Insane clunk in front - Boxster S 2002 - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Orjanus · 06-23-2020, 01:07 AM

Can someone help me we a fresh view - I have an annoying clunk somewhere in the front of my Boxster and I need a fresh start.

It has been at two Porsche specialists, I have changed the drop links, the steering rods and the main tie rods, to no avail at all. I have also stripped most of the front, bent & knocked on most things, still no clue.

Symptom: a distinct clunk that you hear when driving slow. The smallest bump in the road makes it happen (my best description of the character of the sound: imagine you had not tightened the center bolt on the spare wheel so that it could "wiggle" back and forth a little, that kind of clunk/noise. And yes, I have of course tried taking out the spare and the jack etc.)

A clue: it has something with heat to do. If I start the car when it is 20 C/68 F outside, I need to drive for quite a while before the clunking starts. But if it has been parked in the sun when we have 28 C/82 F, it starts almost immediately, after just a short ride.

I know this sounds weird, because I have spent two seasons trying to find & eliminate this b****y noise, it is driving me insane(r).

Grateful for any fresh takes and/or own experiences. And btw, the car is in good shape and works flawlessly, apart from this.

Orjan-in-Stockholm

Starter986 · 06-23-2020, 03:33 AM

Welcome to the forum.

Stroked & Blown · 06-23-2020, 04:13 AM

Sounds like a bad front control arm link a.k.a. ‘Tuning fork’.

Orjanus · 06-23-2020, 04:28 AM

Hi,

yes, that is what one of the mechanics told me as well, so they are changed - no difference.

The old ball bushings did look a bit dry & worn so you can imagine I had high hopes when changing, hope that was crushed.

Quadcammer · 06-23-2020, 04:37 AM

Honestly the front suspension on these cars is so simple and relatively inexpensive. Id consider refreshing the corner with a new strut mount, new strut, control arms, and sway bar bushings. Nothing else to clunk at that point.

78F350 · 06-23-2020, 05:08 AM

Are you certain that it is in the front of the car? Can you feel the clunk or is it only sound? When was the last time the engine mount was replaced?

Orjanus · 06-23-2020, 05:30 AM

Yes, the sound can be felt in the steering wheel, it is transfered some way through the entire front of the car. Nothing dramatic, but metal against metal will transfer easily.

Yesterday I had a stroke of geniousness - could it be something with the adjustment of the steering wheel? I put it in its inner (furthest away from the driver) position, no difference.

It really is like something is wiggling/wobbling, and quite slowly; just like I described with the spare wheel centre bolt analogy.

Orjan

78F350 · 06-23-2020, 05:45 AM

My current bet is that the front strut bearing/strut mount is the problem.

(B) or (D)

Racer Boy · 06-23-2020, 03:53 PM

Or it's the lower control arms. Mine were bad and I could feel the clunk in the wheel when going slowly. It also didn't do it when the car was cold or cool, it took a few miles and then the noise would start.

Orjanus, I was fortunate to visit your beautiful city last year. What a wonderful place!

Orjanus · 06-24-2020, 12:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racer Boy

Or it's the lower control arms. Mine were bad and I could feel the clunk in the wheel when going slowly. It also didn't do it when the car was cold or cool, it took a few miles and then the noise would start.

Orjanus, I was fortunate to visit your beautiful city last year. What a wonderful place!

I have replaced the drop-links, the steering rods and the rod with a "fork" at the end but not the main, most sturdy rod (struggling with the correct English designations here).

I'm starting to lean towards the strut/shock absorbers, something I have deliberately avoided to tackle since the car feels tight & fit in every way, apart from the clunk.

Glad that you enjoyed Stockholm!

Gilles · 06-24-2020, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Racer Boy

Orjanus, I was fortunate to visit your beautiful city last year. What a wonderful place!

Yes, indeed

Orjanus · 06-26-2020, 01:02 AM

I´m pretty sure this is it!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EBSqYA75ko

tonythetiger · 06-30-2020, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orjanus

I´m pretty sure this is it!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EBSqYA75ko

tie rods, inner and outer are easy and cheap to replace, IF you have the inner tie rod tool or can rent it, yeah? I found this tool worth the 100 bucks to buy it, even for one job. Cinching the boot on the inner rod to the rack is tedious also. I ended up using stainless tie wraps the first time because I didnt have this special 15 dollar tool to crimp the clamps provided. The tie wraps worked fine.
My experience with suspension is a clunk in the rear is drop links or the "tuning fork", which seem to wear out quicker than the main control arm and the camber adjustment link...in the rear.
In the front, the main control arm and the drop links are my culprit. The tuning fork and the tie rods are cheap enough that I just replace all of it, but as others have mentioned, this could be your strut mount (heat-related makes this less likely in my mind) or as I have experienced, the main control arm, the fat paddle on the bottom that the tuning fork ties to. Up front I found this part worn on two of my boxsters, and you cant tell until you replace it. Its also easy enough to figure out if the sway bar bushings are shot, so Ill leave that to your judgment.
good luck

Gilles · 07-01-2020, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonythetiger

tie rods, inner and outer are easy and cheap to replace, IF you have the inner tie rod tool or can rent it, yeah? I found this tool worth the 100 bucks to buy it, even for one job.

Tony, I bought this tool for less than $20 and it worked great, I use it a couple of weeks ago on my DD V70, but must likely it would work on the Cayman as well

https://www.ipdusa.com/products/21818/140135-volvo-inner-tie-rod-tool-cta-4014

willw · 07-04-2020, 12:39 PM

You mentioned many things, but this part seems the most common culprit for front-end clunks.

Look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNxvp97gtrM

Sorry if this was already replaced. Good luck.

tonythetiger · 07-05-2020, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilles

Tony, I bought this tool for less than $20 and it worked great, I use it a couple of weeks ago on my DD V70, but must likely it would work on the Cayman as well

https://www.ipdusa.com/products/21818/140135-volvo-inner-tie-rod-tool-cta-4014

Wow, and lol. I can see this working fine, and inventive. I went with this nice tool made by OEM, useful for many different cars. Turns out the shop Im friendly with didn’t have one, so I left it up there for them.

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