Can't find the clunk
 

I have a 2013 roadster and it's making a clunk when going over uneven pavement and it's worse during the winter. I thought it had to be the end links or something like that but when I last change the wheels to my summer set I just didn't find any thing loose or knocking. Maybe it's a bushing but all feel tight. Going straight or on a smooth road feels very solid. The only item that moves is the sway bar side to side which is hard to tell if it is the cause or just a natural clearance between the sway bar stops. It looks too much clearance to not be factory. Can anyone tell me if theirs have a decent play side to side where it is held by its mounts?

Any thought on how to chase the clunk?
Thx!

My '04 was doing the same thing. I replaced the shocks and the shock mounts (yellow pads) and that cured it.

Check you sway bar links, I had one that was barely loose from some work and it was causing the noise.

list of things to check:
1) sway bar endlinks - they can be loose enough to clunk but you can't feel it trying to move them by hand. Especially if the sway bar has been swapped out. Use loctite blue on the threads when you tighten them back up.
2) pinch bolt on the front shocks - re-torque these. Especially if the shocks have been swapped
3) check the front shock top mounts, these are rubber and eventually degrade and can tear. Depends on age and mileage.
4) sway bar bushings, front and rear. Rears are easy, front are a royal PITA. If you decide to replace the front swaybar bushings, use PowerFlex and do the front control arm bushings with PowerFlex at the same time as the same bolts hold them in place. Have a shop do this unless you're a) poor/cheap or b) a glutton for punishment. (I'm both cheap and a glutton for punishment.)
5) depending on mileage you may be ready for new shocks.

I had a clunk in the cold that I thought was the shocks or sway bar. Chased everything for years; no luck. Finally rode around in the back seat and isolated it to the rear sunroof. Adjusted the glass and no more clunk.

Iv had the same problem for the last year. Going to swap out the links soon seeing how they are cheap enough and the factory ones are known to fail

I may change the sway bar links but I have the feeling it's not likely that...
I can't imagine being related to the convertible top. Plus it makes the same sound whether the top is up or down.
It really feels like an underbody knock such as suspension or drive train, especially considering when it happens.
Speed isn't really a factor. It might do it even when I pull out of the driveway and turn at the end of the driveway over pavement imperfection.

The roadster has braces across the undercarriage to add stiffening. I thought maybe, but again nothing really apparent.

The car is 51k on its original shocks. The knock did started about 3 years after we bought it new. I had them checked it out when it was under warranty and at the time it didn't do it in the summer. I missed the following winter, and then it was out of warranty... The shocks aren't leaking but yeah 51k, hmmm that's a thought.

I'll check the bolts on the struts. It can't hurt.

Contemporary cars are interesting. They make it such in a way that it's great for smooth driving and performance. But it makes these type of issues so hard to locate :lol:

I've replaced LCA, suspension (though never the bushing themselves) on my other car. When things go well you tell yourself, that wasn't that bad. Then you do the other side and it doesn't fit, or you can't reach that bolt, or rust is like a weld, etc... and now it becomes real punishment. So I ear you! :wink: