[mclovin69x]

I’ve been hearing this clunk or knock sound when going over uneven road surfaces or bumps.

I first noticed this after switching out my shocks and struts to new ones. In this process, I remove the tie rod end from the wheel hub to make things easier. I know it’s not from either the shocks or the struts because I have done this before without removing the tie rods and have not had this issue.

Today I jacked up the car and re-torqued the tie rods to the wheel hub without preload and also tightened the steering rack bushing because I figured the noise might’ve been coming from there.

Made the noise a lot worse. I am almost certain it’s coming from the tightening of the steering rack bushing. If I loosen it, the sound is much worse. if I tighten it, the sound gets slightly better, but the steering gets so stiff that it doesn’t return to center after completing a turn.

What should my next steps be to fix this issue?

https://youtube.com/shorts/_fdu4-T88...UGCJoec-iq3mGD

[samspiderman3125]

Originally Posted by mclovin69x

I’ve been hearing this clunk or knock sound when going over uneven road surfaces or bumps.

I first noticed this after switching out my shocks and struts to new ones. In this process, I remove the tie rod end from the wheel hub to make things easier. I know it’s not from either the shocks or the struts because I have done this before without removing the tie rods and have not had this issue.

Today I jacked up the car and re-torqued the tie rods to the wheel hub without preload and also tightened the steering rack bushing because I figured the noise might’ve been coming from there.

Made the noise a lot worse. I am almost certain it’s coming from the tightening of the steering rack bushing. If I loosen it, the sound is much worse. if I tighten it, the sound gets slightly better, but the steering gets so stiff that it doesn’t return to center after completing a turn.

What should my next steps be to fix this issue?

https://youtube.com/shorts/_fdu4-T88...UGCJoec-iq3mGD

check your sway bar end links, make sure theyre tight, jack the car up and have a friend turn the car so you can hear it down lower and isolate it

[mclovin69x]

Originally Posted by samspiderman3125

check your sway bar end links, make sure theyre tight, jack the car up and have a friend turn the car so you can hear it down lower and isolate it

Already done. Sway bar end links are tight as can be.

There is no noise when turning the wheel only when going over bumps. I’m thinking it might be the inner tie rod ends that are loose or a blown ball joint on them

[mhowanic]

Originally Posted by mclovin69x

I’ve been hearing this clunk or knock sound when going over uneven road surfaces or bumps.

I first noticed this after switching out my shocks and struts to new ones. In this process, I remove the tie rod end from the wheel hub to make things easier. I know it’s not from either the shocks or the struts because I have done this before without removing the tie rods and have not had this issue.

Today I jacked up the car and re-torqued the tie rods to the wheel hub without preload and also tightened the steering rack bushing because I figured the noise might’ve been coming from there.

Made the noise a lot worse. I am almost certain it’s coming from the tightening of the steering rack bushing. If I loosen it, the sound is much worse. if I tighten it, the sound gets slightly better, but the steering gets so stiff that it doesn’t return to center after completing a turn.

What should my next steps be to fix this issue?

https://youtube.com/shorts/_fdu4-T88...UGCJoec-iq3mGD

Check the struts and how far they are through the knuckle. I replaced mine and one slid in much further than the other and I started getting a knocking noise like that over bumps. The bottom of the strut was hitting whatever is below it. I measured the old struts and reset where they sit in the knuckle and the noise went away.

[mclovin69x]

Originally Posted by mhowanic

Check the struts and how far they are through the knuckle. I replaced mine and one slid in much further than the other and I started getting a knocking noise like that over bumps. The bottom of the strut was hitting whatever is below it. I measured the old struts and reset where they sit in the knuckle and the noise went away.

Hmm good advise thank you. I will jack up the car later today and see if I find anything.

I did suspect that and compared and they were equal on both sides but you can never be too sure

[mhowanic]

Originally Posted by mclovin69x

Hmm good advise thank you. I will jack up the car later today and see if I find anything.

I did suspect that and compared and they were equal on both sides but you can never be too sure

They can be even on both sides but slightly too far into the knuckle. I’ve read some guys say that they put the strut in after removing the spreading tool.

In my case for whatever reason one slid too far in and the other was perfect. So I’m not sure what the variance is that causes that. But it certainly made a knocking sound. You can look at the bottom of the strut and see if there is any sign it was hitting something.

[mclovin69x]

Originally Posted by mhowanic

They can be even on both sides but slightly too far into the knuckle. I’ve read some guys say that they put the strut in after removing the spreading tool.

In my case for whatever reason one slid too far in and the other was perfect. So I’m not sure what the variance is that causes that. But it certainly made a knocking sound. You can look at the bottom of the strut and see if there is any sign it was hitting something.

Got it. Thanks

Turns out a sway bar end link was loose. Tightened it up and the noise is gone.