[rkeysor]

I'm getting a popping noise from the right front on my suspension-- a single thud that sounds much like the thunk the doors make upon opening wide. I will hear this pop, as though a suspensin point was unwinding or unbinding, when making a turn, and I've heard it on both left and right turns. Drove probably 50 miles today, and heard it possibly four times. I recently removed and replaced my front brake rotors, and the brake pads, as well. The brakes work perfectly and I encountered no problem on that project. I made a very miniscule adjustment on the bearing on the right front wheel. I also made and installed a thin aluminum sheet cover over the sway bar bushing on the right front, where I have had some dripping from a power steering line. I've lifted the car, removed the right front wheel, and checked for anything that might be amiss. I've also double checked to make sure that the rubber bellows on the steering rack doesn't touch the shield I installed on the sway bar bushing. It doesn't come close. I'm considering lifting both sides of the front and turning the steering back and forth if nothing else emerges. Any ideas?

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[flash]

there are a couple of things to look at - it's probably the sway bar bushing - happens frequently, especially if there has been a power steering leak - shield probably didn't help

other than that, it could be the castor block, or the front lower control arm bushing - same cause

gotta fix that leak

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[xrad]

agree w/Flash: PS fluid will dissolve your bushings...

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[S_Cal968]

Not long ago I had a random/unusual sound up front and it turned out to be a failed s/bar bracket. Of course once the bracket broke, I donated my over-priced delrin bushing to the highway never to be found again. I have the re-enforcing truss which probably over stressed the bracket.

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[flash]

yup - when that bracket snaps, and they are known to do that, it can make a racket

depending on how the braces fit, it likely was not the culprit, though i know you had some issues with the ones you installed, so perhaps it was at the root - most of them fit without adding any load though, and don't cause issues - without them, if you have M030 bars, the OEM bracket wiggles around a lot and snaps pretty easily

i now have a second pair on each side, due to my huge swaybar - i'm not taking a chance of that thing going anywhere

did you end up replacing the delrin with new delrin or rubber? i think i might have a few delrin pieces lying around here somewhere

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[rkeysor]

I have removed the shielding I installed over the right front sway bar bushing, removed the bolts holding the bushing collar it at that point, and applied a bit of high tech lube to the bar under the bushing before reinstalling. Haven't driven the car yet to see if this was the origin of the noise. I intend to replace the leaking power steering hose, part number 43 on the power steering system schematic when I work up my nerve. I did finally locate the attachment point on the steering box and have acquired the 6 mm allen socket bit that I think removing it requires. I'm waiting for cooler weather here in Florida to determine whether I can break that connection loose so that I can install a new line and the four required sealing rings.

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[S_Cal968]

Are you sure it's the high pressure line, [#43]? Typically the low pressure line leaks just below the reservoir, [#26] and just requires tightening.
Just a reminder, if you do replace the hi-press line, be sure to get the compression sealing rings, [#42] for the banjo bolts. I would hope the line would come with the seals - scratch that, Porsche is hurting for money right now... [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/huh.gif[/img]

@Flash; I decided to use the M030 rubber bushings for now - I have a steep driveway that I traverse everyday. When I move to a home [hopefully soon] with a flat driveway I'll consider re-installing the delrin. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif[/img]

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[flash]

well, on the front bar, if you do the groove mod on the delrin, you don't have to install them on a flat driveway - there won't be any preload, so it isn't an issue

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[S_Cal968]

LOL I think you may have missed my point - my issue has nothing to do with grease or installation..
My steep driveway puts too much strain on the brackets - I broke a bracket while backing out of my driveway. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif[/img]
I'm hoping to buy another house in the next 6 - 10 mos and one requirements is a big flat driveway.

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[flash]

i don't understand how the driveway has anything to do with it - the suspension can go through full swing and drop without stressing the bracket - how does a driveway factor in?

the only way i figure there was a problem was that the reinforcing brackets weren't installed so that they did not push on the oem brackets - that or the oem brackets were already cracked due to the poor design, and it coincidentally broke

in either case, new ones, properly installed, should not be a problem at all - you should be able to fully compress one side of the suspension and fully drop the other without stressing the brackets

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[Ryan]

How many miles on your car? A "thunk" noise sometimes comes from really shot struts as well.

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[rkeysor]

This '92 has just over 145,000 miles on it. I have driven it since I loosened the anti-sway bar bushing and put a little high tech grease on the bar before putting the bushing back in place. I drove the car today and didn't hear anything. That bushing had been getting a slight bath from the power steering leak, and I had cleaned it out and put a shield over it before the noise started. I think it was just binding a bit, though I must say I don't have a lot of faith in that notion. I'll report back if it resumes.

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[rxter]

I hear a mild thunk occasionally myself. But typically when taking a turn very briskly L or R) - not in normal driving situations. I thought it might be a cladding bracket since one of the speed nuts was gone and I rounded up some bits that sort of fit. Now I wonder if my bushing or strut is giving me grief. I had a lot of PS leakage a while back. Busing had been replaced and the newer one looked OK but that constant exposure to the PS can't take long to eat that stuff up.

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[flash]

i thought i had your car up in the air on tech day and found a strut bearing on its way out

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[rkeysor]

I started this thread complaining that I was getting an occasional clunk from my front suspension. I reported that I had removed one of the two supporting brackets for the sway bar--one that I had fiddled with earlier--slid the bushing over and put a bit of high tech grease on the sway bar, and then put it back together. I have had no further "clunking." I conclude that the bushing, cleansed of the some power sterring fluid, had started bidning and then unloading, making the clunk. Seems OK now.

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