Clunk, loose front end.

vielecustoms · Post by **vielecustoms** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 9:05 pm

I get this clunk noise (not loud, more felt through the floor, steering wheel than heard) when I'm cruising along and let up on the throttle, it also did it once when I started to move in reverse. I am wondering if this is the motor mounts or possibly something to do with another issue im having with the steering.

I had the car up to rotate the tires and the front end feels loose. when I checked for the up / down (wheel bearings) it was nice and tight. but the left / right (steering componets) it takes very little effort to turn the tire by hand. the steering is "touchey" on occasion (not all the time) I thought I may have had a tie rod going which is why I checked it out but everything seems tight. could my steering rack or pump be going?

2k1MotorSport · Post by **2k1MotorSport** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 10:15 pm

I would lean more toward the tie rod. When i first bought my r/t i took it to a dealer and he pulled me out to the shop and showed me the play in the wheel from the tie rod being shot.

the tie rods would be a lot easier to replace than everything else. Try it first.

bigbird · Post by **bigbird** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 11:25 pm

Also check sub-frame bolts.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 11:47 pm

Good point, but there may be some funky steering issues going on if they were loose enough to "clunk". I would think there would be some "throttle steer" going on too. LCA bushings might be clunking too, but they would rattle more than with a lift off the throttle.

With it in gear, or park; brake off, rock it back and forth, and see if it simulates the sound. Maybe have a helper rock it, while you are in the car. If the noise is consistently made, then start looking underneath, or under the hood to see if you can tell where it is coming from.

vielecustoms · Post by **vielecustoms** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 7:16 am

thanks, I'll check those things out, I'm going to be changing oil today I got plenty of "Labor" to do to Day

update:

well, I'm finally back, oil change and a tire rotation on the wifes car than I changed the oil, got the headlight bolts changed out and washed and waxed the neon.

what I found was the tierod was not bad it was sitting loose? I tightened it up and me and my father gave the front end a quick tapemeasure alignment. I know that is not the best way to do it and do plan on getting aligned tomorrow.

Update2:

I had an alignment done. No charge... is was within specs.... it was a 64th off by my tape... damn I'm good