Chasing the clunk

chief_wiggum

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2008.5 Mazdaspeed3-2010 Mazda5 GT
2010, 85K miles, with rear suspension clunk. Replaced the rear sway bar bushings, no significant difference. Pulled the wheels to look at struts. This one (driver rear) looks like it's leaking -- you can see where I wiped the fluid with my finger. Does this look blown to you?

Thanks in advance.

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2010, 85K miles, with rear suspension clunk. Replaced the rear sway bar bushings, no significant difference. Pulled the wheels to look at struts. This one (driver rear) looks like it's leaking -- you can see where I wiped the fluid with my finger. Does this look blown to you?

Thanks in advance.

re: clunk - are you sure it is in back? It could be the front sway bar bushings.
 
I had a bad clunk in the back, I replaced the rear struts, but the rear upper mount was rusted so bad it fell out after the bottom bolt was removed. Clunk gone.
 
2010, 85K miles, with rear suspension clunk. Replaced the rear sway bar bushings, no significant difference. Pulled the wheels to look at struts. This one (driver rear) looks like it's leaking -- you can see where I wiped the fluid with my finger. Does this look blown to you?

Thanks in advance.
Leaking but not blown yet.

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Yes, that definitely looks blown. Looks like a slow seal failure since you able to see the oil residue b/c you have the car jacked up exposing the section that would otherwise be underneath the boot. I would suggest that you do that shocks and also replace the rear spring upper seats (not expensive) at the same time.
 
I had a bad clunk in the back, I replaced the rear struts, but the rear upper mount was rusted so bad it fell out after the bottom bolt was removed. Clunk gone.

Your talking about the part where the top bolts to the car, right? (on top of the strut on #7). did you get aftermarket or from Mazda?

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yeah. that's it. to tell you the truth, I don't know if it was factory. was replaced while in the shop.
 
yeah. that's it. to tell you the truth, I don't know if it was factory. was replaced while in the shop.

I just checked local dealer parts dept, it's not listed individually but sold as part of the entire strut assembly -- that leads me to believe they consider it a wear item they routinely replace when the dealership replaces the struts. I ordered KYB replacements, which will match my KYB gas-a-just replacement struts based on that...and because it's the car my wife and daughters ride in.

Thanks for your help.
 
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Yes, that definitely looks blown. Looks like a slow seal failure since you able to see the oil residue b/c you have the car jacked up exposing the section that would otherwise be underneath the boot. I would suggest that you do that shocks and also replace the rear spring upper seats (not expensive) at the same time.

Rear spring upper seats or rear strut upper mount?
 
Rear shock mount is the part you referenced in your post above. The upper spring seat is part #10 in the diagram. Replacing the upper seat is a surefire cure for the cold weather creaks and occaisonal thunks some folks get. If your rear tires are wearing funny check your trailing arm bushings as well, you are in the bullseye for mileage where those fail too.
 
Rear shock mount is the part you referenced in your post above. The upper spring seat is part #10 in the diagram. Replacing the upper seat is a surefire cure for the cold weather creaks and occaisonal thunks some folks get. If your rear tires are wearing funny check your trailing arm bushings as well, you are in the bullseye for mileage where those fail too.

If plan B doesn't work, this will be plan C.
 
The rear suspension on these cars is a house of cards made of too soft bushings under-speced dampers and quick fix engineering. Once you start replacing parts the other weak links will tend to fail. I firmly believe that once you get over roughly 125k you are best served replacing most if not all the bushed rear suspension components.
 
hmmm Im at 67000 km with our '09, I just replaced my rear shocks and the bounciness is gone, which is great, but there is still a clunk... damn.
 
UPDATE

Replaced the rear struts with KYB Gas-a-Just for $108 shipped, replaced the top strut mounts with KYB parts for $30 shipped, and the clunk is gone. I could have reused the top mounts, but at $15 each for new ones, it was a no-brainer. I probably should have replaced the end links while I had it on the lift...oh well, something for next time. Mrs. Chief Wiggum is very glad to have a non-clunking car again.
 
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Replaced the rear struts with KYB Gas-a-Just for $108 shipped, replaced the top strut mounts with KYB parts for $30 shipped

How many miles were on your last set of rear struts? From whom did you get your rear struts with KYB Gas-a-Just for $108 shipped and top strut mounts with KYB parts for $30 shipped?
 
Good call- always replace the rear mounts when you have it apart. They tend to fail. I don't know how long your KYBs will last though since they're supposed to be near factory spec- which is meant for a much lighter car (the 3).
 
They are near factory spec which is valved for a factory ride, not the weight of the car. I have them and they work great. I have about 20k on them now and they are great.
 
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