clunk noise revisited. Aggrevating!!

[Qualitywires.com]

Okay, I'm getting a little mad here. I can't figure out what is making a Clunk noise.

I noticed when I slam my breaks on hard, I hear this clunk noise coming from front. I had the car on ramps to see if there is a loose suspension piece but everything seems real tight. This only happens when I corner hard or take off hard maybe from a dead stop and when I come to a dead stop fast. Do you think it's break related? The pads are not moving in the calipers..hardly any room for them to move. Sway bar? anyone?? Help!

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Vipers clunk. I suppose you're referring to an even louder clunk than normal?

Back in the day, clunks were almost always u-joints. Dunno if technology would allow that these days. Anybody?

Might also want to check the 998 (steering rack) and 999 (diff bracket) recall spots.

Just a guess.

Heck Adam, you're so finnicky it's probably nothing. I should let you drive my clunky Vipers and tell me if your clunk is louder than mine. LOL

 

[Qualitywires.com]

BUMP!

Chuck, I looked at the recall work. All looks tight and good. I was wondering if maybe it could be the shocks since I do have lower springs on it.

 

[GTS Dean]

Okay, I'm getting a little mad here. I can't figure out what is making a Clunk noise.

I noticed when I slam my breaks on hard, I hear this clunk noise coming from front. I had the car on ramps to see if there is a loose suspension piece but everything seems real tight. This only happens when I corner hard or take off hard maybe from a dead stop and when I come to a dead stop fast. Do you think it's break related? The pads are not moving in the calipers..hardly any room for them to move. Sway bar? anyone?? Help!

You are going to have to get *much more* analytical when you are driving. Do you "feel" the clunk - or just hear it? Do you feel it through the steering wheel, the brake pedal, or both? Have you taken anything apart up front recently? Did you ballast and torque things properly when reinstalling? Are you entirely certain that the recall was done correctly?

 

[Qualitywires.com]

GTS Dean:

The recall work seems to look fine. It's all tight and rivited in place. Looks pretty simple. I can feel the clunk a bit through the steering wheel, but not much. I can slamm on the breaks forward and it clunks. If I try it again, it doesn't do it again until I back up and hit the breaks hard. Sounds like something shifting. I'm suspecting it being the shocks and maybe the top bolt is not torqued right. I thought it might be the break pads shifting, but there's no room for them to shift. Suspension seems tight such as tie rods, ball joints. I have had the shocks off for the springs. Steering rack is on tight and I checked the mounting bolts. Very tight. I think if it was the rack, I would have problems with it when I turned, not come to a hard stop. Anyways, The car is under warranty, but I hate to bring the car back for warranty work. It seems like every time I bring it back, I find some little knick in the paint or something that was done carelessly. I want to narrow it down until I find it and then tell them to fix it. Oh well...more info appreciated. Thanks GTS DEAN!

 

[Qualitywires.com]

What about the bushings inside of the break calipers? Do they go bad? How would check to see if the control arm bushings are bad?

 

[Jay Lopez]

Do you have stainless steel brake lines? I do, and sometimes the front brake lines pop out of the rubber surround that is screwed to the frame for positioning, and the metal makes a clunk sound when I crank the steering wheel hard.

 

[Qualitywires.com]

nope. no stainless break lines.

 

[Carl 2002 GTS]

Ab, has your car always had the clunk? The reason I'm asking is that my car also has a clunk, usually when I go over uneven surfaces slowly, like backing out of my driveway into the street. The mechanic referred to it as "tin-canning". At least in my situation, I can hear and feel it under the ****, somewhere around where my elbow rests and sometimes behind the seats. I've seen a few cars with the interiors removed and can see where the sheet metal in those areas has some flexibility. In certain instances, the chassis flexes just enough to get the sheet metal to pop in and out. I've chalked it up to my car's unique personality and left it alone.
I was extremely concerned as well when I first heard mine clunking. I thought the gas tank or the sway bars or u-joints were loose. But like you, the underside of my Viper is rock-solid.
This may or may not be the same problem you have, but don't be surprised if its really this simple. just my .02

 

[Qualitywires.com]

It just started making the noise. It's coming from the front of the car and pretty sure it's not sheet metal. I just took my wheel off and retorqued the shock mounts. They were a little loose, but I will have to test drive it and see if that is it.

