No ordinary clunk

[M=SP^2]

I know the nobody wants to hear about clunk anymore, but mine has an interesting twist. About 3 weeks ago I started hearing what sounded like a terrible clunk, I mean much worse then ever before...so I take it to my dealership figuring the bushings need to be replaced again. Get a call back later that day, apparently the passenger side bracket of the sway bar had split in two and they had to order a new bracket to replace it. They install the part and exactly 4 days later the same obnoxiosly loud clunk returns (and I mean loud....it even clunks when I take a turn). I brought it into the dealership again and this time it was the driverside bracket that had split in two. The guy told me they've never seen anything like that before, they took pics and sent them to MazdaUSA in an effort to see if there was an upgraded bracket (there isn't ofcourse) and ended up replacing it with the stock bracket for the other side too. I was wondering if anyone else had gone through anything similar, and how likely is it that my brackets will literally split appart again?

 

[mspdfreak]

Nope, not here.

 

[TheJohnny]

I'm going to look at mine tonight, I have this loud ass clunk that happens from the drivers side front from time to time. I checked my crossmember and it's tight, I put in a new thrust bearing (old one was still good) but what the heck, and it still happens time to time.

 

[omega0021]

I actually had a similar experience on the rear driverside bracket. The dealership replaced both sides...that was close to a year ago, and so far so good.

 

[TX Speed Demon]

^^ same here. Didn't split, but was bent, probably from a bad accident I got in a few month earlier.

 

[evolv]

I am wondering if this is another design problem with the fact that the swaybar is supported inwards from the out-turn of the sway bar. The same stress that destroys the bushing could also be temporarily bending the bracket. And everyone knows what happens when you bend metal over and over again >>>>> IT SNAPS

I have been designing and testing a bracket that will eliminate the clunk and eliminate that temporary bending force. Follow this thread for more info....

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123624849

 

[ping]

I put a simple explanation of the stresses in that other thread (link below and above) - let me know if I can help, I was testing Dave's (Delsing) bracket and still have it on the car - love it. Check my post on the other thread too.
LD

I am wondering if this is another design problem with the fact that the swaybar is supported inwards from the out-turn of the sway bar. The same stress that destroys the bushing could also be temporarily bending the bracket. And everyone knows what happens when you bend metal over and over again >>>>> IT SNAPS

I have been designing and testing a bracket that will eliminate the clunk and eliminate that temporary bending force. Follow this thread for more info....

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123624849

 

[We Are Ninja]

Yesterday, for the first time ever, I started hearing a loud clunk from the passenger side rear whenever I accelerate. I wonder if it could be the same thing...

 

[jeffmsp]

uh it definately breaks, heres mine:

guess 3 wheels around a turn on the stock suspension isnt such a good idea afterall.