clunking

[rotarykidd]

when i step on the brake, mediumish pressure, it clunks. hard. i can feel it in the floor. the axles have been clicking for a long time so i wonder if its one thats just angry and wants to give up. or could it be something else? i am going to replace the axles soon so hopefully it goes away. its just weired. i have never felt that before.

[David88]

Not good! How many miles on the car? Could be a ball joint or a tie rod frightfuly near its end. Dangerous! Check where the lower control arm bolts to the frame. Jack up the front end to get the wheels off. Grab a front wheel with both hands shake it side to side. Then grab top and bottom and do the same. Listen and feel for looseness. Have someone help you look.

[skeeters_keeper]

Just jacking the car up and yanking it around won't check your lower BJ's good enough, i did that, and when i got it inspected i asked they guy to check them (i had clunking when going over bumps), and he said the seemed fine but he only did what i did.
When i removed my BJ's i could move one of them in and out about 1/4" with my fingers!!! i could almost pull it out of the control arm!

The best way (that i know of) to check them is to get a pry bar, stick it over the control arm and under the body rail and then pry down on the control arm to see if the BJ moves around at all.


Since you say it happens when you step on the brakes i would bet its your axles going, but check the other stuff too, loosing a ball joint at speed is a very nasty prospect

[batstiva]

You haven't had any recent brake work done, have you? A few years ago, I took the batstiva to Tire Distributors to have them replace the caliper on the right side. After I got it back, I noticed everytime I hit the brakes, there was a clunking sound. Pulled the wheel, and figured out that they couldn't get both of the pins that hold the caliper in place all the way back in, so they took a hammer and bent one of them over. So, it was technically in place, but holding nothing, so the caliper was moving around every time I hit the brakes. :angryfire: :angryfire:

Went and got two new pins, put them in right, and the clunk was gone. Just a thought. Tho, it sounds like your cv's are bad, so that's more likely the problem.

[rotarykidd]

i know how to check for bad ball joint and tie rods. but i haven't had time to check it when its light out yet. but it doesnt do it all the time. mostly when it sits, and i first step on the brakes, only when moving.
i just wanted to know if it was a common thing.

[packrat427]

I hear that pop every morning at the first stop sign at the corner . seems to come from the pass front wheel .

[rotarykidd]

exactly! do you know what that is? and can you fell it? mines really bad. it feels almost like running over some wood on the freeway.