or pulled out of its hole, or if one of the tabs were bent downward, the radiator will contact the crossmember and make a clunking sound.

One of those tabs on 6018 was not spot welded properly, and the tab was bent downward somewhat. I didn't discover this until I removed the radiator a few months ago. My new radiator was hitting the crossmember.

So to sum up your places to check:

B/O steering rack bushing
B/O suspension pivots or ball joints
Radiator tubes hitting anti-roll bar or cross brace
Radiator hitting front cross member

cowboy from hell

Mine is doing the exact same thing.. so I climbed underside. .. wrapped my fingers around the RH ( passenger side ) rod coming from the rack.. and gave it a yank.. same noise.. bushing shot in the rack... time for an overhaul.

quote:

Originally posted by BigRed:
Mine is doing the exact same thing.. so I climbed underside. .. wrapped my fingers around the RH ( passenger side ) rod coming from the rack.. and gave it a yank.. same noise.. bushing shot in the rack... time for an overhaul.

I believe that's the deal. My noise's source is stealthy as heck, twice as annoying, and is attempting to hide.

I plan to kick it's booties in tomorrow while the noise is still sleeping. Surprise works. Okay, I've overly-personified my car, but this has gotten personal.

Thanks for the tip.

There is a devise called Chassis Ears. It comes with 6 clips with wire coming off of them to a box that amplifies sound. A set of ear phones then attaches to the box. It works like 2 soup cans with a string between them. You attach the clips to both sides to first find out which side is loudest. Then apply the clips to all of the different components. On the radiator or supports. Its a process of elimination. You keep getting closer to the loudest channel on the box. Your noise will sound the same in the earphones.

quote:

There is a devise called Chassis Ears.

Bit pricey (wireless model is even more) for a home garage, but a neat tool.

http://tinyurl.com/29d6ow

Larry

...That is a smart idea! Sure beats having a 'Technician' ride strapped under the belly of the car; or under the Rear Deck, while You drive! LOL Have You seen That Commercial?...

Original Koni shocks have a design fault which can lead to a clonk clonk noise.

When this happened to me I thought it was the coolant tubes, as it sounds exactly like the noise you expect from the tubes or radiator being loose.

So if it isn't the rad or the rack and you have original Koni shocks. Remove them and check that they operate smoothly and evenly. If they don't, then get them rebuilt (it should cost much less than new replacements).

Rapier, I sincerely hope you're right. I do have a set of spares all painted up and ready to go.

I foolishly MISSED the adjustable billet set of front shocks AND springs on ebay (from PI Member Tony Pangaio) that he sold for around $350 pair last week. Whatever. Win some, lose some.

Anyway, thanks for the tip. Maybe I can get this resolved this week.

quote:

Original Koni shocks have a design fault which can lead to a clonk clonk noise.

This was the reason I gave my old Koni shocks away and went with modern replacements.

When Koni rebuild them the inner workings are of a new design without the problem; well that' s what they said

quote:

Originally posted by Panther:

quote:

Original Koni shocks have a design fault which can lead to a clonk clonk noise.

This was the reason I gave my old Koni shocks away and went with modern replacements.

Forgot to mention..another reason I gave up on them is..they're HEAVY.

OK, the possible sources of a clunking noise in a Pantera front end are:

B/O steering rack bushing
B/O suspension pivots or ball joints
Radiator tubes hitting anti-roll bar or cross brace
Radiator hitting front cross member
B/O red body Koni shocks

cowboy from hell

Thanks all, I'm taking my car back to the shop tomorrow since I can't bounce the car and lay under it at the same time. The 'chassis ears' is a GREAT TOOL, but I'd use it, like one time and then lose it.

Side Note: Are ANY of the items named a "lose control" kind of problem? Or just annoying?

quote:

Originally posted by A Hudson:
...Are ANY of the items named a "lose control" kind of problem...

Lose control?

quote:

... Or just annoying...

Annoying?

Well, that about clears things up?!?!?

quote:

Originally posted by A Hudson:
Well...?!?!?

If she's asking, I'm throwing.

I just didn't want to be clunking along and then notice my steering rack in the rearview mirror. That ALWAYS affects the handling.

Thanks for the ok to clunk in confidence!

Love this board!

quote:

Originally posted by A. Hudson
I'm taking my car back to the shop tomorrow

Did you ever find out what the problem was? I'm clunking on the right too.

-William

The downside of a small town... no, they sent me elsewhere to another 'import shop' whom I used for years but had such fits of disastrous, disorganized, and delusional dealings that I went elsewhere. That 'far superior' shop has now closed. Ho hum.

Now trying to inquire about someone else reputable or I'm going to have to send my car to Atlanta, which I'd rather avoid.

Make sure your front wheel bearings are properly adjusted.

Steve

I assume you have done a "shade tree ball joint check" by jacking up the car and using a 2x4 to check suspension play on the R side??...

Wow, mystery solved. It was...

Drum roll...

THE SHOCKS!

We think during the repainting of 'good shocks' that the heat to cure the paint was too much for the old rubber internal. Of course, could be the built in 'flaw' of the shocks, but without taking them apart, we're only guessing. BOTH sides had the identical problem.

Should get the car back tomorrow - new front shocks, a couple cooling lines replaced under the car, new clutch line, new AC line, fresh ac charge, retiming the motor, fresh oil/filter.

Can't wait to be clunk free! Thanks SO much to this board for all the incredible help and insight.