[das280zx]

Ok, it is getting cold here in Pullman, WA, and this is when things start going wrong with the ol' zcar. I got in it yesterday and immediantly noticed a new noise coming from the front suspension. I thought it was just my imagination, but it makes itself known over any bump. The car still handles fine and nothing seems loose from the drivers seat, but everytime I hit a semi-significant bump in the road a fairly pronounced clunk reverberates from the right front wheel area. If i go out and jump up and down on the front bumper, I can hear a somewhat subdued version of the clunk! I took the front wheel off to see if there was something obvious, but everything looks ok. Nothing seems to be loose on the strut tower either. Has anybody else had this problem with a zx before? If so, I would appreciate some insight.

 

[71240L28]

One possibility - check the nut at the top of the strut cartridge. On my 71 this had worked loose and I couldn't find it until the car was up on the lift and you rocked the front wheel hard, top to bottom. Then you could see the play at the top of the strut tube.

Good Luck!

 

[Son of Magni]

Sounds like a loose anti-roll bar ("sway bar") mount, where it mounts to the frame. Or a bad bushing in the same place. You might need to get it up on ramps and grab it in different spots with your hand while someone jumps up and down on it if just tightening the mounts doesn't help...

 

[Roadman]

Hi DAS280ZX-------------When I had this problem with my '70 240, it nearly drove me nuts until one day when I took the car in for an alignment. The tech showed me the slack in the upper strut bushing, and when I changed it, the clunk disappeared. Worth checking.

Roadman
Gulfport, MS