Thread: Clunk noise in front end?

Hey guys. I got my car almost a year ago and I've had a power steering leak since I got it. I fixed one of the hoses that was leaking, but the other hose that's leaking is the high pressure line, which is impossible to find and expensive at the dealer. There have been a few times where I've completely run out of fluid and had no power steering. My concern is that I hear a clunk when going over bumps and when I'm sitting still and I move the wheel side to side for a very short distance. Could it possibly be a blown rack? Mind you, this started happening around a week, maybe less, after I got a new axle put in. Could the axle be a bad axle? Sorry for the long read, I just really need an answer.

Who put the axle in? Are you sure that it is propeerly seated? Is the axle nut tight? If not torqued properly, the nut can loosen up.
next places to look: upper strut mounts, tie rod ends, ball joints...there are a lot of things that can make the noise besides the rack.
How much play is there in the steering wheel?

A buddy of mine who does all the work on my car did it for me. He specializes in Nissan and he's the previous owner of the car. I trust him to do all the work on this car. I watched him do it and I'm damn sure he did it right. Currently, I do need new tie rods. There is a bit of play in the wheel, but not a whole lot. I have a feeling it's the tie rods. I'll have to put it up on a lift to find out.

Check your control arm bushings, I bet the p/s fluid ate them

More than likely. I'm gonna clean everything when I do the hose and see what needs replacing.

check the rack bushings as well.

THIS...

It happened on my p11. The rack was leaking and so were the hoses before I replaced them all. About 6 months after I guess some of the fluid that didnt get cleaned surely ate the control arm bushing out and my steering sucked ass.


It didnt really make a clunk its really only something I felt. After replacing the LCA and bushing and making sure that all the bolts were all fucking hulked on it felt awesome again.


I would just do it all at the same time.

-Cy