Author Topic: hit a pothole have a clunk now (Read 1459 times)

tonij1960 · « **on:** December 01, 2011, 08:43:06 PM »

Darn grocery store driveway has a cave in it that squirrels could live in.

Know the car clunks when stopping move forward a little hit the brakes clunk.Move backwards hit the brakse clunk. No clunk when first starting to move doesnt seem like a tie rod end. Strut rod bushing? Inner tie rod? Sometimes it sounds like a double clunk.

dave1987 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 01, 2011, 08:57:36 PM »

I did that once and lost a lower shock bolt.

I would be thinking it took out a ball joint, in your case, though.

tonij1960 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 01, 2011, 09:02:50 PM »

It doesnt seem to be that major please dont be a ball joint

It doesnt even do it every time, and I know the strut rod bushing was a little loose on one side already someone showed it to me when they were working on my brakes.

dave1987 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 02, 2011, 12:22:31 AM »

Yeah, there are a handful of things I would check if it were my own car, but a ball joint would be the first with how you are hearing the sound. It could very well be the strut rod, not to sure how it could cause it to knock more than before, though. Perhaps the bushing was moved by the impact and now the rod is riding on the hole in the subframe instead of on a bushing?

Here's what I would check:

All hardware on the control arms
Shocks
Strut rods
Wheel bearings (unlikely)
Sway bar end links (if applicable)

RSM · « **Reply #4 on:** December 02, 2011, 06:34:18 AM »

My vote is the strut rod....

D.R.Ball · « **Reply #5 on:** December 02, 2011, 12:56:07 PM »

Do a visual first,than use a pry bar to see if any thing is lose....You can do this on the ground.

blupinto · « **Reply #6 on:** December 02, 2011, 06:22:27 PM »

How about a U-joint? Could that go bad after hitting a pothole- especially if it's already worn out?

tonij1960 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 02, 2011, 10:16:31 PM »

I could see how you can think that because it clunks moving forward and it clunks moving backward. But a u joint would clunk when you first start to meve as it goes together or moves apart, not when you put on the brakes. I had a bad u joint a few years ago had a new one put in.

To make it more clear it is in the front but I couldnt really tell which side it was on. I guess tomorrow I need to get under the front and see if I can see anything. Had a lazy day today

If its a balljoint or tie rod or end,wouldnt I need to have the tires off the ground to check them for wiggle?

dave1987 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 03, 2011, 12:51:17 AM »

For a ball joint just raise the car off the ground enough to put a pry bar under the tire and then try to "lift the car". If there is any upwards movement or clink it is a bad ball joint.

For the tie rods you can grab the tie rod and try moving it forwards, backwards, in and out. If there is excessive play or any clink then it is a bad tie rod end.

Fred Morgan · « **Reply #9 on:** December 03, 2011, 10:01:59 AM »

I would say first check strut rod bushing at frame. Fred

Ricpinto · « **Reply #10 on:** December 03, 2011, 10:47:52 AM »

Since I've been told on here I don't know what I'm talking about, you may wish to ignore this.
When the coil spring is set on the lower control arm ie; Pinto, you need to place the jack under the arm to check for ball joint play. If it sits on the upper arm ie; early mustang/falcon you place the jack under the cross member.
Going by your symptoms I would join the others who suggested a strut rod bushing. I would also ckeck the brake calipers for fore & aft movement. One or both of them may have been loose & hitting the pothole didn't help matters.

RSM · « **Reply #11 on:** December 03, 2011, 01:08:39 PM »

to me it sounds like you know what ur talking about Ric

tonij1960 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 03, 2011, 01:17:42 PM »

It sounds like it to me too that just sounds like it makes sense. If the balljoint is forced in place somehow an instability wouldnt show up.

Does anyone have some input on polyurethane strut rod bushings I read somewhere they can be the cause of a strut rod breaking.

