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Strut mounts/clunking

10K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  BColeman 
#1 ·
Hey - new here... I have a question regarding 2002 Elantra GLS strut mounts. I did a search, and didn't find much.

The car in question has ~80k miles and has developed a clunk over bumps (from pulling into the driveway to expansion joints on the road). I took a look at the mounts, and the rubber is pretty deteriorated, especially the driver's side.

My past experience leads me to believe that these may be the cause, or part of the cause, of the clunk. Is this correct, or does the Elantra have some other common cause for clunking? If it's just the mounts, I'm guessing a Haynes manual will cover everything needed to replace... unless there is a DIY somewhere.

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Lots of things can make a clunk.
Make sure its not outer tie rods, can also be safety issue.

If its upper strut mounts --stiff steering also a likely side effect.

Nothing wrong with getting opinions (free) from a shop.
If two places come to the same conclusion , your on the right track.
 
#4 ·
the sway bar mount bushings can cause a clunk niose when worn out also.... its VERY common on caravans/t &c's and voyager mini vans... and for some reason.. my energy suspension bushings too if i let them go to long between greasings..... it is harder to spot worn out bushings cause even just 1 millimeter of wear is hard to actually see but can cause a nasty noise...
 
#5 ·
i also have a "clunk" noise which started after my car was lowered. i checked the struts and tightened the mounts and anything in the rear just to check it out. i think its just the coils on the springs hitting eachother tho, i havent wrapped them yet like most members do on the board. i doubt its my sway bushings, theres only 27,000 on the car and they looked good when i lowered it.
 
#6 ·
If you are going to keep this car until it dies do your self a favor
Replace Spring, strut and month all at the same time.

Do all four and you will have a new ride!!
Give yourself about 30 days to get use to it.

I replace all 4 struts my 2001 GLS with 131 K miles last fall and this spring I WILL pull it all apart again and replace all four springs. The car is too big and weights too much to keep the old springs. So much for saving the $$ on this idea. I knew better :mad:

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for all of the feedback.

I finally pulled it into the garage to check it out more thoroughly. I did a basic bounce test on the front suspension, and the drivers side is hard as a rock and takes a good 5 seconds to slowly rebound to normal height. So now I suppose I'll be replacing the front struts. We'll see what else is worn out while I'm in there.
 
#9 ·
I too developed the clunk about a month ago and finally isolated where it was coming from. The nut that bolts the shock absorber rod to the upper strut mount was loose. Don't ask me how, I dunno. Tightened it back up and the noise wen't away.

The clunk seemed only to appear going over bumps. Steering/ride was no different, clunk happened when turning over bumps, straight over bumps (specially speed bumps), etc.
 
#10 ·
1) Shocks/struts should be replaced every 60k miles. That's a recommendation, so if they aren't leaking, you don't necessarily have to replace them.

2) Strut mounts tend to wear out over time, especially the fronts, where they pull double duty as pivots for the strut for turning, and as a mount for the suspension.


If you are hearing clunking, it is typically associated with the strut and strut mounts. Tie rods don't make any noise if they are bad, they just result in poor alignments that don't last long and poor tire wear. Endlinks, if they break, can cause clunking emanating from the sway bar area. If you've got the plastic ones, they are worth a look-see.

Additionally, check for a broken spring. It is more evident outside the car, if the car is leaning a specific way. The spring supports the car, and if one is broken, you'll hear clunking, and see your car leaning a weird way.
 
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