Front end clunky. What to check, what to replace?

[maxsideburn]

Ok guys since the day I have gotten my car the front end has been a little....wobbly to say the least. In town it's pretty ok, but at interstate speed it bumps a little. Then when I'm slowing down (not necessarily braking, just slowing down) it jumps around a lot.

Tires are all good, so I know it's not that. Also lately I've noticed a slight squeak on the drivers side when I get in and out of the car. Also I have noticed that my drivers side CV axle makes a very little bit of a clicking noise when I'm turning to the left and accelerating. Not much mind you, but it's just starting to do it.

What all should I check? Like I remember doing this on my Prelude, jacking it up and checking for play in the wheel in different ways to diagnose different parts, I just don't remember what means what. What should I replace without question on a car with 170,000 miles?

[Oldblueaccord]

Standard front end check,

1: jack up one side of the car until the one tire is off the ground. The other tire must be on the ground still. I use the jacking point under the doors.

2: grab the tire in the air at the 3 and 9 o clock postion and shake/rock back and forth. slow at first. You might need someone to help look underneath. This checks tie-rods,steering rack etc. start kinda slow and work your way up a little harder. Your looking for loosness. Use common sense of course the steering wheel will move or the other tire may move if you shake the shit outta it.

3: Grab the tire 12 and 6 o clock. Rock back and fourth.This checks the wheel bearing and ball joints and upper links. There should be no play in the bearings.

4: this check might show ball joints/upper link a little better. Use a pry bar under the tire at the 6 o clock pos. pry up look for slop looseness while prying.


This is your basic "front end check" any good mechanic should know. It works for all makes and models of cars

lwt us no what you find out.


wp

[88Accord-DX]

I found out my sqeeking noise was the lower control arm bushings when I got out the car. Replace the whole axle if your CV joints are going out. Not worth messing with if you ask me.

Previous post is standard practice on font end check. Give credit for Oldblue for typing it up.

[maxsideburn]

yeah thanks, like I said I used to know all of that stuff, but I haven't had to do it in a long time, lol. I just couldn't remember what test was for what. I'll check that out later today.

[halxi]

The slight squeak is probably just the Upper Control arm bushings, i recently replaced mine and they squeak when its cold... bugs the shit outta me, but theres not a whole hell of alot you can do for that.

CV's are cake to change.

you need a 32mm socket, breaker bar, 17mm socket, and either a C-clamp type deal to pop the lower ball joint out, or just smack the lower control arm with a hammer to pop it loose then lift it out. Drain the tranny fluid, then use a pry bar to pop the axle out of the tranny if its bein stubborn.

Be sure to get the following:
FOUR quarts (i thought 3 was enough 1 time, ended up having to go get one more, for that extra tiny bit) of oil (i use standard 10-30 and my tranny does fine, even through the mountains here in colorado), the axle (duh), and new tranny seals for both sides if your going to be doing both sides.

[maxsideburn]

oh trust me I know how to change a CV shaft It's not terribly hard...but not terribly fun either. Either way thanks for the info.

[halxi]

never hurts to have the same knowledge repeated :P lol

well either way, gl getting it fixed

CV's arent too bad, id rather do CV's all day, then brakes once.

[89AccordResto]

never hurts to have the same knowledge repeated :P lol
well either way, gl getting it fixed
CV's arent too bad, id rather do CV's all day, then brakes once.

You serious? Brakes are cake if they're disc brakes. Pry caliper open. Unbolt caliper. Remove rotor. Put on new rotor. Rebolt caliper. Grease the tracks the pads slide on. Install new pads. Done.

:\

How come the transmission fluid comes out when you replace the axles?

[maxsideburn]

because you're pulling them out of the.....transmission!

[89AccordResto]

I've replaced CV axles on dodges, subarus, chevys, and they don't leak transmission fluid when you change them. Is this a honda thing?

[maxsideburn]

hmm, guess so. My Prelude did it too.

[ex1z7]

I had no idea how to replace a CV joint =) Thanks for the info Hal =)

[Mike's89AccordLX]

Brakes are not fun when you live where there's snow. When I was in school I did more brakes than anyone else in my class.

