After researching this invaluable site for many months and seeing the many similar issues regarding front clunking, I wanted to share what I have found. First of all, this website has been a treasure trove of information that has assisted someone who knew little about cars, let alone my 2001 Acura TL with 206,000 miles on it. With the DIY's and info about fixes and repairs I have successfully replaced both front lower ball joints, sway bar bushings, front and rear endlinks, engine mounts, and timing belt/water pump. To my dismay all of those fixes still did not stop my front end clunking. This clunking took place on small bumps and large and on both sides. I could tell it was metal on metal. So, I continued to look at major stress points and bushings. I then noticed tears in both of my lower control arm bushings. With little confidence of believing this was the problem, I pressed out old bushings and replaced with new. It worked! No more clunking! My car feels solid as can be and sounds that way too! Hope this can help someone. At $20/side Iwould encourage others to give this a shot if they are still battling clunking issues.

 

Thanks for the info. A picture would be nice.

 

I will try to get a pic for you once I get home from work. It is the bushing where the fork that connects the bottom of strut to lower control arm. Hope that helps.

 

Where did you get your new bushings from?

 

And is that bushing on this diagram? What tool did you use to remove bushing?

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/1...frontlower.jpg

 

Did you get the clunking from a dead stop when you took off? I have a small issue like that but I have yet to determine the main issues since it doesnt bother me too bad.

 

Image 16 in the diagram is the lower control arm bushing. Image 22 is the bolt. Both the control arm and bushing come together and I bought them at Advance Auto for $20/piece, both sides are the same.
I removed them with a ball joint press that is available at the loaner tool program at Advance. No cost once returned. I did not have a direct radius piece to press out old bushing so I pressed out the rubber and then hacksawed the outside metal. It then came out easily. Pressing the new ones in with the ball joint press was done easily.
Again my clunking did not come at start or stop. Turning out of or into places that had change in abgle from road would clunk once one tire hit and then clunk as other tire hit. It drove me crazy. It was over bumps which made me think struts. Luckily, my friend saved me from replacing struts that were not bad. However, I am thinking of going with H&R sport spings and tokico blues now for more aggressive look and handling. I do not need camber kit for this, correct?
Just to let you know, my car runs and drives better than new. I am going to keep this thing forever!

 

Waiting till I have some free time to do mine. Have the same clunking issue.

 

I think it must be my problem as well. I know it comes from the bottom where the brake pads are. With my windows down, and if the car runs over the lane divider reflector pump, I can hear it rattles. I will find out with your solution. #16 is outter control arm bushing. Thanks

 

nice post! pics please, and i hope we can all help each other out like this.

 

Here is the link for #16. It is lower control arm outer bushing.

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/1...frontlower.jpg

 

Mine does the same thing, its so annoying. I thought it had to do with my coilovers, but i got K-Sports and it still does it.

 

So you couldn't tell that they were worn out by grasping the arm or any other part and detecting movement?

 

same here, from a dead stop. Its been happening since i bought the car but nobody else ever notices except me. Happens everytime i take off. As many times as my car has been to the dealer, they never noticed anything wrong?

 

Numerous times I took my car to get diagnosed for the clunking. All shops stated everything was solid and fine. No, I could not tell by pulling on anything. I should have taken a pic of bad bushing before I replaced. To be honest, I never thought I would ever post anything. But after this worked, I had to share with all. My old bushings had cracks that looked like it was just dry rot. Pulling/prodding them would never produce the sound so I thought they were normal and fine. The only way clunking would happen is if full force of car was on it (human force was not enough) You can see this is THE major bushing that carries the force and weight from the front of car and strut. I am not sure how long they normally last, but it made all the difference in the world for my ride. As far as troubleshooting for clunks, this is a cheap investment.

 

How much of removal of other parts you had to do to remove and install the new bushing? I am hoping there is a shortcut.

 

Removal is easy. First, jack up the car. Second, remove bolt that holds strut fork to bushing. Don't worry, strut is decompressed and won't shoot down. You then move strut fork (if that is what it is called) out of the way by loosening the one bolt holding it to strut. That's it. You can leave the lower control arm on and press out old bushing. Press in new. Replace parts in opposite order. It is an easy fix. The only problem you may run into is pressing out old bushing. If so, press out the rubber and then hacksaw outer metal, it comes out easily after that.

 

Thanks for the info i might have to take a look at my bushings now although i dont hear clunking noises often, yet. I'm from rockford as well you wouldnt happen to have fog lights in your TL would you? i thought ive seen a 99-01 around town with fogs and have been wondering if the person was on azine

 

[QUOTE=develop216;11169964]I removed them with a ball joint press that is available at the loaner tool program at Advance. No cost once returned./QUOTE]

Did the ball joint press look something like the one on the link below??

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=38335

 

Yes, that is how the ball joint press looks. Good to see another person from Rockford here. No fog lights though.

 

[QUOTE=develop216;11169964] I did not have a direct radius piece to press out old bushing so I pressed out the rubber and then hacksawed the outside metal. It then came out easily.

I understand this part.

However, if you did not have the "...direct radius piece to press out the old bushing..." including the (outside) metal piece you hacksawed. How did you use the ball joint press to insert the new ones with the metal piece?

Just like youself, I would rather not take the lower control arm off the car. Thanks.

 

Thanks again.

 

The ball joint press I used has the same radius as the bushings. Pressing them in only has to get to the edge of control arm so I could use end of press with opening for installation. Hope that makes sense.

 

Thanks for the clarification! I'm just trying to get all 'my ducks in a row' before attempting the repair. I was just trying to figure out if it was possible to find a correct sized radius (usable with a ball joint press) that would fit inorder to presss the bearing out while the control arm was on the car. Thus avoiding any hacksaw action.

 

Great idea with trying to find correct size for pressing out. Let me suggest some larger sockets, maybe there is something that would fit. But, I found it very easy and quick to press out the rubber bushing (it tears right out with the press) and then hack sawing. You will have to remove the blade from hacksaw, insert through the bushing, reattach blade and then proceed to cut through metal. It is quick, easy, and allows the whole bushing assembly to come out easily. You can try to find something the same radius, but it may take more time. They are extremely difficult to press out. Your not keeping them, might as well destroy them. Some good DIY's on youtube for bushing removal.

 

I hear what you are saying and thanks for the follow-up.

I'm leaning toward the approach that you employed; however, I guess my concern is that I do not want to inadvertantly hacksaw (by accident) into the smooth inner radius of the bushing socket.

How did you avoid damaging the smooth inside surface of the bushing socket?

Did you only make one cut or two?

I suspect you went nice and easy with the saw blade until it was in a state where it could be removed easily (tapped out with a punch or flat screwdriver?).

Thanks!

 

One cut and tapped out with screwdriver easily.