RSM · « **Reply #13 on:** December 03, 2011, 08:27:02 PM »

I sure hope they aren't lol. I put a set in my wagon since I had to pull the strut rods to install the headers.

tonij1960 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 03, 2011, 11:19:42 PM »

Did you just gt the bushings? It looks like come with the metal plates and new nuts I wonder if I need the whole things are just the bushings. I can get the bushings at oreillys.

JohnW · « **Reply #15 on:** December 03, 2011, 11:29:48 PM »

Quote from: tonij1960 on December 01, 2011, 09:02:50 PM

It doesnt seem to be that major please dont be a ball joint

Why not? Those really aren't that major of a repair.

tonij1960 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 06, 2011, 07:30:42 PM »

Just for an update, Im not hearing the clunking that I heard at the store when it first happened. I rolled back and forth and tapped the brakes about 7 or 8 times and it made it every time. After driving home it didnt do it when I pulled into the driveway. Didnt drive it or bother with it Saturday, but since been driving it and havent heard it.

Could a strut rod do that and just go back in place or something? I found one end of the sway bar loose so it needs a link kit or whatever. But the noise was heavier and more of a thunk something with weight on it. I could be wrong and it was the sway bar end hitting somewhere.

82expghost · « **Reply #17 on:** December 19, 2011, 10:24:40 PM »

i had the same thing happen, but then i found out my leafspring snapped, it was being held together by the leaf straps, could look there

dave1987 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 20, 2011, 01:56:56 AM »

I'm wondering if one of your coil springs popped out of its seat and worked its way back.

postalpony · « **Reply #19 on:** December 20, 2011, 09:01:51 AM »

I had a similar situation after installing the upper urethane bushings in my '80. The way they mount you lose the locking ability of the steel bushing (no serrations) so the nuts can back off & spit the bushing out. This happened at about 65 mph, I thought that something had came off the road & hit under my foot. The steering & handling did not change so as I could notice. When I found the problem I made a new bushing out of delrin & then proceded to use jam nuts with RED lock-tite on ALL the uppers. I have not had a problem after that in about 4 yrs. I hope this might help.
Dick

tonij1960 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 22, 2011, 02:42:53 PM »

Well it was doing ok and I havent heard anything, until today. Now when I turn a corner it sounds like something sliding from one side to another in front. I looked around under the car and didnt see anything and the wheels dont wiggle or anything, highway driving no vibration or shaking.

And the ground under where I always park has been getting soaked it looks like its too big of an area to just be from the power teering leak. Maybe not,but I have been adding more oil lately. If its losing much oil just sitting it would have to pretty much be the oil pan leaking wouldnt it? This car might be headed to the junkyard soon if I get tired of all the things popping up. I had it for almost 26 years but Im getting old and tired of playing with it.

tonij1960 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 20, 2012, 06:13:38 PM »

Yesterday I realized the car is pulling to the right and I have to keep my steering wheel about 15 or 20 degrees to the left from where it used to be to be centered.

Could hitting that cave in the road have caused this? And what would it be.

dave1987 · « **Reply #22 on:** January 20, 2012, 08:53:12 PM »

Tie rod ends okay?

tonij1960 · « **Reply #23 on:** January 20, 2012, 09:38:16 PM »

I dont know I had new inner tie rods put on it before I hit the hole, do you think a rod end could cause this?

dave1987 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 21, 2012, 02:20:02 PM »

While i dont think it would cause alignment to be that far out, it can cause alignment issues. Grab the rod and try moving it around and forwards and back. Thqre shpuldnt be any play.

JEdgar · « **Reply #25 on:** February 08, 2012, 04:20:47 PM »

My neighbor has this problem whenever he drives his clunker.

anon the mouse · « **Reply #26 on:** February 12, 2012, 01:20:54 PM »

You may have picked up a Gremlin, they're out there hiding somewhere.

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Author Topic: hit a pothole have a clunk now (Read 1459 times)