Front end clunk... endlinks?

[Vroom]

Sorry for this all-too-common question. I'm not at a place where I can work on my car right now, but I couldn't stop myself from posting this question for your advice.

I recently replaced my two front endlinks. The driver's side endlink was the cause of a noise I kept hearing in parking lots, according to Doug at Performance Plus in Madison.

So, I put two MOOG endlinks on to stay symmetrical. I didn't support the swaybar or anything while I had the endlinks off. Possible mount damage?

Now I hear a clunk when I go over hard bumps. I can also feel the clunk in the floor.

Does this sound like it was the endlinks themselves? Or do you think something else got damaged during the removal and installation?

I know this is probably impossible to answer without actually being under the car, but I'm just curious.

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

Unless its a gen 3 thing, not supporting the sway bar would not do any damage to the mounts.

Did you grease the new endlinks? The MOOGs come dry, and must be fitted with the included zerk fittings prior to greasing. I normally grease mine before installation.

Are you sure that the new endlinks are tigntened down properly? It is easy to think they are tignt, when in actuallity they are not. The narrow "nut" used to holt the joint when tightening the large nut can be somewhat of a pain. I actually resorted to machining an open end wrench flatter, just for this job. A standard open end wrench would bind between the swap bar (or strut perch) and the endlink joint before it was tightened all the way.

Also, are the sway bar mounts new?

 

[venom]

Sorry for this all-too-common question. I'm not at a place where I can work on my car right now, but I couldn't stop myself from posting this question for your advice.

I recently replaced my two front endlinks. The driver's side endlink was the cause of a noise I kept hearing in parking lots, according to Doug at Performance Plus in Madison.

So, I put two MOOG endlinks on to stay symmetrical. I didn't support the swaybar or anything while I had the endlinks off. Possible mount damage?

Now I hear a clunk when I go over hard bumps. I can also feel the clunk in the floor.

Does this sound like it was the endlinks themselves? Or do you think something else got damaged during the removal and installation?

I know this is probably impossible to answer without actually being under the car, but I'm just curious.

Hard bumps as in speedbumps or more subtle bumps? No damage can be done by leaving the bar simply hang while changing endlinks.

 

[Vroom]

It could be that the endlinks aren't tight enough. I'll give that a try as soon as I can.

The fittings have to be in first? I put some grease in before securing the fittings.
[edit]After some Googling, it seems that you're supposed to pump the grease into the grease fittings... am I right? I put a bunch of grease inside and then screwed the fittings on. Hmmm.... how deep have I dug myself this time? I still think its looseness might be the problem.

The endlinks were the only things I replaced, so no new mounts.



venom,
It's actually on more subtle bumps. Sometimes, it seems like it happens over no bumps at all. I could be paying too much attention to it, though.

 

[ornery1]

i got the same issue,but i replaced struts,endlinks,balljoints---next is subframe bushings

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

you might just not have enough grease in the joints then. Thats what the fittings are for, TO USE

How many miles have you driven with them as is?

You should be able to just shoot some grease in there (using the zerk fittings ) and be good to go.

Typically the rule of thumb is to keep injecting grease until the tip of the grease gun pops off the zerk. In the case of most of the MOOG endlinks Ive used, inject grease until it starts squishing out the half-as$ed excuse of a dust-boot they use.

 

[SHOZ123]

I would suspect the rear subframe bushings if the clunking is in the floor.

 

[stephen newberg]

I too think the rear subframe bushings are likely, but if in fact the bump sound appeared after changing the endlinks, it could the the sway bar bushings. They would have shifted around a bit when the bar was disconnected and then reconnected, and if they are well worn, now they could be bumping a bit when going over things.

pax, smn

 

[Vroom]

They have about 300 miles on them since being installed. That means at least 300 more miles before returning home (currently across the state). It's not too bad on the interstate, but on the bumpy and gravel roads they clunk all the time.

I'll have to find someone with a grease gun sometime (or order one from Harbor Freight... any suggestions?) and also tighten them more if possible.

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

even K-mart stocks grease guns

But depending upon the location of the fittings in regards to clearances, you may have to remove the endlinks all together to grease them. As in, not enough room for the grease gun in there.

 

[ncfirefighter]

even K-mart stocks grease guns

But depending upon the location of the fittings in regards to clearances, you may have to remove the endlinks all together to grease them. As in, not enough room for the grease gun in there.

well if you get one with a hose on it you can get in some tight places, ( i got a nice air one less mess) :

 

[Vroom]

Hey folks.

I was able to get together a few tools and check out the endlinks. I tightened up the one I thought may be loose... and it worked! No clunking so far in about 10 miles of driving.

But man, when you have a tire off in a place where people don't know you, you constantly hear "Oh no, Skye... are you OK?" or "Flat tire, eh?" or "Do you need help? I'll go try and find someone to help."

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

I know the feeling. But oddly enough, it isnt related to the SHO.

Before I gotrid of my last aircooled VW, I had a clutch fork break on my hopped up '73 Squareback. Well, to make a LONG story short, I pulled the motor in the apt parking lot. LOTS of interesting looks and comments that day. And get this, I ws parked RIGHT in front of the sign that said "NO AUTOMOBILE REPAIRS ON SITE"

Glad you got it fixed, and was as simple as I figured it as