But the good thing is now that I have done them so much I'm really good at them and making new lines. I have all the fun brake tools even brake bleeding syringes.

-Mike

CV's aren't fun if you haven't done them before. Now it would be easy for me to do them though.

[speedpenguin]

I've replaced CV axles on dodges, subarus, chevys, and they don't leak transmission fluid when you change them. Is this a honda thing?

How many of them were FWD?
BTW thanks for typing that up, OldBlue

[HondaBoy]

my front end is somewhat clunky. mine isnt really very bad though, pretty tight still and not sloppy. but you could check upper and lower ball joints, tie rod ends and the other bushings on the front suspension. also, check the wheel bearings, those can make it sloppy and sound clunky going over bumps and whatnot. as for the cv axles, i usually see them leak when being taken out when its a manual transmission. not too much when they've been automatics, sometimes just a drop, but not much more on autos. mine didnt leak out shit when i pulled the axle out earlier this week and it has enough fluid yes.

[3gn86lxi]

My front end made noise when I bought my car.....it was the sway bar bushings. I would also check those, at least the bushings that mount on the frame.

[FyreDaug]

Transmission fluid should leak out of all of them, the axle is a seal point on the side.... everycar ive changed axles in (fwd) ive drained fluid

[89AccordResto]

How many of them were FWD?
BTW thanks for typing that up, OldBlue

All of them were FWD. None leaked fluid from removing the half shaft.

[speedpenguin]

Well, it's definitely a 3G thing.

[maxsideburn]

It's a Honda thing apparently.

[CHonda]

Hey guys. I have a very similar problem. Very very similiar, yet slightly different/more complicated. I've pasted the link to the thread I've made. Forgive me if I'm breaking any rules or anything, I searched and found this thread and I just don't want to hijack it.

....occasionally when I'm driving, if I'm going over speed bumps I hear a clunk coming from the front end. Also, turning the steering wheel either all the way left or right and then turning it back to center, initially I can hear what appears to be a clicking sound (only once) and perhaps my mind is playing
tricks on me, but I swear I also feel it in the steering wheel.

With the repairs I did 7 months ago; the lower ball joints, inner tie rod ends, and drive axels, I figured the clunking sound when going over speed bumps, or bumps in general, would go away.. That was not the case. Any other suggestions or possibilities?

From all my research and thread searching, I assumed and concluded that the problem lied within the tie rod ends and/or lower ball joints, so I replaced both with a brand new set.

Do you think I may have to get the steering rack checked?..or perhaps a whole new suspension (springs & struts)..?

The car hasnt been in any accidents (as far as the vehicle history shows).

I've done the "3 and 9 o'clock test" to determine if what was bad lower ball joints, and I feel some play. I'm pretty sure I shouldnt because it hasnt even been 1 year since brand new ones where put on. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong with that assumption. No play was discovered when I did the "12 and 6 o'clock test".

original thread:
https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51617

[88Accord-DX]

I've noticed my steering wheel had started to jump around a little & was hearing something clunk as I slowed down at highway speeds.

Well, today I replaced my lower control arm cause it was bent. Anyway, I discovered why my front end was making noise & front end shaking. My strut rod bushings are shot. The strut rod goes from the lower control arm to the front of the frame. (some people might call it a radius rod)

[Oldblueaccord]

I've noticed my steering wheel had started to jump around a little & was hearing something clunk as I slowed down at highway speeds.
Well, today I replaced my lower control arm cause it was bent. Anyway, I discovered why my front end was making noise & front end shaking. My strut rod bushings are shot. The strut rod goes from the lower control arm to the front of the frame. (some people might call it a radius rod)

Yeah the car will pull to one side like hell too when your on the gas. get those good moog ones there nice and hard. I did a write up about a year ago on it.


wp

[stickist]

I just had my 89 SEi checked this morning for front-end clunking. I feared it would be CV joints, but it turned out my alloy rims had been bent at some point recently. The mechanic rotated the bent wheels to the rear and he states that has cleared up the front-end issue.

I will pick my car up in the morning and test this out. Hopefully, that's all it was.

Stickist

[maxsideburn]

Most of my problems cleared up when I installed my 15" wheels and new tires. Also changing the clicking driver side CV shaft did a lot of good too