Suspension clunk noise

[vtecds1]

I have KYB AGX with stock springs all around.

Whenever I hot a bump, I can hear a clunking sound in the front. I`ve looked everywhere to make sure nothing is broken or anything loose but no results. Downpipe is not the problem. Anyone have the same problem? I can take pictures of my set up if that would help. Thanks in advance...

 

Check the bolt on top of the strut to see if it's loose.

 

[turbowop]

I had this issue on 503 for a long time and tried to figure out the issue. I dismissed the struts since they were clean and weren't visually leaking, so I went on a wild goose chase elsewhere. Months later, I figured out it was a blown strut. The spring needs to be removed from it to test it, but if you don't get solid damping resistance throughout its entire motion, you can bet it's blown. That could be one option to check.

 

[grocery_getter]

If its not a blown front strut than its a shot swaybar mounting bushing. When you hit bump, the swaybar bang against the subframe where it mounts on.

 

[vtecds1]

Quoting Garfield Wright:
Check the bolt on top of the strut to see if it's loose.



Check and it's very tight.

Wop-

Is there any chance checking it down the ole' bounce the bumper method? If not, I`m probably going to go through start taking things apart once I out it away for winter. Also, the car was down for 5 yrs and half of the time it was on jack stands...do you guys think that it would be hard on the suspension if it was left like that for that long period of time?

BTW, the setting is on 1.

 

[vtecds1]

Quoting grocery_getter:
If its not a blown front strut than its a shot swaybar mounting bushing. When you hit bump, the swaybar bang against the subframe where it mounts on.



Going to jack it up and check in a little bit. I will post my result.

 

[turbowop]

Quoting vtecds1:


Wop-

Is there any chance checking it down the ole' bounce the bumper method?



That never worked for me. I had actually given up. It wasn't until I pulled the springs off the struts to install a Ground Control kit that I noticed the strut was bad. I could easily push the shaft in a few inches before I felt any resistance.

Feel free to use that last line in the sexual undertones thread, btw. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

[vtecds1]

That`s what I get for trying too type fast. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

[SleepinGVR4]

Quoting grocery_getter:
If its not a blown front strut than its a shot swaybar mounting bushing. When you hit bump, the swaybar bang against the subframe where it mounts on.



+1
But you won't be able to see if it hitting the subframe if the car is jacked up because all the load is taken off the sway bar and its going to look close to the subframe anyway. Your best bet is putting the car on ramps or jacked it up and putting something underneath the tires and letting it back down so the sway bar is loaded again.


Also check to see if the strut mount is blown. I have a similar problem right now.

 

[Whoodoo]

I am in the process of sorting out some evo 8/9 front struts and I had to get some longer strut bolts. The first ones I got were just a hair under diameter and they allowed the strut to clunk up and down on big bumps. I'm sure that's not your problem, but it might help.

In other news, I have to agree with wop on this one. One of the newest evo struts I purchased is blown to smithereens. It clunks hardcore on teh bumps.

 

[iLLeffeKt vr-4]

Most likely the shock is blown. Remove it and test it.