Tag Archives: shocks

5 Things That Cause Your Front End To Clunk

front end clunk, car clunking, cluking under hood, sway bar, shocks, ball joints, tie rods, loose suspension

It can be one of the most annoying noises your car, or truck can produce. That CLUNK when you turn the wheel of your vehicle. The issue here could actually be a number of things. There can be 5 things that can cause a front end clunk.

  • ball joints
  • tie rod
  • sway-bar links
  • shocks
  • shock mounts

Take a look at the video below for a quick explanation how each of these components can be the culprit of causing that front end clunk.

If you’ve exhausted the entire list of potential problems above, remember it could be your control arm bushings. As was said in the video, these are pretty heavy duty bushings, so you probably have put a LOT of miles on your vehicles.

If you aren’t really sure how to check your GM vehicle’s suspension system for the noise that you know is coming from “somewhere up there”, go ahead and bring in your car at anytime. We’ll be able to diagnose and fix your front end clunking quickly and efficiently. Front end suspension is always taking some extreme abuse from pot holes and poorly maintained road, so it will probably require some adjustment at times. Letting it go may only create problems in the future.

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Dallas and Fort Worth cars, tell your owners when you need new shocks

That’s right, I’m talking to your cars. At Freeman Grapevine I’ve seen cars come in with serious suspension problems and whose owners obviously didn’t listen to their cars. Seriously, they will tell you when  you need replacement shocks. Shocks and suspensions are an often overlooked but vital aspect to your car in regards to safety. Make no mistake, recognizing when it is time to replace your shocks is very important.

First, let’s review the shocks and the suspension system:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcafJwewltY

Checking your shocks is actually a very simple thing to do. In fact, it is something you can do yourself  fairly easily.

The first thing you can do is pay attention when you are driving. For example, after hitting the bump does your Buick or GMC continue to bounce up and down? If the answer is yes then you  will almost certainly need new shocks. Start paying attention now, because this may start gradually and then worsen  over time until they are really bad. In fact, if you wait too long you can  damage other parts and components of you car.

A second way to check your shock’s life  is to physically look under your car  or truck. For a truck or van you may not be able to see them. In this  case you will need to push on the bumper and follow the steps the same  as you are physically looking at them. They  will bounce. Two or three bounces they are  fine. If they continue to oscillate, then they need replacing.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmLGKWWa1oo

As stated earlier, the reason it is so important to replace worn out shocks is because they are responsible for keeping your tires in contact  with the road. If you are driving down a rough road and the wheels are bouncing up and down, worn shocks will actually allow the wheels to  completely lose contact with the roadway. Considering that your tires are the only thing separating you from the road, this can be especially dangerous  if you hit a dip or a bump during a high speed corner. Good shocks will  also help to minimize body roll, also very important during cornering.

If you think that your shocks may be worn and just can’t figure it out on your own, swing by and we’ll take a look at them. Then we can recommend the right ones for your Dallas Buick or GMC.