curls

I've been hearing a distinctive "clunk", much like a bad swaybar endlink, coming primarily from the passenger rear of the car. I checked the swaybar endlinks (tight and no play at all), swaybar bushings (tight, no loose bolts), swaybar mount points (where the bushings mount to - I've seen them crack before - mine are fine).

I pulled and tugged on all of the links on both passenger and drivers' side rear suspensions and found no play at all.

Could this be a blown/blowing shock? Or possibly a shock/strut mount bushing (at the top where the tophats are)? I have Koni yellow's waiting for me to pick-up and am installing those AND new strut mount bushings, next weekend.

Any insight appreciated.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

could be a blown shock. did you physically check the endlinks with a ratchet to make sure the bolts were not loose? literally it can be like a 1/4 turn loose and cause a rattle even though you can tug on them and they seem to be tight (i know, i've had this happen).

curls

No, I didn't test the endlink with a ratchet, but plan to re-torque most bolts in the area when I do the shocks anyways. Good thinking!

I'm hoping it's a blown shock to further justify my decision to get rid of the Tokico's... they haven't exactly had the best longevity or ride quality.

TSX2345

Might also be the RSB bushing needing additional lube. Over time it requires more lube and does make a sounds

clee109

RSB bushing would cause a squeak and not a clunk.

I have a clunk right now on tight turns due to shot endlink bushings. However, I did notice that when I first put together my static height suspension set up (tokicos and h-techs) that when I was re-installing them I had inadvertently moved the base of the spring off of the stop on the shock perch. This caused all kinds of funny sounds including clunks.

I loosened up the top hats and adjusted the spring back to where it should be and tightened the hats back to spec and the noises were gone. It could be that the rubber between the hats and top of the springs is worn and allowing the spring to move. So you'd need new hats with your yellows. My hats had roughly 60K on them and I didn't replace them.

I found that moving the spring on a hot day after the car had been running for a while (so the exhaust was hot) that there was enough heat to soften that old rubber up and they gripped the springs when I adjusted them and I haven't had an issue since. If I replace my shocks again I'll be replacing the hats too.

Just my .02 on the issue.

Simba91102

I'll second this, it happened to me (loose end link). You should check them with a wrench.

curls

So I replaced the shocks with the Koni sports, and the ride is AMAZING compared to the Tokico's (which had both front shocks nearly seized!).

However... the clunk is still there. I checked and re-tightened every bolt in the rear, including the swaybar endlinks, I re-greased the swaybar bushing, and I replaced the strut mount bushings that are in the top-hat.

The tophats looked fine, not warped or deteriorated. Everything was installed by-the-book with correct torque values where possible.

On the test drives, my buddy was in the back seat and noticed the tophat bushings move... sometimes considerably-so... when hitting bumps. I trust this is normal as that's the point of a bushing there anyhow. But where is the CLUNK coming from? The only thing I can think of is the camber kit (installed mid-winter this year) has play in the balljoint, causing a clunk when hitting a bump.

curls

During the alignment, I asked the tech to look around down there. Since the car was on the hoist it was easier to get lots of force and really reef on the sway-bar. It turns out the right rear swaybar endlink is juuuuust starting to go. Without getting full force into it, it wouldn't clunk, which is why when I was pulling on it from inside the wheel well, I wasn't able to replicate the sound.

Good -- an easy and relatively inexpensive fix.

Miamicarfan

Good news Curls. How many miles do you have on the TSX?

Simba91102

Be sure to replace both, and the Moog end links are waaaay better than the OE ones. Oh, and you'll enjoy the Koni yellows. I put them on about 4 years ago (and I have over 100K miles on them).

curls

199,000km on her (About 100,000km on the engine though!).

Simba - I actually ordered the Moog's yesterday from Rockauto. $65 shipped to my door, with tax and duty, for TWO. Locally here in Ottawa, they're $70+tax EACH.

jiggaman

so i am suffering from rear suspension clunks. what is strange is that i had endlinks replaced and new bushings installed and the clunk got worse.

i have brand new tein suspension, progress rear sway with new bushings and new endlinks. not sure what is happening...sounds like someone is beating a drum in the back of my car when going over bumps.

gdcwatt

I installed A-Spec struts and Progress RSB 2 yrs ago. Over the past few months an annoying rear end clunking has been more common. I've lifted the rear end a couple of times, but not found anything, except that I could grab the RSB and move it, left, right, left, etc, and the bushing bracket would hit against the attachment points, producing a solid clunk. Is this normal? Should I be able to move the RSB 1/4", back and forth?

Anyway, at the dealer last week, I asked about it, and they replaced the 2 bushings, and everything's fine again. I don't know if it was the bushing, or a lack of lube.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

recheck every single bolt from the suspension to the endlinks and the bushings.

i kid you not, less than a 1/4 turn of the bolt on the end link that rattled on me...silenced it. so for 10 days i was ....

grab your rachet and have at it. if that doesn't fix it....