Sanjman

Hey Guys, I tried but I couldn't find a search on this because it's hard to describe what it sounds like.

Everytime I brake and turn on 1st gen LS, I hear this clunk sound as if my car was "cracking a knuckle"



Yeah sorry bad analogy... but I can't anymore.
Oh wait... better analogy ....... a hammer hitting a large thick object.
Could it be my shocks/struts or springs?

Don't have a clue.

Please help!

rhayward

on my driver side i have a knocking sound when driving noe related to the engine. it happens only when i am moving. something is loose somewhere. the sound come from the front of the steering wheel. gotta clue

persian451

i hear the same thing on my LS.. I have changed just about everything in the engine (i.e sensors, and all the other junk that needs to be replaced..) I have also changed my shocks..

the only thing i remember is that teh sound goes away when i have brand new brakes.. so it could be something with the brake system... or it could be bushings or something.. but the bushings only make sounds when you go over speedbumps

Sanjman

Hey Persian.... do you have pictures of how your LS looks with the Xenon? Maybe close ups and night shots?

I want to get them.... but not sure if it is really worth it....

What brand u have?

persian451

sorry man.. i forget to change that all the time... they used to be xenon bulbs... i think my parking lights are still xenon.. if you are gonna get any, you should get PIAA... they are good... i went from PIAA headlights to Sylvania Silver Stars.. they are really good actually.. gives you a silver look... Personally.. I like it.. if you want pics let me know .. maybe that'll help

BrianV

Does it make that clunk if you slam on your brakes at 5 MPH?

Mine does that too and I gotta figure out what to do to fix it.

lextek

Brian V, you need strut bars replaced. They are installed at an angle and the bushings are under stress, they have worn/cracked and are moving. Approximately $60-100 each.

BrianV

Are you positive? I've had like 4 people look at it and everyone has said something different, but no one has said this. Although no one has really looked at it carefully. One person said sway bar bushings, one person just said shocks, one person said control arms.

I'll look into that more, but that does sounds like that could be it.

BrianV

I read that someone said you can sometimes lube the bushings on the strut bars and it will help the problem temporarily. I want to do this to see if there's any change at all (if there is then I'll be positive that this is the part that needs changing). However, I've never looked at a LS400 front suspension and I'm lacking a visual image of where these strut bar bushings are. Can anyone offer any insight? Also, what would you recommend I use for a lube?

lextek

I'm positive that is what is wrong with your car. You cannot lube them to repair or stop the noise. The strut bars must be replaced, the bushings cannot be replaced alone. They are attatched to the lower control arm by two 19mm nuts, and then attatched forward of the control arms with a 22mm nut and a 24mm bolt, that is your caster adjustment. You can mark the eccentrics with white out to replace them in the exact same spot, however if an alignment has been done to your car with these same strut bars an alignment should be done after replacement.

I am 100% positive you need strut bars put on your car. Makes noise over potholes or driveway entry type bump, or rolling at a slow speed and tap the brakes suddenly a loud knocking noise is heard, and if you look at the front wheels they are actually moving approximately 3".

Good luck.
lextek

BrianV

Damn that is EXACTLY where my problems are. Also, when I had a mechanic test drive it he kept slamming on the brakes in the lot and I commented that I thought the front wheels were jolting/moving a bit too much.

Just so I understand correctly, there are two pieces, a driver and passenger side? I will order these right away and get them put in.

Thanks I owe you big, I'm confident that this is the right answer being that you guessed all of my exact problems, and are the only person who is confident in their answer.

persian451

how much will all that cost?

BrianV

60-100 per bar. I got a good part's guy so probably $60 a piece. I'll either install them myself (I have compressors and have done a lot of car lowering jobs before), or I'll get my g/f's uncle who's a mechanic to pop them in for me.

Thus to be safe $150 should take care of me, I'd say $250 if I was paying for labor. However, this on top of a big timing belt job I'm going to do, and trying to get my a/c whine problem fixed.

lextek

Just to make the job easier, when you install them, install the bushing end first and slide the 24mm bolt through it, then, take a big pair of channel locks or a crescent wrench and grab the strut bar and twist it so the studs line up at the same angle as the stud holes, then while still twisting, hit the top of the strut bar with a big hammer to drive it into place, then tighten it all up. The biggest pain in this job is a 17mm bolt that is in the center of the lower shock bracket, reinstalling it is a bit tricky to start without crossthreading, just leave the bolt that runs above it horizontally, a bit loose so you can move the shock bracket front to rear to allow good access to the bolt hole in the lower control arm. Note: 95-97 LS400's are the most prone to this, 94 and below are never a problem due to design difference, 98-2000 wear out but not near as bad or quick as the 95-97's.

Hope that all makes sense.

lextek

lextek

One more thing, on first gen LS's with a cracking noise etc. First thing I would do is tighten the hell out of every bolt on the front suspension, especially alignment angle eccentrics, tighten everything. Sometimes, if an alignment has been done, the guy doing it didn't tighten them REALLY tight and they can pop, especially on lower control arms.

lextek.