Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension Hurray finally my problem has been identified I think

Misery loves company and it seems that I have found the company that I have been looking for it seems that I am within the company of contour owners that have a clunking sound coming from the back of their cars. I get this clunking sound only when my car is loaded with passengers and the trunk is full and when hitting the appropriate bump I get the clunk which occurred in my car only after a Lincoln Town car hit and mashed my car suspension up against a high curb. The funny thing about this ailment is that the ford mechanics could not find the problem way back in 96. The ford mechniques heard the clunking sound during test drives and would recommend a strut replacement. A body shop that did a great deal of body work on my car in 96 would recommend a knuckle replacement. A Firestone tires store would recommend and actually perform the knuckle replacement in 98. Yet still the problem remained. Clunk Clunk
So does anyone know of a good contour mechanics in the Brooklyn new York area that understands this problem and knows how to fix it?
OR
How best would I explain to my current mechanics, a local near the job Amoco gas station service center, my problem. The problem could possibly be the rear stabilizer bar moving around in a worn bushings housed within stock mounting brackets. If this is indeed the issue within the posts that I have read under the suspension form the solution would be to replace the bushings or both the bracket and suspension with non stock items for stock seems to be not very good here. The problem could also be the reinforcing backing plate holes that the rear stabilizing bar brackets are screwed into have been striped or no longer can hole the bracket firmly possibly because they were ripped off of the sub frame. Potholes are a ***** here in New York. To resolve this problem will welding be needed to fix the damaged metal work? What kind of shop knows about this type of work? A body shop a tire shop a suspension shop?

The contour group suspension forums seems to recommend not using the stock parts that a local gas station mechanic would use and find in the books that he consults when looking for parts to replace the old ones of the cars he works on.

Should I replace the parts with after market versions of the rear sway bar along with the mounting brackets for the sway bars bushings for the sway bars and backing plates for the brackets to attach to. If what I say seems confused it is because I am still learning this problem definition and solution. How much would it cost to replace these three parts and how much hourly service would be needed?

Any comments please or recommendations please.

OK here's the scoop. The upgraded backing plates are needed if you go to anything bigger than the stock size bar for your car. The reason being is that the backet material that the loop hooks into is lightweight material and can easily bend under the higher loads placed on it by increasing the size of the rear bar. In your case you may have damaged your brackets in the accident if the rear tires were pushed sideways on the concrete and/or contacted the curb as well. If you don't plan to autocross every weekend or install a larger rear sway bar, the stock pieces should be fine for the repair. If you have the ability to look at it for yourself before you take it to a mechanic you should be able to tell whether or not the brakect is bent and/or the bushing retainer has pulled out of the bracket.

HTH,
Rick

Well I took the car into the local Amoco gas service station near the job today and explained the rear stabilizer problem as it was explained within these forums.

I will tell what the mecahnic discovers posters.

Also I alluded within these posts the fact that my rear passenger door lock stopped working and that he will work on as well.

What ever the problems found I can only hope that the expense to fix is not laughable to fix it your selfers and even for those that pay to have the work done.

Mecahnic just called and mentioned that I need two Sway Bar lengths which contains the braket and bushings mentioned in the suspension forum. They should cost $125 a pair installed. The door lock so far he has not been able to open and so far might just recommend a body shop to me.

Too resolve the door lock problem I might just take the car to ford.

OMG! $125 If your at all mechanically inclined, actually scratch that anyone can replce the rear sway bar bushings and brackets. It sounds intimidating but its really easy and the parts should be no more then $20 through Bill Jenkins.

For those interested to know I had two sway link kits (left and right) installed replacing the older ones. Only the left side was broken. Together both costs $46 for the pair. To have them installed they costs one hour of service resulting in 75 dollars of labor. I have not yet been able to repeat the driving conditions that caused the clunking sound mentioned earlier i.e.: a fully loaded car. Will probably have to wait for the weekend for that test. Will post results here which I am hoping will be noise eliminated.

First thing to look at when you get a clunk in the rear end is the rear stabilizer bar shackles (outside, attaches from bar to control arm) and the bar bushings (middle). It happens to almost all Contiques.

so far no clunks heard yet

still listening.