• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

Clunking noise - drivers side

enduro

CEG'er
Joined
Sep 26, 2005
Messages
364
Location
Calgary, AB
I get a loud clunking sound on the drivers side whenever I do a sharp right turn. Its especially bad when I am making a slow turn . The problem started when I got an alignment after replacing both control arms and the passenger side front swaybar link.

I replaced the drivers side cv axle thinking that was where the clunking was coming from, but it made no difference.

The only things I can think of as possibly causing the noise are

1. Drivers side swaybar link - old but looks to still be in good condition. Would it clunk a lot if defective?
2. Wheel bearing - no other noises such as squealing / squeaking and seemed fine when doing the 12 and 6 test
3. Bad differential - is there any way to test if its good or not?

Anything else I should look for?
 
I get a loud clunking sound on the drivers side whenever I do a sharp right turn. Its especially bad when I am making a slow turn . The problem started when I got an alignment after replacing both control arms and the passenger side front swaybar link.

I replaced the drivers side cv axle thinking that was where the clunking was coming from, but it made no difference.

The only things I can think of as possibly causing the noise are

1. Drivers side swaybar link - old but looks to still be in good condition. Would it clunk a lot if defective?
2. Wheel bearing - no other noises such as squealing / squeaking and seemed fine when doing the 12 and 6 test
3. Bad differential - is there any way to test if its good or not?

Anything else I should look for?

Can you feel it in the steering wheel? Almost like it binds up and clunks when at full lock?
 
I rechecked everything today and since yesterday it has gotten much worse.

Now goes clunk, clunk clunk ..... turning both ways if I'm going slow and definately feels like the car is lurching.

I cant see what else it could be other than the differential.

I redid the 12 and 6 test- no discernible movement, new cv axle. new control arms and RR restictor is in decent shape.
 
Sounds like a cv joint still, although struts when really bad can clunk, and grab on and shake your sway bar links cause they can also clunk, only other think i would say would be lower control arm bushings or strut mount, if not all changed already
 
Thanks for the responses

Its become obvious it is something in the driveline, the car barely moves now. Plus, now I could hear grinding and spinning. The cv is brand new, so unless it was somehow destroyed when installed (unlikely) its the differential.

If I can find someone to swap the tranny for a reasonable price I'll get it fixed. If not, I'll probably just part out the POS.
 
Back
Top