Clunky suspension

[89accordlxi]

Has anybody else noticed that the suspension on our cars is pretty clunky. Is this a common prob with the 3geez our is it just my car???

It seems every time I hit a bump or crack in the road i can hear the suspension shake or clunk or something. Does this just mean I have some loose components or what. Or is it just that our cars don't have much sound damping materials so we hear every little noise that the suspension makes.

If this is just a problem with my car then what do you guys suggest I should look at or adjust or tighten...

Thanks for reading and any comments or suggestions are welcome.

Peace out..

[TeKKnoTeKK]

mine does the same thing after I lowered it...no idea, wish I knew why tho.

[Hoshizakido]

check your strut mount that is what i was told causes mine in need to get it fixed

[POS carb]

mine clunked in the rear after lowering it, i found out the rear upper ball join was on its way out. it rattled in the front but that was just the dust sheilds too lose

[OldSchoolSwap]

Some have the dust shields loose as POS mentioned, other might have the following https://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1531
Ball joint issues can also affect allignment and in result will have premature tire wear even if allignment was performed.

[Jims 86LXI HB]

I was gonna say I've had my suspension apart to install this strut and that strut and every time after I was done, it has never every made a sound what so ever. Some times I'd hear the front spring shift in their seats, but that's it.

[TeKKnoTeKK]

well mine does it all all four....I seriously doubt it's the ball joints, gotta be something with the strut or installation?

[Chris86Lxi]

Yeah, mine does it too. My front suspension is pretty clunky and loud too. I've also heard that it's the dust shield. The front left and right are pretty bad. Oh well. Guess i'll deal with it. By the way, my car is lowered and it's alot clunkeir after i lowered it.

Chris

[TeKKnoTeKK]

Originally posted by Chris86Lxi
Yeah, mine does it too. My front suspension is pretty clunky and loud too. I've also heard that it's the dust shield. The front left and right are pretty bad. Oh well. Guess i'll deal with it. By the way, my car is lowered and it's alot clunkeir after i lowered it.

Chris

same here....only thing I have figured it could be is the strut bottoming out. Unless there is something else that could do it...

[DBMaster]

I figure it's probably just age and wear on the various bushings. I replaced my struts at 150K miles, lower ball joints at 120K. The new struts came with plastic dust shields to replace the factory metal ones. It got a little less clunky, but not much. this car has a STIFF suspension, plain and simple. If you lower it and make it stiffer things will only get worse. I guess it won't hurt it much, but sometimes, when you go over a bad set of R/R tracks you think the shit is falling apart!

Later!

[OldSchoolSwap]

You guys are doing something wrong. My suspension is PERFECT! No clunks, no scrubs, no noise, no nothing!
Sounds like you guys should check and troubleshoot further, it could be dangerous if you Neglect these issues.

Some of you sound like the upper strut bushing (known as bump stop) either fell out or was cut off, most aftermarket shocks recommend to cut the bushing half way, wich is cool, but some people take it out!! wich is BAD! (its the one on the strut itself) its job is to prevent bottoming out and keeping the strut from hitting the upper chassis tower "metal to metal" contact. Well there is a bit more pading than just metal but without that bushing the clunks might get alot louder and will start tearing up your chassis and breaking things all over the place, including your oil pan!

[POS carb]

loose front dust shields will sound like cowbells everytime you hit a bump

[TeKKnoTeKK]

It's not really a cowbell sound, like rattling, it's more like a slap or bottoming out sound. And it does it with all four struts, I can't figure it out, only started doing it with the new struts. It doesn't do it on gradual bumps, just tight ones, when the strut has to recoil faster or something.

[OldSchoolSwap]

-The bump stop that i'm talking about is #11 this part MUST be there at all times! DO NOT REMOVE IT!
-The dust shield that is probably ratleling is #9
-Make sure that you still have #16 nut screwed on, i've seen one or two cases where that not is not pressent!!
-It will also help to make sure that the spring #1 is seated properly with #3 shock base and #6.



I stoled this pic from YK

[TeKKnoTeKK]

Hmmm...maybe I am missing #11, it's been a while since I changed the struts and I don't recall if it was there or not. But I know the springs are seated correctly.

[DBMaster]

I guess I was being too hard. When I said "clunky" I just meant that the ride is really stiff. I installed my struts myself and I definitely used the bump stops and the top bolt. I have been doing these things for years so I so know what I am doing.

I probably could use a few new suspension bushings here and there and possibly the upper ball joints to "tighten" things up a bit, but there does not appear to be any play. The amount of play is probably just enought to feel it while driving, but not with the wheel jacked up off the ground.

[Shaggy]

I also lowered my car and experience a very clunky feeling in the back. Espically the rear passengers side wheel, seems very clunky. Thought it might be hitting my exhaust but it feels like something more then that.

[AccordB20A]

i have no worries when i lowered mine and stuff but i do have a squeaky front swarbar its quite funny going over bumps in town and the car goes squeak squeal. maybe i should have oiled my swaybar bushings when i installed it lol. ill fix it when i get my toolbox back