Carerra Front Shocks

[homer]

I have been working through a front end clinking noise and think I have isolated the issue to the shocks -- I have taken the shocks out had the suspension trough complete travel, greased fittings...If I push down on the front fender with the parked I hear a slight clink -- when driving and making a sharp turn into a driveway or hitting a small bump I hear a loud clink -- I have looked at the shocks and they appear to be ok, no oil leak...is this a common to carerra front shocks...anyone else had such a problem...perhaps its not the shocks?? thanks in advance

[gasman]

Check every nut and bolt that has anything to do with the front end, including the cross member. I don't think this is a shock issue, it could however be a spring issue. Does it do this on both sides?

Steve Foushee
Unique #4279389

[GeorgiaSnake]

I'd check the sway bar as well.

Randy

Unique 289 FIA #2899420
Southern Automotive 396
Team III 16's
Brilliant Silver

[homer]

thanks -- the noise is coming from the right front -- I checked all the bolts and clearance and didnt find anything that would result in the clanking noise I am hearing -- when making a sharp right turn I hear a double clanking sound once the wheel is turned if I hit a small bump or go up an incline such as a driveway -- the ride height is set to give me 3.5" of clearance to the canton pan and nothing appears to be rubbing at rest -- when wheels are straight or turned complete to the left or right have clearance as well

[gasman]

Homer, Ride height has nothing to do with what you are hearing. Randy's suggestion to check the sway bar is good. As I said before, my suggestion would be to get the car on a lift and check the torque on every nut and bolt. Upper control arms with spacers? Check everything. The front cross member needs to be torqued also. Do I recall you recently posted about vibration or am I confusing you with someone else?

Steve Foushee
Unique #4279389

[homer]

I cranked on all the bolts all looks good including the sway bar but still makes the noise like something is breaking

[eliminator]

Could be internal damage on one of the shocks. Isolate the area and pull that shock and check it out. The piston may have pulled out of the rod.

Rick
#4279405

[nolastyankee]

Homer,
Another thought for troubleshooting...Pull the shock, and remove the spring and push/pull through it's travel to see if it moves smoothly. Also, if you have isolated the noise to the right front, swap the RF shock with the LF shock and see if the noise 'moves'. I would be wary of driving until isolating the culprit...

Brian Carlson

Unique 9122 - 289 FIA Cobra - The Legendary "Spence" Car

[gasman]

Homer, Brian is right, this could be a real safety issue.

Steve Foushee
Unique #4279389

[spd4me]

When I first got my FIA it made a load noise going over bumps. The problem was the springs were adjusted all the way down on the shock and the shock was bottoming out. Make sure the adjustment on the bottom of the spring is screwed up to get the spring up on the shock.
Bob

[homer]

Well -- all bolts are tight -- the car has been in the garage for a couple of days -- went to jack it up on the drivers side and hear one loud pop (hard to tell where it came from other than the front of the car) when the car began to lift from rest and then another as the suspension relaxed before the wheels lifted off the ground. I have new springs on (problem occured with the old springs) -- as you can see from other posts I am not an automotive genius but my sense is it must be the shocks??????

[homer]

forgot to mention that the when I changed the springs, the shocks seemed ok made a slight creaking noise when compressed