Checking front shocks

[jimbob]

Hi guys,

I am starting to get very concerned about the noise my front suspension is making, kind of a hard clonking noise over slight bumps etc (funnily not so bad over larger bumps!!) ..anyways, the noise is getting louder and more frequent, so im starting to get worried...the car is my daily driver.

Last weekend i took a good look underneath, but the only thing i could see wrong was a missing sway link (which i have on order). The lower control arm bushes looked ok, as did the ball joint, but i guess hard to tell with out dismantling. However i am wondering if the shock as gone bad, if so, how can i tell before i start throwing money at it? I have tried the bounce test..once i let go it rises and sinks once more then settles..is this normal?

Also, if the front struts do need swapping should i also replace the top mounts at the same time also? ..these squeek a hell of a lot when driving.

 

[Elessee]

I had a noise like that ... definately front right over mild bumps.. and possibly the strut.. But, it was the exhaust. The right side pipe broke away from the rear of it's muffler. Once that was straightened out .. new mufflers and the pipes all tied down properly, everything quieted down by 90%.

A tire store did a check and said my shocks / struts were OK. Cool.
A week later, while working on the air suspension, I noticed some black-dirt-oil on a rear shock. So, I figured it leaked and bought new shocks and struts.
That rear shock was empty.. like zero-resistance when it compressed and returned.. the tire store checked it? I doubt that.

Anyway, I did replace the struts and shocks. Once removed, one front strut rod was somewhat easier to push in compared to a new one. That's the only indication it was (may have been?) in need of replacement (no external leaking). I never noticed anything while driving or test-bouncing the car.
The uneven return height you notice may be due to the air springs readjusting themselves.. Those high pressure rubber bags do not act exactly like a spring...

Those front struts are fairly simple to replace, except for the very large nuts on the lower parts.. and they require +120 lb torque if i recall.. and space to swing a wrench is really limited and tight. Need big, open-end box wrenches with lots of leverage.. I forget exactly why I couldn't get the closed end over the nuts. something's in the way.. Take a good look before trying it.

Top mounts? New struts came with new rubber bushings if that's what you are referring to..

As for the condition of other suspension parts, i'd take it to a suspension shop for diagnosis which might cost a little money but could save a lot of time and money..

 

[jimbob]

The sound is definiately coming from the front drivers side of the car and I did start to wonder if something under the hood had worked loose. The only thing i could find loose was the suspension compressor as the rubber on the mounting bolts has all but disentegrated, but wiggling it around i couldnt get it to make a clonking noise up against anything.

One thing i have noticed now that i have a new sway link installed, the front end has stiffened up a lot, and the noise is still there but somewhat reduced. I have my annual inspection in six weeks or so, so i may just wait and see if they find anything. Im pretty sure the problem may lie with either the bushes or strut.