Front end clunk

[ISHOU]

I know wrong forum but I'm hoping for more lookers since there are fewer of us SHO owners around. I've owned my 94 for 13 years. I replaced inner/outer tie rods, strut assemblies, control arms, and strut rod bushings 7 years ago. Have been getting a clunk in front on hard braking only. After searching here thought where the strut rod enters the sub frame was the issue. Took it to a shop for only the second time I've owned it. The young techs pointed out a bad ball joint which could cause the issue. I wanted to eliminate the strut rod. They said it would be really hard to replace the bushing after removing it, really??? An older tech came over and I showed him on this website what I thought was going on. Question: where the strut rod goes through the subframe, the donut for lack of better words was not attached to the frame and I thought this is what needed welding, am I wrong? He said he couldn't weld it because it was "tin". He suggested the Moog kit I mentioned and of course a new control arm. After he tighten up the bushing, the clunk is gone.Your help is appreciated.

 

[luigisho]

That is correct but if it gets too deformed it may be tough to make the weld fix it. The Moog kit tightens it up properly. It appears you have a correct fix. Could the weld have solved it? Maybe. Will the moog kit solve it? Yes. I think I am having the same issue with my GenII although a lot of the suspension is nearing the end of it's useful life cycle.

 

[pjtoledo]

A couple of huge washers on the front side of that bushing will also fix most of the clunk.

The way things work is: when accelerating the strut rod pushes the cup towards the subframe.
when you brake the strut rod pulls back using the washer on the front of the subframe, freeplay developes at the cup.
any play there causes the thunk. (i think)

the hardest part is cleaning the area to be welded, and welding the top part.

when I did my 95 Slo I dropped the subframe, lasted for 5 years.
unless you have lots of rust there, it definitely is not "tin"


FYI, movement of the strut rod affects alignment.

Perry

 

[rubydist]

Question: where the strut rod goes through the subframe, the donut for lack of better words was not attached to the frame and I thought this is what needed welding, am I wrong? He said he couldn't weld it because it was "tin".

If by "donut" you mean the metal tube/sleeve that the outer part of the strut rod bushing fits into, that most definitely does need to be welded to the subframe. If by "donut" you mean either of the large washers on the strut rod that capture the bushing where it fits into the subframe sleeve, then they do not get welded to the subframe.

If that outer sleeve is loose, you likely will have issues with alignment, tracking, and possibly noise, depending on how much it moves.

As was mentioned, the only reason it would be too light to weld would be that is has rusted away, in which case you need to look for another subframe.

 

[pjtoledo]

clarification, weld the cup on the inside of the subframe. whatever sticks out the front is largely irrelevent, provided the big bushing can't go thru it.
the strut rod tryi9ng to pull the outer bushing thru the hole IS what stops the rest of the car.


Perry