rmcguire38

Hello everyone! I am new to this site and I am hoping someone out there can help me!!! I have a 03 TL base model. Took it into the shop with a weird clunk noise front passenger side suspension. Noticed it had a blown strut on the passenger side (strut oil EVERYWHERE) and the front passenger sway bar end link had some play. Well already wanted to lower the TL I went ahead and purchased some TruHart struts and springs (just the entry level stuff) for the front and rear. I used my old strut mount and bushings due to everything looking fine and not dry rotted or cracked. Assembled everything and changed out BOTH front sway bar end links. Have triple checked all the bolts and everything is nice a tight. Well there is still a clunking noise in the front, now coming from both sides. The noise is more dominant and noticeable at low speeds. I did some reading and noticed people saying it could be radius rod bushings, so I changed them out this evening, and the noise is still present. I have shook and shook and shook the front end, everything is sooooo tight. Done this under pressure, no pressure. Checked practically everything I can think of and the three ASE mechanics that have looked at it. This has us baffled and it is getting more annoying as the days go by. There is two things that I am thinking it could be, either the springs are just too compressed ( car too low, which I doubt cause I've had way lower and never this noise ) Front was a 2.5 drop and rear 2.25 drop. Or the other thing would be since I did not buy new bushings for the strut mount. I would greatly appreciate some help if anyone else has ran into this issue and what the fix was. Please and thank you!!!!

Skirmich

Or your caliper slider bolts have too much play... When I did my legend calipers I used the slider bolts from the legend and they where a bit smaller than stock which ended up on a horrible clunking noise... The issue was my caliper slider pins.

Try this: when you hear the sound again apply brakes just slightly (so the pad bites a little) if the noise is gone then you have an issue with your calipers maybe.

ErickUa5

If all else was checked the Upper control arms would be my next guess.
I found out by jacking up the car safely and actually kicking the front tire from the front but not enough to move the car and listening for the clunk.
Replaced the upper arms and noise was gone.

rmcguire38

Thanks! I will look into this!

rmcguire38

We checked the upper control arms. Everything seemed pretty tight. I did notice a very minimal amount of play in the upper control arm bushings, and I mean VERY minimal. Did you have a lot of play in yours? Or was yours your ball joint?

ErickUa5

Mines was the bushing side but realize its not really a rubber bushing. There shouldn't be any play, that minimal amount of play is enough to make noise.
The fun part is that the strut needs to come out in order to change the upper control arms.

Its hard to diagnose them cause it wont show much play, Moving them back and forth wont reveal much unless they are completely worn but with impact they will make noise.

rmcguire38

Okay, thank you for the reply. I will most likely end up replacing them both. The play we seen was in the bushing, using a pry bar and prying them side to side. Any recommendations on control arms? Just a OEM replacement or adjustable camber control arms?

musiclevelz5

With lowering springs on the car it wouldnt be a bad idea to get an adjustable uca to help with the increased tire wear you will get. You can check out rockauto or amazon as they should have them in stock.

Dabu

You said you replaced the radius rod bushings.. that's not the same thing as the sway bar bushings is it?

http://www.acuraautomotiveparts.org/...0k01_b2710.png

#2 in this diagram.

Do you feel the "clunk" in your feet while driving? I changed my sway bar links and right away I heard a loud clunking under the floor board.. replaced the sway bar bushings ($20) and the clunk went away.

rmcguire38

No the radius rod also know as the strut rod is the rod that runs from the lower control arm up towards the radiator, bolts through the sub frame. The noise I am hearing is like a metal on metal clunking, I didn't change the sway bar bushings but they seem really really tight.

Chojun

Don't discount your engine or transmission mounts, either.