PerceptionProblem

In my 85.5 N/A, I've done a lot of suspension stuff in the last few months. Ball joint rebuild, rebuilt steering rack, new tie rods (inners and outers), new koni yellow sports, new wheel bearings, new sway bar bushings, and new (oem replacement) control arm bushings.

I now have a knocking in my front passenger's side tire area when I brake. The only thing I figure could be making the noise is the bushings.

When I had the new bushings pressed in, they didn't fit 100% snug to the control arm. I'll try to draw out what it looked like (as I don't want to pull my suspension apart right now) and post it later on. But there are a few MMs of space between the control arm and the bottom of the bushing.

Has anyone seen this? can it be fixed with a washer, assuming I can get the bushings out without damaging them? Or should I just scrap them and replace these bushings, even though they only have about 1k miles on them?

Thanks for the help, despite me being vauge and likely forgetting something.

mel_t_vin

By "knocking when I brake", do you mean you hear a/one clunk when you brake, or you get a clunk, clunk, clunk? Does it happen all the time, or only under certain conditions?

When you installed front dampers, did you replace the strut bushings? Could your springs be binding and then releasing under braking? How old are your castor blocks?

MAGK944

Can't quite figure out what you are saying, have a photo?

If the new a-arm bushes were not pressed in flush I would think you have less of a gap not more. Even if there is a small gap I cannot imagine hearing a clunk as there is a chunk of rubber there between metal parts.

You did epoxy those rebuilt ball joints? Tighten the strut insert nut all the way?

PerceptionProblem

@Mel, Yes, a single clunk when I hit the brakes. Happens at high and low speeds, in any conditions. Strut bushings are the same ones I had before, and they didn't make noise when I did the struts. (Although I realize that they might have gone in the interim from new stress of firmer struts.)

@magk, I don't have a pic right now, but I drew (as best I was able) what I'm talking about. Please forgive potato quality.

http://imgur.com/Y8CW1e5

Let me know if that helps at all. If not, I'll get under there and take a pic this weekend.

PerceptionProblem

What I tried to show in the picture is that the bushings meet in the middle (inside the control arm) but there is still a little bit of space on one side. I'm wondering if braking is causing the control arm to shift which one of the bushings has the space.

Gawernator

This is really random Kyle, but when I had strange brake sounds coming from my front left, it ended up being the caliper bolts working themselves loose which did not end well (ha). Made a similar clunking sound (I think?) Just another thing to check, GL

mytrplseven

I had a similar symptom with my car which turned out to be a frozen front strut. It was binding and the only way it was diagnosed was by pushing down on both front corners of the car. One side wouldn't go down but the other did with normal rebound. I know you put new Koni's in there but you might try this procedure to eliminate the strut. Ya never know.

PerceptionProblem

Good stuff guys! I'll check on both of those (and see if I can get some pictures of those bushings) and report back.

Hope everyone's having a good weekend!

mel_t_vin

Hmmm...re-check all interfaces/fasteners: control arms, castor blocks, sway bar hangars/end links, calipers, spindles, struts, and wheel bearings. And ditto the strut test.

Did you happen to check/put a pry bar to your ball joints after they were rebuilt? Solid?

mytrplseven

I may be way off, but I've heard those symptoms associated with a loose battery. Passenger side as well.

mel_t_vin

^ No, I don't think you're way off...an unsecured battery would certainly "clunk" around.

PerceptionProblem

Hey all,

Battery certainly isn't loose, I've got it secured pretty good. I haven't had a chance to test the strut yet, or too many of the connectors. I'm hoping I'll know more tomorrow afternoon though. In the meantime, I was able to get a picture of the bushings not fitting properly. http://imgur.com/BrCiY3m

You can see on the left the the bushing doesn't quite meet up to the control arms. I wasn't able to get a pic of the driver's side, but that on sits the same way, but doesn't clunk.

mel_t_vin, what do you mean take a pry-bar to the ball joints? What would I have been checking for? Movement of the ball joint, or hardness of the epoxy?

PerceptionProblem

I just thought of something while I was looking at that picture: Maybe it's a motor mount? hmmm. Gonna hafta dig deep tomorrow.

mel_t_vin

I realize you said that you, or someone, rebuilt the ball joints [Rennbay, bronze bushings?]. It would be difficult without measuring the cavity, but, it's possible the ball joint socket of one control arm is worn beyond "spec". Some rebuilders actually machine the inside of the sockets to install larger, "more robust", ball joints, effectively rendering those control arms useless for traditional rebuilds.

Regarding the pry bar, there may be pictures here somewhere on the forum, but, the idea is to check play in the ball joint. Rest the bar on the [protected] control arm and, carefully, apply upward pressure on the spindle, looking for play. Obviously, this is performed on an unweighted wheel.

Regarding your control arm bushings, where did you get them? Are they rubber or poly? Have you asked the vendor about the result of your installation?

NM'87 951

I jacked my wheels up and then shook them heartily from the 12 and 6 positions and then again from 9 and 3. Top to bottom movement was stiff, but the wheel moved almost an inch back and forth. Ball joint rebuild fixed it right up.