Recently I started to hear a clanky metal knock when driver-side front wheel rolls over indents (like manhole covers) in road at neighborhood speed going straight. So something sounds amiss related to the driver-side front wheel.
Underneath, I noticed that control arm’s rubber bushing looked old and cracked. So I replaced control arms on both sides (common maintenance on this model, actually) and then checked alignment. But unfortunately this did NOT solve this clanking noise.
Looked at other steering/suspension connectors, bars, and rubber covers, but didn’t notice anything amiss.
Anyone know a way to isolate the noise to the part that’s causing it? What would the most likely suspects be? Shock absorber on that side?
Sometimes a shield on the exhaust or catalytic converter will do that. A cracked rotor shield night also get involved. Findingit is really simple. Hammer handle might help.
First, I bent rotor cover away from clang-prone locations a couple times but still same clangs on test drives. So I think PROBABLY it’s NOT rotor cover. Do those covers serve much purpose anyway? I’m wondering about just removing them.
Got under car (front end tires both off ground) and checked sway bar and other possibilities (like loose shields/covers–didn’t find any). Sway bar did not have any significant play at bushings, either sideways or front/back, even when using a prybar to help nudge it. I replaced the sway bar swivel ends the other day, along with the control arms, and everything there seemed snug today too. So it seems to me the noise is PROBABLY NOT sway bar related. Please let me know your perspective if different.
Also did “12o’clock-6o’clock” test of ball joint, with hands on tires and car jacked up. Seemed solid on both sides. No play. So PROBABLY NOT the ball joint I’m thinking.
One interesting thing I noticed when I was jacking car up on both sides: on the driver side I had to jack the car up maybe an inch more to get the tire on the driver side equally off the ground like the passenger side. Would that be a sign of anything?
Anything else could cause a clang on driver side? Maybe the struts?
Possible strut mounts, try jacking the vehicle up a little taking the pressure off the upper strut mount bearing plate, with the tire still on the ground, you can watch the strut in the mount dropping a tad, and with the tire still on the ground, like 1/2 way raised before the tire comes off the ground, grab the spring and shake it to see if you have any movement in the strut bearing area…
Lay on the ground and have someone strong and healthy push the front of the car up and down repeatedly and rhythmically, until they’re able to reproduce that clang
Now they keep it going, while you CAREFULLY try to identify the cause of the noise
It might be something you can see or it might be something you can feel by having your hand on it
Needless to say, the car is fully on the ground, NOT on jack stands, while you’re doing this
Brief version: clang noise was actually brake caliper, which was missing the upper bolt. I was checking caliper assembly for any looseness, and to my surprise, it completely swiveled out. The clang noise was apparently caliper assembly jiggling and jumping when hitting bumps, but brake apparently was still functioning, kept in place mostly by inner cavity of the wheel, it seems. I have never worked on the brakes of this car yet, so the problem is on previous owner or mechanic. Replaced the missing top bolt of caliper and car rides smoothly now.
Must also apologize for a bit of stupidity on my part in one post above. I was completely mistaken that I had to jack the car up more on one side. I eyeballed my jackstands wrong, and I incorrectly thought they were different heights. However, I got a good education from your replies, and I did check out the strut springs in a couple different ways, as you all suggested. Great education in possible causes of “clangs”. Deep thanks to all.
Sure did check the caliper bolts. On the other side too. My guess is last brake pad change, someone didn’t tighten that one bolt well, and it finally worked it’s way out a couple weeks ago.
