Suspension "Rattles"
 

Hi all-
I'm new here and have suspension questions about my '93 Bonne SSE (mileage 102,xxx I've owned since 76,xxx). So here goes and any help would be greatly appreciated.
I notice riding around town that when I hit pot holes that the front end, for lack of a better word, rattles. It sounds kind of "tinny", and around the wheels. What do you think???
Secondly, I notice occasionally when the kids pile in the back before I get to the car that a compressor or pump will start running. At first, I thought it might be the antilock brakes pumping up. But I saw a post here about air assist leveling and wonder if that is it. If it is levelling going on, could someone explain how it works???
I've been thinking that with the mileage, that probably new struts are in the not to distant future. How bad are they to get in and out of the back?? I'd probably have a shop do the fronts due to alignment issues. My thought is to do the rears, have a shop do the fronts and then have a 4 wheel alignment done.
Well, enough rambling for now. Again, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Replace your front sway bar endlinks to get rid of the noise, they're not expensive.

The rear suspension is ELC (Electric Level Control), it has a level sensor and an air pump to maintain ride height when the vehicle is loaded. You can easily replace the rear struts with aftermarket air struts if you believe they need replacement.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

The struts are a pain, it took me about 5 hours. You need to have a spring compressor and an offset socket for the front ones. When you are done the car needs an alignment.

This has been a popular link for you give out lately, huh willwren? :wink: But it's all there, as far as suspension goes!

Thanks all...

I plan on crawling under the Bonne this weekend to check out the link bolts and bushings. I figure on replacing those and the sway bar bushings if I have to. Thanks again.

jmark

Thought I'd followup on what I found this weekend... :)

No one will be surprised to find that my sway bar link bushings were shot, no wonder I could hear rattling. Anyway, a call to NAPA and this morning I had my Heavy Duty sway bar link bushings. Less than an hour later and no rattling. Thanks guys!!!

I also was able to program my spare key FOB using the directions I found from Andy. What a successful day!!!

Thanks again for all the help.

jmark

:clap:

Another satisfied customer! Member. Whatever. :lol:

My car is making that rattling noise too when i hit a pothole, planning on going to the auto shop and ordering the parts myself :) good thing i read this topic, was just gonna let it go.

Not only will it clear up your rattle (if your links and bushings are shot, that is), but it'll also firm up your normal ride and really improve cornering.