 

[Snake Bitten]

The reason I'm asking is that my car also has a clunk, usually when I go over uneven surfaces slowly, like backing out of my driveway into the street. The mechanic referred to it as "tin-canning". At least in my situation, I can hear and feel it under the ****, somewhere around where my elbow rests and sometimes behind the seats.

Carl...My RT does the EXACT same thing!!! Can't find anything wrong with it, and I have had it on a lift quite a bit lately installing the N20...Glad to hear I am not insane, and I will quit chasing "ghosts"!!!

 

[GTS Dean]

GTS Dean:

I'm suspecting it being the shocks and maybe the top bolt is not torqued right. ...I have had the shocks off for the springs. Steering rack is on tight and I checked the mounting bolts. Very tight. ...I want to narrow it down until I find it and then tell them to fix it. Oh well...more info appreciated. Thanks GTS DEAN!

AB,

The service manual is very explicit about the need to ballast the vehicle and torque the suspension bushings under load at design height. Unfortunately, they do not offer much insight into how to accomplish this successfully. I have found that the only way to access the fasteners for torquing is to remove the wheels, screw 2 lug nuts (backwards) onto 2 adjacent lugs and clock them to BDC. Screw a third onto one of the upper lugs. Put jack stands onto slip plates, then lower the car until the lug nuts rest on top of the jack stands. This allows the suspension to settle without binding, and provides good access to the fasteners. Jounce the vehicle. Loosen and retorque your shocks under load, then see how the car drives.

If you still feel the popping, be sure that the springs are properly seated on the retainers.

Good Luck!

 

[Magicboy2]

My Viper tech said, "they always clunk a little from SOMEWHERE". In other words, if it's not a huge clunk, he seemed to be saying to just live with it.

 

[Qualitywires.com]

Dean,

Thanks a ton for your advice. I was talking to the viper tech and he had mentioned maybe the sleeves in the bushing are sliding? Or the sleeves in the caliper? I think it has something to do with the coil overs or breaks. It's definitely something to do with the weight shifting. How hard is it to replace the control arm bushings with upgrades? Any suggestions on what I should use? I heard poly bushings are good, but not sure how much of a job it is.

I can't accept to just live with a clunk because there has to be a reason for the clunk. There was no clunk before and there will be none after if I can figure it out!

 

[Vic]

Wish I knew what is clunking in my car!

Makes a heavy metallic clunk, when torque is applied to the wheels, forward or reverse. Sounds like its coming from the rear of the car, maybe right rear side.

Just about every conceivable bolt and nut has been tightened. Still clunks. Got a bit worse after returning from the drag strip.

Its almost like the axle had some play, or slop, where it meets the right rear wheel hub. I had two different Viper techs go over the whole car, including the axle nuts.

New differential didn't help, either. (Glad that was under warranty!)

Sorry, Adam, this is your thread. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[Chuck Greggs S Arizona ACR]

Did you check the ball joints? My ACR would make a popping noise(clunk)when in reverse and applying the brakes. Then, on the first brake application going forward, it would make the same noise. Sounds like something was shifting around. It turned out to be a couple of bad ball joints. Good luck.

Chuck G
Oro Valley, AZ.

 

[Vic]

Thanks, Chuck. I asked the dealer's tech about that, he said that at 17,000 miles, it was unlikely.

But that hasn't ruled it out, either. Something to think about, and check on, when I get some time this Saturday.

 

[GTS Dean]

Wish I knew what is clunking in my car!

Makes a heavy metallic clunk, when torque is applied to the wheels, forward or reverse. Sounds like its coming from the rear of the car, maybe right rear side.

Just about every conceivable bolt and nut has been tightened. Still clunks. Got a bit worse after returning from the drag strip.

Vic,

The Viper has 3 slip yokes and 6 u-joints. There is a certain amount of backlash clearance built in, and it only increases with mileage. I recently had the U-joints in the half shafts replaced under the service contract. I had marked the caps and found that they were turning in the yokes.

I have seen one GTS dislodge a lower rear ball joint from the control arm at the drag strip, but it was a high 9 second car. 17,000 miles is not much for a "normal" car, but it could be a huge factor for a Viper. We're normally dealing with some pretty serious stresses.

 

[Vic]

Thanks a BUNCH, Dean. I'll try that marking technique, maybe thats it.