I need help please. When ever I brake especially a lower speeds I get a loud clunking noise in the front right of the car. Not quite sure what it could be. If anyone has had a similar problem could you please let me know. Thank you
Some possibilities: (1) There may be more-than-normal clearance (gap) between the ends of the pads and the steering knuckle. What you hear as a clunk at low speed would become a quicker, less noticeable noise when the brakes are applied at higher speed though it would still be happening.
(2) The lug nuts on that wheel could be less than tight, and when you apply the brakes, the gaps between teh holes in the rotor and the lugs could be closing and making the noise when you apply the brakes. (This is probably the least likely of the four possibilities I have listed, but possible.)
(3) Some other suspension part may be worn or loose, and when you apply the brakes, the clunk occurs.
(4) I helped a 300M (same car mechanically) owner find the cause of a clunk that occurred when he hit the brakes. Turned out to be the control arm where it attached to the frame - the pivot bolt that holds the arm to the frame was slightly loose, and when he hit the brakes, the geometry of the suspension put a twisting force on the control arm. Because the bolt was loose, the gap between the bolt and the holes for the bolt in the frame and control arm were banging into each other. When he released the brakes, the twisting force went away, the part relaxed, and rotated back in the other direction, then he'd here the clunk again when he hit the brakes again.
On (4), we had to put the car in park and rock the car violently back and forth while one of us was underneath the car listening, feeling, and watching for what was causing the noise - we found it. Tightened the bolt and nut that holds the control arm on - problem solved. Cost $0.00.
Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')
Another one: might be the steering rack bushings. When they wore out in our '00 Intrepid, it sounded to the driver as if the noise were in the right front (instead of dead center under the front of the windshield). To check, jack up the right front, see if you can "steer" the wheel without the left front moving.
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