Front suspension clunk over potholes...Ball joints ? - Page 5

fitbmxseries1 · 12-04-2011, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nazdackster

Don't buy the Moog blue ones, go with OEM. I installed yesterday. The blue ones are a harder plastic and were visibly made oval after a short time. Not worn, the plastic moved out of the way, leaving a gap that was easy to find with a pry bar pushing on the sway bar, like 1/8".

The OEM's are soft rubber and have an anti-friction fabric molded on the inside. They are purposely a little too big so the brackets have to be pulled on with the bolts (the sway bar is squeezed tight). I suspect these will work much better and last longer. The vehicle feels great.

Good luck.

Went through 3 of the oem sets they got rid of the clunks for a few days but it kept coming back. Now ive went 3 months with no clunk with the moog ones.

BonesWK · 12-06-2011, 06:38 AM

I might as well add new end links to my buy list.. I am getting the same clunk over pot holes and my driveway (especially when wheel is turned)

Luckily I had already budgeted for some new parts.

My question is, how do I know what brand to go with? Rock Auto offers like 4 brands of end links. anyone have experience with any of them?

mwalters2 · 12-06-2011, 06:46 AM

I bought the Deeza brand, but haven't put them on yet - the clunk always goes away with the swaybar bushings.

BonesWK · 12-06-2011, 07:48 AM

Yeah I had changed the bushings in July with only marginal improvements with the clunk while moving. It did fix any clunk while sitting still and turning the wheel.

End links are next on my list.

Sent from my Evo 4g using JeepForum

kentman · 04-08-2012, 03:17 PM

Lower control arms and front shocks are next on the list for me. I plan to do those in June. I have both sitting on the shelf waiting to go.

I will report back if I have any success.

jay_g · 01-30-2013, 06:22 AM

Clunk came back. I changed to moog last time so this time I did sway bar bushings and end links, didn't help. I'm going to try lower control arm bushing and see if that's it.

Jeeprage · 01-30-2013, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jay_g

Clunk came back. I changed to moog last time so this time I did sway bar bushings and end links, didn't help. I'm going to try lower control arm bushing and see if that's it.

I had tried end links and inspected sway bar bushings 4 years ago when I bought the Jeep at 60k miles. It didn't seem to make any difference... I then upgrade to rear SRT sway bar and new Bilsteins all around and the clunk is gone. Its been 4 years and 30k miles and I haven't noticed it come back yet.

**trax95008** · 01-30-2013, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jay_g

Clunk came back. I changed to moog last time so this time I did sway bar bushings and end links, didn't help. I'm going to try lower control arm bushing and see if that's it.

Let me know how that goes. I plan to change my LCA bushings as well. I haven't found any write-ups on this site for changing to bushings, so I'm a little nervous. I hope I can just use a ball joint press to get them out. I just ordered the bushings from summit. They were pretty cheap. All 6 (3per side) for a little over 100 after shipping. And they are all Moog! I may take some pics and do a write-up

kennymo · 01-30-2013, 09:03 AM

I didnt start getting a clunk until I put my bb lift on. It also clunks one time when I start going from a stop

**Budasac** · 01-30-2013, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trax95008

Let me know how that goes. I plan to change my LCA bushings as well. I haven't found any write-ups on this site for changing to bushings, so I'm a little nervous. I hope I can just use a ball joint press to get them out. I just ordered the bushings from summit. They were pretty cheap. All 6 (3per side) for a little over 100 after shipping. And they are all Moog! I may take some pics and do a write-up

I wasn't able to use a press on the LCA bushings. I used a torch to melt out the inside, then stuck a sawzall in there and put a few slots in the sleeve, and finally knocked it out with an air chisel. The new one went in pretty easily. Just tapped it in with a small sledge. There are some pics on the last page of my build thread. I changed the bushing when I was replacing the UCAs.

**trax95008** · 01-30-2013, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budasac

I wasn't able to use a press on the LCA bushings. I used a torch to melt out the inside, then stuck a sawzall in there and put a few slots in the sleeve, and finally knocked it out with an air chisel. The new one went in pretty easily. Just tapped it in with a small sledge. There are some pics on the last page of my build thread. I changed the bushing when I was replacing the UCAs.

What kept the press from working?

**Budasac** · 01-30-2013, 01:10 PM

I think the main issue with the press is that the sides of the LCA are angled, so it's hard to keep the press seated when trying to push the bushing out. Also, the bushing consists of a metal sleeve with a rubber bushing and another metal sleeve. When I tried to press it out the rubber would just flex till the press was maxed out, draw the pressure off the press and the bushing would go back to it's original position. I wasted more time with the press on one side then it took to remove both with the torch and chisel.

jay_g · 02-05-2013, 10:51 AM

Ordered the bushings so I should have them by the weekend. Saturday I got the jack stands out and did a reinstall of the end links. Took them off and put them back on, checked the bushing bracket bolts, and made some manly noise trq'n the lug nuts. I'm not sure what happened but now the clunk is gone. Maybe its playing tricks on me. I did notice the end link didn't seem fully seated against the sway bar so maybe that was my issue. For now the LCA bushings will sit on the shelf.