NoPistons -Mazda Rx7 & Rx8 Rotary Forum - Finally Found The Damn Clunk.

Ok, so this weekend I got a wild hair up my ass and decided to do some work to the truck and fix that clunk once and for all. It's been bugging me for months now. The story goes, I rebuild the front suspension, then got the clunk, then rebuilt the front diff, still clunks, etc.

I woke up saturday morning and decided to buy some new tires. Went into Discount Tire and asked for 225/60-16's. They said they had some for $85. I told the salesman that he was going to sell 'em to me for $65 and I would buy the certificates (-$80 tires, +$52 certs..). So I got it done and took it home. Once it was in the garage, I tried manipulating the front suspension to recreate the clunking in a controlled environment. This meant jacking up the front crossmember and dropping it from 4 inches up. I couldn't get it to make any noise. So I lay down on my side at the front bumper, trouble light in hand. I reach up and grab the bumper and start rocking it as hard as I can while staring at the suspension. It took all of about 30 seconds to figure out that the lower shock bushing was moving within the shock cradle..

So I tighten down the shocks and go for another drive. Still clunks! (WTF!) I drove my ass over to the parts store and picked up some new shocks. I figured I might as well, because hell, they're only $14.95.

I get home and proceed to remove the old shocks. they slip right out, no fuss. It was when I went to put the new shocks in that I noticed the real cause of my clunking - the shock bushings. The new shock's bushings had to be pressed into the cradles, whereas the old ones slipped in and out with room to spare.

Suspension rebuilt, clunk fixed, and the worn-out front diff is silent! this thing rides like a friggin' Caddy. Now all I need is new door hinges and latches, a tailgate, new weatherstrip, fix the digital dash and repair/replace the 700R-4 transmission and I'll be driving a brand new '92 S-series!

Woot!