Need help diagnosing suspension clunk and steering wobble

[Racer Boy]

Originally Posted by Gordons986

While we are on the topic of replacing struts could you recommend a good site to buy new struts from? would i need new springs? or would you rather recommend coil overs? and could you refer me to a site for that?

I got my Bilstein shocks (my back-ordered rears just got in yesterday!) from ECS Tuning, but they are currently having a sale on Koni's right now. If I had to do it over again, I'd get the Koni Sports, they may be what you are looking for if you will be autocrossing. Pelican prices are competitive, but it's worth comparing the different vendors. I got my shocks, trailing arms, and various bushings, bearings, and bump stops from ECS, but the control arms, drop links, and tie-rod ends I got from Pelican.

You probably don't need to, but I am also going to replace the springs because I want it to be just a bit stiffer. Since I don't want the car to be drastically lower, I went with Porsche M030 ROW (rest of world) springs, which are the sport springs from cars sold in non-American markets (slightly stiffer and lower than the American sport package springs). I got the fronts (I think) from ECS, and the rears from a Porsche dealer who discounts parts.

Originally Posted by flaps10

I know my left rear track arm is sloppy and now I'm suspecting the ones up front.

My left rear trailing (track) arm was very bad. The passenger side was also bad, but it wasn't nearly as noisy.

Depending on the type of bump, my car makes different kinds of noises. If I'm turning sharply into a parking lot over a sidewalk ramp, then my front balljoints squeak and I can feel a "clunk" where there is sudden lateral movement in the suspension. If I am driving at more normal speeds, then there is still a lot of clunking from the rear suspension, but it's much reduced with new trailing arms. The front also rattles and sometimes clunks in normal driving.

Despite what is clearly a worn-out suspension system, the car still drives really well, and doesn't wander or dart around. I'm excited to experience the car with all new parts; it will probably drive terrifically awesome! :dance:

[jakeru]

Originally Posted by Gordons986

jakeru thank you very much for your reply. Yes its this front trailing arm that ive been suspecting as the culprit so i will probably end up replacing this first or maybe trying the repair that you posted (thank you again)

I will try dragging the brakes in the morning but i can tell you that the noise does happen if under acceleration over bumps and turning while accelerating also seems to still make the noise but i will try braking in the morning.

In the front, acceleration wouldn't be expected to quiet the trailing arm spherical bearing noise, since the boxster is RWD not FWD. Only the rear suspension components could respond in a meaningful way to engine brake or engine acceleration (or the application of e-brakes, for that matter, since they are only hooked up to the rears.)

One thing I'm concerned about is if it could be the trailing arm bushing that sits in the wishbone and not the ball joint on the trailing arm. or are these not so prone to wear/noise?

You can easily inspect that joint after you have the trailing arm disconnected. It's rubber. Look for any cracks or tears. If not cracked or torn, not sure you'll see any benefit from replacing it.

Originally Posted by Racer Boy

My guess is that since you are getting some shaking of the steering wheel when you hit the bump, it's the tie rods or the ball joint on the control arm itself. The trailing arm will make the noise, but shouldn't cause the shaking that you described.

I may be wrong, but I wouldn't rule out the track arm joints potentially causing a steering issue. If the fore-aft movement is significant enough, it would affect caster, which would affect steering. I guess it's more of a hunch of mine because I also have a similar steering inconsistency, which seems caused by accel/braking. I recently rebuilt lots of suspension parts and refurbished all of the balljoints and tie rod ends (all of which seemed reasonably tight), but I'm pretty sure I have a noisy rear track arm spherical bearing, and suspect this also may be responsible for the slight brake/torque effect on steering that I'm still noticing even after changing out all the shocks and closely inspecting pretty much everything. (I just won't be 100% certain I've properly diagnosed my own problem here, until I repair the loose track arm joint and verify whether it actually solves the small steering inconsistency.)

Originally Posted by Gordons986

Edit: Ok so today it is very wet and rainy here in Vancouver Canada and i took the car down to the local auto parts to buy oil etc (needs a change) I drove the whole way with radio off and listening to the noise except the noise happened for the first couple blocks but then got quieter and quieter.

I was also trying dragging the brakes over bumps that would make the noise and no sound. by the time i got home i pulled in and out of my driveway a few times trying to make the noise but it wouldn't.

I think you have some good info which suggests track arm joint as the likely culprit.

So im wondering if water is getting into something to stop it from making such a bad noise acting as a sort of lubricant?

Either that or possibly helps keep the joint cooler, and the hot vs cold affects the joint looseness due to material expansion/contraction.

[Racer Boy]

Originally Posted by jakeru

I may be wrong, but I wouldn't rule out the track arm joints potentially causing a steering issue. If the fore-aft movement is significant enough, it would affect caster, which would affect steering. I guess it's more of a hunch of mine because I also have a similar steering inconsistency, which seems caused by accel/braking. I recently rebuilt lots of suspension parts and refurbished all of the balljoints and tie rod ends (all of which seemed reasonably tight), but I'm pretty sure I have a noisy rear track arm spherical bearing, and suspect this also may be responsible for the slight brake/torque effect on steering that I'm still noticing even after changing out all the shocks and closely inspecting pretty much everything. (I just won't be 100% certain I've properly diagnosed my own problem here, until I repair the loose track arm joint and verify whether it actually solves the small steering inconsistency.)



