Digi7ech

iTrader: (1)

Well, I have a clicking/clunk from the front left wheel area. I say area because I don't know where exactly.

I made a thread earlier about it and people thought it might be a strut mount. Well $50 later and a new mount is in and the clunk is still there.


It clunks when I turn the steering wheel a lot/IE tight turn while leaving parking spot.
It clunks when I hit the brakes and slow down and makes a clunk up on stopping completely.

I looked at the brakes and the strut and everything is fine there.

I'm guessing a bad bushnig somewhere or something steering related.

Most of the bushings are coated in oil on the drivers side because of an oil leak somewhere on that side.

Could the oil have ruined a bushing?

Any ideas on which bushing I am to look for?
Clues are Clunks when major turning of the wheel when parking and noise during braking and completely stopping.

Digi7ech

iTrader: (1)

There has to be some one which has had this prob before!

ilike2eatricers

I had a problem similar to this except on the front passenger side. It turns out that the U joint on my lower arms were bent and only being held on by one bolt and the bushing turned a little sideways.. The clunking went away now.

Here is my thread. https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...hreadid=225620

You situation might be totally different though. Good luck and let me know if you got any questions. Maybe I can help.

niner

when there is a clunk/click noise as you describe, what you need to do is check all steering and suspension parts that are suspect.

that includes
-lower ball joints
-steering shaft, inner and outter tie rods, rack
-wheel bearings while you got wheels off ground (probably not the clunk noise, but good time to do it)
-rubber bushings (control arms, steering rack, sway bar)
-anything else around that area that could somehow be making the noise

if you do not know how to properly inspect these parts, find someone who does or use service manual.

you should fix your oil leak and replace bushings if they are oil soaked

maybe have a friend bounce the fender or drive the car or whatever it takes to make noise while you listen outside the car to narrow down the suspected parts

Digi7ech

iTrader: (1)

Looks like I'll have to check the FSM tonight.
I have only installed struts before and differential mounts.

I've watched a friend do Ball joints before but I'm clueless right now. Hopefully it is something easy to get at.

I think my oil leak is coming from the oil filter pedastle(spelling?). I might need a new o-ring. I'll check my FSM on that as well.

silverrotor

iTrader: (1)

I had the same clunk like symptoms too. Usually audible when I crossed a speed bump. The replacement of the Ball joints Is what corrected It for me.

seveninphilly

iTrader: (7)

here is a good way to check some of the components.

Jack the car up, Then put a jack under the lower A-arm an jack it up some.

This takes the stress off of somethings that are completely extended, allowing you to shake, shimmy, and jiggle stuff to see if you can replicate the noise.

Hope it all makes sense (it has helped me find bad ball joints in the past.)

niner

that is not the correct way to check RX-7 lower ball joints.

it is an ISO strut system, the load is off the lower ball joint when car is raised by FRAME. you want to check ball joint like this. shake tire "up and down" and look/feel for any movement in ball joint. also put prybar under tire and push up, look for movement in ball joint. if any is noticible, replace

if you jack by lower control arm w/ our suspension setup the ball joint is loaded. you only do that on some other suspension set ups

ilike2eatricers

Digi7ech did you find out what it was yet?

black_sunshine

(remembers back to a post on the Technical forums....) Sorry if I already gave an answer to this, but here's what my problem with the clunk was:

Brake pads did not have the tabs on the "ears" of the pad. They are (the tabs) actually part of the calliper, but they like to fall-out and get lost when back-yard or negligent shops do brake jobs. If you pull the caliper apart (remove the singe 14mm bolt on the bottom of the calliper's wheel-side), pake the pads out of the carriage and check for the tabs (front and back). There should be 2 spacer-tabs (they're just shaped pieces of thin metal) and 2 spring tabs (they form a spring from the metal in the center, and stick-out from the carriage quite a bit more than the afforementioned). The non-springgy ones should be on the TOP of the carriage, and the springgy ones go on the bottom. Make sure to use SILICONE brake-lube (not petrol-based) on the calliper guides, the backs of the pads, and the ears of the pads. DO NOT GET ANY ON THE PAD MATERIAL OR THE ROTOR. Make sure the calliper has the RUBBER GUIDE CUSHIONS/dust boots in place as well. Check that the carriage is firmly mounted in place (2 #17 bolts on the back of the hub carrier). Check all 4 callipers for these parts; they cause a lot of noise-related issues if they're missing.

If your *rubber* bushings are oil-soaked, replace them! Oil eats rubber, and if they've been soaking for 2 or 3 years, they're on their way out (as if having a 10+ year old car isn't reason enough to replace them).

Make sure the shocks are firmly attached to the control arm/strut tower. Jack the car up with the wheel on and wriggle the wheel in all directions. Note any odd clunking or slack (remember that they ARE supposed to turn horizontally, but not up and down). Before you go and buy a new hub/bearing, check the ball joint. If the ball joint is good, then get a new hub carrier assembly (with bearing), or you can modify the original carriers so you can take the outter race out (and just replace the bearing). Pack it with red grease. Also check any other mounting locations of rubber bushings and make sure they're not loose.

Hope this helps....

Digi7ech

iTrader: (1)

I'm checking it out this weekend when I have spare time.

Thanks for the tips. The oil leak has only been bad this year.

I've got the 4 piston brakes on my car. I don't have a sliding pin.

Also what do you mean by tabs on the ears of the pads.
My pads never came with tabs. Are they part of the main backing or are they inserts?

black_sunshine

Aahh, 4-piston brakes... sorry about that :P Okay, just grease the back of the pads and the ears, lol. Make sure the two wire-springs on the top of the pads are there also.

The tabs that go on the ears of the pads usually don't come with the pads. They're just little inserts that make a big noise if they're missing/worn-out. Auto parts stores should have these available.... Oh, and check for the two (sometimes one) rotor-retainer screws. If they're missing, it could (highly unlikely though) cause some clunking.