Guys, I am just sharing because this costed me alot more than it probably should have. I have a stock suspension set up and some time back I started getting a clunking noise from the the suspension when I went slowly over bumps. It went away when I hit bumps over 30 MPH or so. It first sounded like it was coming from the rear, then when listening closely realized it came from the front...very annoying noise. I looked under the car and could not see anything obvious...ball joints, rubber bushings, everything tight and whole. I had all shocks replaced (thankfully saved some money by purchasing them from mariadshalacks here), but it still ran me over 400 bucks. Anyways, the clunking was still there and a competent mechanic told me one of the end links were busted. Thing is, I could not tell with the car suspended off the ground because enough tension on the end link gave me the impression that it was ok.

For me, this was a difficult (and costly) suspension noise solution. I wanted to share it with everyone here so they don't get hosed when trying to diagnose suspension noise.

 

Yeah.. broken end-links are hard to notice unless you visually see it.
I drove for a while with a broken end-link and never knew it until the next time I took my tire off.

 

This is very, very true. Note that they will ALSO make a similar clunking noise if the bolt is not tightened down properly. This noise happens more at the initial turn-in into a a turn rather than when going over bumps, but during bumps as well.

Finally, when I tightened everything correctly, and fixed the clunking, I was listening for all sounds and noticed ANOTHER (different) clunking upon turn-in. This was my rear shocks which were dying. They make a similar (though not exactly the same) sound if they are blown out, and it happens under similar conditions (when turning, not so much over bumps). Oil leaking from the shock body will definitely confirm this, but a lack of oil doesn't necessarily mean all is fine.

Hope that helps...

 

I've gotten this noise many times when I put in my Racing Beat sways. It always has come from a bolt being loose that's related to the sway bar, and I couldn't see anything visually. I recommend that you jack the car up, take off the wheels and check the bolt tightnesses for the lower endlink joints, upper endlink joints, and also the bushing nuts (that hold the middle of sway bar to the car)

 

when you tighten the endlinks on the swaybar, you are supposed to take off all tension that the spring is putting onto the sway bar before tightening the endlink nut. Try that.

 

Meaning....tighten it while jacked up and the wheels off the ground?

 

If the two wheels are not leveled with respect to each other, then there will be tension on the sway bar. So if the car is jacked up on one side, you will need to also jack up the suspension to get rid of the tension. Then you can torque the nut down to the specified torque rating.

 

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-parts-sale-wanted-44/fs-awr-endlinks-175341/

 

i'm having a weird noise coming from the front left now. I got an alignment like 2-3 weeks ago, and a new set of tires. I checked the endlinks a few minutes ago though I left the car on the ground and it looks fine, its still connected and all. Could it still be the problem?

 

I am acutally having the same new problem you are. I cant figure it out and its driving me crazy enough i might have someone check it out

 

There is a TSB on this type of front noise...

http://www.finishlineperformance.com...5-08-1948a.pdf

 

I know that is not my problem and i still have noise.. im having an expert take a look at it tomarrow

 

what happened??? what was the problem?

 

I ended up replacing my front struts. The driverside was definately shot. I was able to move it without any trouble, infact with the nut off the strut, it basically just dropped into the hydrolic end. Once replaced the noise stopped.