strange clunk from wheels

**Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2005 7:57 pm

When i brake... as im approaching to a stop i hear a strang clunk noise coming from both the front...

Also when the car is at a standstill...and i turn the wheel slightly either side...when i turn it back...it clunks again....

ive changed the pads recently but this noise ive bin hearing has started in the last couple of days and may be getting worse..

Any ideas...??

**Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:18 pm

Could be a ball joint.

**Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:25 pm

Ball joint as in CV joint or is there another one..??

**Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:26 pm

Sounds like a ball joint but might be good to check discs?

**Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:37 pm

A ball joint and a cv joint are two different things.

**Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:42 pm

Are they expensive...? where abouts are they etc?

**Posted:** Tue Apr 05, 2005 8:52 pm

You should find them behind the wheels on the bottom of the suspention and on the steering, could do with someone putting a picy on from out of a manual, soz dont know about cost.

**Posted:** Wed Apr 06, 2005 3:22 am

Youll find this is a common prob with this model,its something to do with the pins in the brake caliper,mines been doing it for years

Aparently there was a recall casue of this prob,its nothing dangerous but,rest assured

Check your ball joints and tie rod ends anyway but im certain its what i explained b4 :wink:

**Posted:** Wed Apr 06, 2005 3:26 pm

pins in the brake caliper...You mean the locator rods which are meant to have a split pin going through them to hold the pads in place??...

Does anyone know if the BA's were subject to any sort of recall in the UK??

**Posted:** Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:35 pm

Yes, sort of, bit bad for mazda actually, the bottom slider pin in the 1.5 front caliper is prone to siezing, you can get a revised pin with a slot cut in it the drain the water thaat accumulates there, costs about £38... each, not exactly cheap.

cars wern't recalled as such, just owners told if they comlained, that they could buy the replacement part!!!

Anyone wanna try gettin one for gratis from their local dealer????

**Posted:** Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:30 pm

I have a similar prob in mine, its teh bushing for the lower arm

**Posted:** Wed Apr 06, 2005 11:36 pm

Thats a b*tch and a half...

£76 for a pair of those pins...
Then need 2 new tyres £100
Get it tracked £20...

I need another job

And road tax for fony blair to install more speed cameras :evil:

**Posted:** Fri Apr 15, 2005 5:07 pm

An update on this clunk business thats happenin

At high speeds when i start braking...the car vibrates like hell through the pedals..(fairly violently might i add)....

Has anyone else had this specific problem..Gonna open her up 2day

**Posted:** Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:06 pm

Another update

doesn't look like any of the balljoints which are next to the wheels as Tiswas suggested...

It soounds like its from the centre of the whole steering section underneath the engine...

I dont know any technical names for these :oops:

I couldn't find exactly what it was... Anyone know approx cost of all repairs ?>

**Posted:** Sun May 08, 2005 6:19 pm

OK... MOT failed...

Anyone know how to change the wheel bearing?? That was the problem by the way...

Ive got as far as getting that gold centre nut off... Can't get down to the bearing...

Any ideas? Anyone got any diagrams etc? Any mechanical geniuses out there ?

**Posted:** Sun May 08, 2005 9:33 pm

Hi Duff

I've just been checking in my Haynes manual, and I'm afraid it doesn't look good ...

"[b]Due to the special tools and expertise required to press the hub & bearing from the steering knuckle, this job should be left to a professional mechanic. However, the steering knuckle and hub may be removed and the assembly taken to a dealer service department or other repair shop.[/b]"

I once did front wheel bearings on my old VW Passat. It took the whole weekend, and involved heating up the bearing housing on my Mum's gas stove (didn't go down well - the grease ppoured out all over the stove when it got hot !) and an incredible amount of straining and swearing. Final conclusion is that I'd far rather pay someone else to do it next time, and I suspect that, if anything, the 323F's bearings will be worse !

**Posted:** Sun May 08, 2005 10:37 pm

Yep....tryed all day today...couldn't get the hub off which was quite strange...

Anyway, anyone know how much it will cost to get the part fitted?

**Posted:** Sun May 08, 2005 11:18 pm

Mine had to had a bearing replaced a couple of months ago, had it done with some other stuff, track rod ends, ball joints etc, my local garage charged about £120 or so for the bearing change inc, supplying the part, but if you get the part yourself it'll probably be cheaper

**Posted:** Mon May 09, 2005 6:40 pm

I found quotes of about £100 to get it fixed... But whilst researching...i found this...

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v260/Imran_R007/Image084.jpg[/img]

It does make the bearing change look incredibly easy

looks like a bolt off bolt on repair... You guys still think its better to get a pro to do it?

**Posted:** Mon May 09, 2005 8:04 pm

Does anybody know how to get the hub off (33-061) been trying for ages...won't budge :evil:

**Posted:** Mon May 09, 2005 8:37 pm

You mean the nut 33-042. You need an extremely long breaker bar. With the wheel on you can manage it, its really high torqued.

**Posted:** Mon May 09, 2005 8:41 pm

I got that off fairly easily... But the whole thing is siezed... the hub won't budge... centre spindal thing won't budge...

**Posted:** Mon May 09, 2005 8:43 pm

Hammer the driveshaft without the nut on to release it from the core. Once you get the whole knuckle assembly off from the suspension strut, and the lower arm, you will slide it off the drive shaft.

What i would do is look for breakers for the whole assembly as it will be cheaper than gettin new bearings. This is what i did on my last car (was £15 for the whole knuckle joint with bearing) good luck pal

**Posted:** Mon May 09, 2005 9:21 pm

Guess where you can find em too

**Posted:** Mon May 09, 2005 9:52 pm

LMAO... Andy...can't get very far without a car :roll:

Fastmike: Good idea.... But... Its all siezed...can't get the hub or the knuckle to pop off... Gonna just shop around tomoro to get the bearing fitted...

Mind you..this is one of the reasons im planning on selling this car.... expected trouble free motoring from a mazda :cry:

**Posted:** Tue May 10, 2005 12:20 am

Stick with it mate, mines had virtually all the front joints etc replaced now, and shes perfect, and it'll be even better on thursday when the konis go on, glad i stuc kwith mine

**Posted:** Tue May 10, 2005 1:08 am

Have you undone all the nuts from the ball joints etc etc ??

i.e. the lower ball joint that the hub twists on and track-rod end and also the 2 bolts holding the strut to the hub.
You will be able to free the lower ball joint from the hub by either giving the hub a good whack or by using a ball joint separator tool , same with the track rod end.
Then either use a hub puller to free the hub from the driveshaft or with the hub nut on the drive shaft (but a little loose so theres room for it to separate) hit the nut with a rubber mallet.

Its basically the same for all cars these days not just mazda so i wouldnt go thinking its just a mazda thing.

then it would be best to get the old Bearing pulled out and the new pressed in by a repair shop unless you've got the correct tools or a large vice. It shouldnt take them more than 15mins to half an hour to do this so labour charge shouldn't be to excessive.

**Posted:** Tue May 10, 2005 10:58 am

What ever you do, [b]DON'T[/b] hammer directly on the driveshaft spline; it will mushroom and then you'll really be in trouble !!

**Posted:** Tue May 10, 2005 6:07 pm

Getting it done for £30 + the part tomoro... Lets hope it goes okay

**Posted:** Tue May 10, 2005 9:13 pm

Good luck, mate !!

strange clunk from wheels

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