CrossT

Been chasing down a rattle in the front end since I've owned this car (10 months or so). Happens over speed bumps or driveways on vertical motion. Didn't seem to be related to steering, so I got a pair of drop links and put them on the car this morning. The clunk had been fixed. Took about an hour possibly less. One of the old drop links was bad. I could easily feel play on both ends and one of it's boots was torn badly.

Didn't realize I didn't have an 18mm socket! Would have taken a little less time if I had one. Box/open end wrench wasn't ideal.

Between this and a bad wheel bearing I had replaced yesterday, the car is way more solid feeling now.

Todd
99 coupe

sheatley

How did you feel the "play?" Was the wheel in a certain position? The play vertical or horizontal?

CrossT

I was able to feel the play in the drop link after I pulled it. The joints had a decent amount of wiggle to them. Especially the one with the destroyed boot.

todd
99 coupe

ivangene

yup, drop links will do that, replaced mine too...... (after paying to have it fixed.... I "fixed" it :rolleyes)

JCL

I have the same clunk too....did you use standard/stock droplinks or upgrade to something with a little more meat. The stock parts look pencil thin? I guess if they came from the factory that way they must do the job...right? I was looking for replacements this morning.

CrossT

I got them from Pelican Parts. They are TRW parts. Pretty inexpensive at $38 ea. Worth putting on and at least eliminating as a cause before spending money for diagnosis at a shop. At least, that was my thought. They are thin but given their function, that's probably not relevant.

todd
99 coupe

swan00

Do you have a part number for these drop links?

JCL

just bought the fronts and rears and it'll be my 4th July weekend project. With no adjustability I'm assumming just plug and play. That friggin 'clunk' has been driving me nuts!

CrossT

They are simple plug and play. At least the fronts were. Don't know about the rears. Of course, now that that clunk is gone, others are bugging me, like the rattle in the front dash around the airbag.

Todd
99 coupe

AndyK

I noticed the same condition this morning! I am getting what feels like sway bar noise, rattling around under there, whenever I am moving. I can feel it in the steering too. Might this be drop links?

ivangene

simple test... lift the car, remove the wheel, hit the sway bar up and down...(I mean HIT IT) should be silent...if not, new drop links needed

AndyK

Would hitting the sway bar with a rubber hammer be a good enough test?

ivangene

yup

AndyK

And if the sway bar is solid as a rock, then we could be talking control arm replacement after 20k miles?

ivangene

nah....its the drop link (or tie rod end )