I think you have some good info which suggests track arm joint as the likely culprit.

Not to be argumentative here, but the play in a track arm would be so small if they were really shot (less than 1 mm), that the effect on the caster would be miniscule. Go ahead and replace the track arms, because those are fairly easy, but I'm pretty certain that it is something else that is causing the shaking of the steering wheel.

Gordons986, I wouldn't get too excited about it being wet making the noise quiet down. There is no way your problem has magically disappeared, unfortunately.

[Gordons986]

Originally Posted by Racer Boy

Not to be argumentative here, but the play in a track arm would be so small if they were really shot (less than 1 mm), that the effect on the caster would be miniscule. Go ahead and replace the track arms, because those are fairly easy, but I'm pretty certain that it is something else that is causing the shaking of the steering wheel.

Gordons986, I wouldn't get too excited about it being wet making the noise quiet down. There is no way your problem has magically disappeared, unfortunately.

Haha don't worry I'm not excited at all if i seemed that way. Just really curious as to how/why the the noise just wouldn't happen yesterday when it has never stopped and only gotten worse since it started. and i still cant find any tears or looseness in anything with the help of someone else and a mechanic. just strange and trying to give you guys all the details.

again the feedback through the steering isn't much but it is present. I got out earlier and opened the car up at bit and was able to hit some bumps going about 70-80km and still no sound but i am getting the play still.

when i hit the bigger bumps the whole car sort of shakes like a shiver and the wheel does the same, you can just feel something isnt right. and when i go over smaller bumps like tar strips i dont get much feedback unless im going over 100km but i do get the noise (or i was getting the noise) I have to go for about an hours drive here in a bit and ill see if i can get the noise again. its cleared up here again so see what happens

[Gordons986]

Okay so I took the car out for a drive for an hour and no noise but some pulling on the highway the whole way there. on the way back however i had noise and still a little pulling/feedback. I took a video on my way back and you can hear the noise that im talking about and the steering wheel shake im talking about/ pulling. Im just uploading it to youtube now and will post the link when its done (about 1 hour)

In the mean time i took some pictures of some of the suspension components in the offending front driver side wheel area for you guys to see. and i also took some of the rear end for you to see. and i believe its worth nothing that both sides front and back look identical. the first 2 pictures are of the rear suspension...



this is a picture of the bottom of the wishbone on the front drivers side. the trailing arm bushing...



This is a picture of the strut on the same side... the bump stop is almost completely gone. however this is intact on the passenger side and rears.



and this is a picture of the trailing arm on the front drivers side at the ball joint connection.

[Gordons986]

more pictures of the front suspension...
this is a photo of the lower ball joint on the wishbone that connects to the carrier..

this is a photo of the outer tie rod end...

this is a photo of the stabilizer/end links

here is another photo of the lower ball joint on the wishbone

[Gordons986]

here is the link to a video i posted of the noise on youtube. you can hear the noise at about 4:20 during the video very clearly and a little steering wobble. there is another rattle from my wind deflector just so you know and try to ignore that. that on is obvious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCjROtwLd80

[Gordons986]

Originally Posted by Racer Boy

I got my Bilstein shocks (my back-ordered rears just got in yesterday!) from ECS Tuning, but they are currently having a sale on Koni's right now. If I had to do it over again, I'd get the Koni Sports, they may be what you are looking for if you will be autocrossing. Pelican prices are competitive, but it's worth comparing the different vendors. I got my shocks, trailing arms, and various bushings, bearings, and bump stops from ECS, but the control arms, drop links, and tie-rod ends I got from Pelican. :dance:

Thanks! I will definitly check out those suppliers. I will probably also opt for the M030 package as i do want a small amount lower and stiffer springs. mind you i do daily the car

Glad to hear you are getting it all replaced and good luck!

Jakeru; yes i too think that a caster issue could cause that type of steering feed back. From what ive gained today the trailing arm is the likely culprit.

However today i checked powersteering flud and topped up (was about an ounce or 2 low) and did my engine oil change after the rain stopped here. when i was doing this I thought id take a fifth or sixth look at the suspension upfront with someone shaking down the wheels and steering wheel while i was under and also me prying on things. however i still cant find any looseness.
I talked to my family friend and porsche mechanic today and asked him about it and he said something with the feedback im describing and noise should be very obvious.
anyways... i put the car back down and drove in and out of my driveway a few times with someone standing outside listening and the car still wouldnt make the noise. took it around the block and still no. didnt get any wobble over bumps either but then again i only got up to 50km in the neighborhood. Ill take the car out again tomorrow for a good run and see if it makes the noise then (hopefully whether holds out) in the mean time i will start researching and probably ordering parts to redo the suspension