Front strut install/broken spring question

[FRANKENCAMRY]

Installed new front struts and strut mounts a week ago. Found out my left spring was broken so replaced both springs also. Everything now is much better except I still get an occasional knock noise from the left front. I can make it happen by turning sharply to the right at about 25 mph. But it also happens sometimes when going straight at lower speeds.

Question 1: At first I thought it might be because the strut mount nuts or the top strut nut were not torqued. In checking these I've found that when I turn the top strut nut the bolt (strut piston) turns with it. I made a mark on the 1/4 inch of exposed bolt above the nut to verify this. Is this correct?

Question 2: Is it possible that some other part of the front left suspension might have been affected by riding around w/ a broken spring. Lower ball joint maybe?

[augie7071]

Sounds like a lower ball joint. Raise car by the body,normal jacking point. Support the car by frame. Try to move the bottom of the tire inward and outward. if it moves freely remove tire and visuly inspect ball joint. What year is it? How many miles? I would change both lower joints along with struts. There not that many $ to take a chance

[Mike Gerber]

I just repaired a problem like this on my wife's 98. It turned out to be the front left side end link was defective. Raise the car off the ground as described above, remove the left fornt wheel and see if you can move the end link up and down or side to side. If you can, it's bad and needs replacing. I got an aftermarket part at Napa for $78.

Mike

[FRANKENCAMRY]

Augie7071 - Its a 93 LE w/ 130K miles

Mike - I assume you're talking about the sway bar end links?

I'll try both tests.

[FRANKENCAMRY]

The ball joints seem good. I can't move the bottom of the tire in/out at all.

I can't move the sway bar link up/down at all either. I can move the link side to side but maybe that's normal? It pivots around it's ball joints.

The sway bar bushing shows a gap between the bar and the bushing. Looks like it needs replacing. Did the rears last month - they were much easier to get at than the front. Anyone have tips on doing front bushings? Also will bad front bushings cause my clunk sound?

[Mike Gerber]

Also will bad front bushings cause my clunk sound?


They can, if it's allowing the swaybar to contact any metal areas. Could you move the bar enough to casue any metal-to-metal contact? Seems like the bushings do need to be replaced. I haven't done the fronts so I can't offer any advice there.

Good luck.

Mike

[FRANKENCAMRY]

With the car on jack stands and the front suspension fully extended I can't budge the sway bar.

If I bounce the car hard on the left font I can make the sound happen. Sounds like it coming from inside the fender between the headlight and the wheel well. I'm going to take the inside fender shield off and take a look.

FWIW: The noise sounds like a rock being tossed up and hitting metal on the inside of the wheel well. Most of the time there is just a single clunk - once in a while there is a double.