Suspension Brakes 1st Gen CLUNK after getting rear ended

Discussion in 'Tuning and Performance' started by andyroo, May 13, 2011.

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  1. andyroo

    andyroo New Member
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    Sep 8, 2009
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    So I had some suspension work done about a month ago....Koni Yellows, Tein H-tech, IE fixed camber plates, IE rear control arms, and was in Mini suspension heaven....for about a day and half. Then I got rear ended at a stoplight, mostly on the left side.

    The damage seemed mostly cosmetic, but I was getting a clunk over bumps from the left rear. Before I took it to the body shop, I tried to check as much as I could on my own.

    Endlinks tight
    2 upper shock locator bolts tight
    Shock topnut tight
    Shock lower mount bolt tight
    Lower control arms tight (couldn't get much of a good feel on the inner bolt but it from what I could tell it was fine)

    I took off the shock and ran the hub through it's range of motion and thought I felt/heard a noise through the lower control arm, but I am not sure.

    Anyway, the shop double checked everything they could too but they couldn't find anything. I've got a new rear bumper, hatch and quarterpanel have been repaired.

    I want to give the lower control arm another look, disconnecting the outer bolt and then moving that through it's range of motion and listening for a sound.

    Any other recommendations? Rear subframe?

    The car drives nicely, but the clunk is annoying and I'm not pushing it.

    - Andrew
     
  2. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    May 4, 2009
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    Is the clunk speed sensitive or bump related?
     
  3. andyroo

    andyroo New Member
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    Bump related.
     
  4. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

    Jun 4, 2009
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    Wonder if the tire is now contacting the inner plastic fender liner when you hit a bump.
     
  5. andyroo

    andyroo New Member
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    I think the liner was replaced by the body shop, but i'm not sure. I did not notice it looking like it would be interfering when i first looked at the car, but I will definitely check that again.
     
  6. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    Or a possible endlink broken or bent.
     
  7. KC Jr 54

    KC Jr 54 New Member

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    #7 KC Jr 54, May 13, 2011
    Last edited: May 13, 2011
    Do you have a rear sway bar, and does it have grease-able fitting on the caps ?
     
  8. beken

    beken Well-Known Member
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    Jan 13, 2010
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    Sorry....very late to the party.
    I have the same issue. Turns out on my car, the rear swaybar bushing has worn. If you haven't figured your issue out yet, try inspecting the rear swaybar bushing and replacing if required.
     
  9. fishmonger

    fishmonger Well-Known Member

    May 13, 2015
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    I had the same thing - clunking on every bump. In my case it was a broken spring on the right rear, about 1/2 inch shorter than the other side as it collapsed one winding. Then the sway bar made up for it by trying to hold the car up. Still not sure what the actual source of the noise was, but I replaced the sway bar bushings first, with no results. Now after I replaced everything the noise is gone.

    When inspecting my old rear suspension parts, all I could find was that broken spring. Downlinks were fine, bolts were all tight, and the shocks appear fine. Springs were old and crappy and stiff, but the same was true in the front where there was no rattle. Nothing was rubbing, as it only took tiny bumps to make it rattle, while it didn't clunk when loading up that corner of the suspension in a faster turn. I guess that when the car was neutral, there was some gap in that corner that would collapse and hit, but when compressing the spring further, nothing would rattle any longer.

    Probably not what you have, especially after taking the shock out to inspect it. A broken spring would be quite obvious.
     

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