Suspicious suspension "clunks"
01-16-2002, 07:52 PM
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Suspicious suspension "clunks"
Just bought my first Porche 944NA, a 1986 variety. I am starting to make my list of maintenance and upgrades and want to prioritize some items.
Before I can allocate funds to the various projects, I would like to know if someone can help diagnose the clunking sound I hear from my rear suspension upon making moderately hard turns. I have read that the CV joints make a clicking sound when they need work but my sounds more like "clack, clack, etc." It also seems to me that upon hard cornering, the suspension seems to bottom out. IS this how the car is supposed to feel? Maybe its I am just a novice to the 944 and should expect these ideosycracies.
I did look under the can but nothing seems to be worn out or loose. Any help is most appreciated.
ps. Me thinks the car has koni yellow shocks on the rear.
Before I can allocate funds to the various projects, I would like to know if someone can help diagnose the clunking sound I hear from my rear suspension upon making moderately hard turns. I have read that the CV joints make a clicking sound when they need work but my sounds more like "clack, clack, etc." It also seems to me that upon hard cornering, the suspension seems to bottom out. IS this how the car is supposed to feel? Maybe its I am just a novice to the 944 and should expect these ideosycracies.
I did look under the can but nothing seems to be worn out or loose. Any help is most appreciated.
ps. Me thinks the car has koni yellow shocks on the rear.
01-16-2002, 08:11 PM
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Welcome to Rennlist, and congrats!
If the clunking in the rear on cornering is in sync with the rotation of the wheel, then it is probably the CV joint(s). While they do "click" at the onset of failure, they do eventually "clack" or "clunk"... it gets quite loud if in real bad shape. Sometimes a rear wheel bearing will make similar sounds, but it's more of a "wub, wub, wub" when cornering.
3 solutions to a noisy CV:
1. if only dry and/or ripped boot: repack joint and replace boot.
2. if CV joint is actually worn/failed: rebuild with OE Lobro kit.
3. replace entire axle assembly
The suspension should certainly not bottom out unless riding over very rough terrain. Even if you do have Konis, they may be worn... no telling how old they are (actually there is; if you look on the body for the date codes it'll tell you when they were made... you'll also verify what brand/type shock they are.) The informal way of testing for a bad shock is to dance the jig on the bumper (checking for return when pushed down). The for sure way is to remove them from the car and have them analyzed by a shock shop, preferably with a shock dyno.
Good Luck!
If the clunking in the rear on cornering is in sync with the rotation of the wheel, then it is probably the CV joint(s). While they do "click" at the onset of failure, they do eventually "clack" or "clunk"... it gets quite loud if in real bad shape. Sometimes a rear wheel bearing will make similar sounds, but it's more of a "wub, wub, wub" when cornering.
3 solutions to a noisy CV:
1. if only dry and/or ripped boot: repack joint and replace boot.
2. if CV joint is actually worn/failed: rebuild with OE Lobro kit.
3. replace entire axle assembly
The suspension should certainly not bottom out unless riding over very rough terrain. Even if you do have Konis, they may be worn... no telling how old they are (actually there is; if you look on the body for the date codes it'll tell you when they were made... you'll also verify what brand/type shock they are.) The informal way of testing for a bad shock is to dance the jig on the bumper (checking for return when pushed down). The for sure way is to remove them from the car and have them analyzed by a shock shop, preferably with a shock dyno.
Good Luck!
01-17-2002, 11:54 AM
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jaemanator, you didn't mention what kind of mileage you have on your car. Likely you have the original CVs and that is indeed your problem. I pulled mine after experienceing the first bout of clicking and cleaned them up. Only then did I see the scoring in the inner races from bearings that had overheated (those bearings by the way were no longer silver in color, but black.)
