OK, I’ve changed the strut that was bad, put on a new XC90 Spring Seat on that side (the one I took off looked perfectly fine), put new control arms on both sides and I still have a clunking noise. The shocks, struts, end links, strut mounts and end links have all been replaced within the last year. I also had to put a new axle on the driver’s side. What else could be making a clunking sound? I have been up under and so has my son in law who is a mechanic and neither one of us see anything. I really thought it was the ball joint, but now that's new too.

 

did you replace the strut mount too or just the seats?


nevermind.

 

Just the seats. The strut mounts looked good. My son, who also drives two Volvo's, suggested possibly engine or tranmission mounts.

 

Subframe mount

You have replaced everything you can. When the frame torx(sp) the sway bar is mounted to the subframe. All that tension is put into controlling the body roll by one section being attached to the subframe and the other to the strut. Both are fighting each other. The Subframe is independent of the body on mounts of its own so when the body is trying to be controlled by the swaybar all that energy is placed on those four subframe mounts.

I replaced my lower control arm on the passenger side last weekend because I have the clunking too. Did not resolve it. I suspected the subframe mount so I used a prybar and put some force on it. It squeaked like crazy. From inside the cabin the clunk seems to be coming from right at the passengers feet (right where the subframe mount is).

Another clue, It only makes the noise (loud) when its dry. We had a good rain and the clunk went away, next day (dry) it came back. If it were a some kind of a ball joint it would make no difference if it was wet or dry, the ball would move and clunk. For me, I am going after that mount and have already ordered it.

 

+1, a bad front engine mount (pass side) could make this sort of noise, you would notice the noise at start/stop if tranny mount gone bad.

 

I hear the noise on rough roads mostly. There is so much snow I have not driven it much since I changed everything. My son in law said go retighten every bolt and don't use a torque wrench. Said he only uses torque wrenches for engine work. How can you really over tighten a bolt on the suspension?

The sound really does sound like it's coming from the passenger side and does not do it on starting and stopping like a motor mount would. When my son in law was driving and I was on the passenger side I swear I felt the clunking under my feet. Where is the subframe mount?

 

I think they are talking about the R/S engine mount between the engine and subframe.
Are you 100% sure you got the cross nut tightened enough?
To make sure use a wrench and try to turn the top strut nut. If it spins at all the cross nut is not tight enough.

 

Well here is something from fcpgroton that is called subframe mount:

http://www.fcpgroton.com/product-exe...Subframe+Mount

Anybody ever replaced these and did it solve the clunking problem?

 

What I meant was #1 (front mount) and #6 (tranny mount).

 

We had a similar issue on my wife's XC70 (I know, different car, but....) I had replaced EVERYTHING and still had a clunk. It turned out to be the end link I had replaced about a year earlier. Lesson I learned was "Just because something has been replaced doesn't mean it can't be bad..."

Just my .02

Glenn

 

CLUNK IS GONE!

Retightened all the nuts on the passenger side and I didn't hear any clunking on the drive I just took. I tightened the two big bolts on the bottom of the strut about 1/8 turn (maybe even a little less), the bolts holding a-frame to frame just a touch and the one that holds the end link to the strut assembly about 1/4 turn. I'm thinking that last one was the problem. That's the last time I use a torque wrench for stuff like that, and the torque wrench is brand new too. I just used half inch drive to tighten a little tighter. I had to use an allen wrench with a pipe and a long box wrench for the nut on the end link though. Guess my son in law knows what he's talking about.

Man it felt good to finally drive my yellow T5R! Been on jack stands now for about 3 weeks and I've been driving the Envoy. No comaprison, but nice to have 4WD with the weather we've been having.

 

Glad all is good. I never trust a torque wrench on anything like that. Only on motor stuff like headbolts and the cam covers.

 

Apparently our clunks were different. I replaced my rear right sub frame mount today and my clunk is now gone too.

 

OK now I have a different clunking. This one is most noticeable when I back out of the garage and the steering is turned all the way to the right. It's just one loud clunk and I kind of feel it in the steering and it's getting worse. I think this one is something more in the steering than in the suspension though. It's not that constant clunking I was getting. It's just when I'm turning and mostly when in reverse, but I have heard it going forward also. It was loud enough today that has me a little nervous driving the car.

 

Have you lubed the steering stops lately?

 

what kind of lube can you use? Molybdenum grease?

 

Nope. As far as I know I have never lubed my steering stops. I remember reading about doing it on here, but don't really remember what to do? It's a pretty loud hard clunk that I'm hearing and feeling.

 

Any Grease will work fine. I like using a Silicon based grease but any will work.

There is the plastic stops on the front of the control arms. Put some grease on them and see if the noise goes away.

 

Have to admit I was pretty skeptical about just greasing the Steering Stops, but figured what the heck so while I was changing the oil on Saturday I greased up both side all fours surfaces. Have not heard the clunk since and I tried to make it do it.

One should never doubt tech!

Well spoke too soon I guess. Took five people to lunch today and heard the clunk again when backing out of the parking space. Anybody have any other ideas? Could it be my tie rod outer end links? They do not look bad, but they are one of the things I have not replaced.

 

It clunked really loud again when I back out of the garage this morning. Kind of sounds and feels like you hit a rock or something with the left front tire with the wheels turned to the right almost all the way, but not quite all the way. I tried pulling back into the garage and backing out the same way to see if it would make the noise again and it would not. It will occasionally make the noise going forward too.