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2000 Path Se Suspension Mystery
Hi guys! I need alittle help with this while I wait to get it to the mechanic who can't get me in for a few days.
I started hearing a slight clunking sound in my driver's side front when I drive slowly (about 10mph) on a relatively smooth surface. I also hear a rubbing/grinding sound that comes and goes. However..... When I drive faster than 10mph, and I drive onto bumpy roads or go over speed bumps (slowly) I do not hear a thing! I took it to a shop to ask and they said my Strut had no lubricant, so they added some to the container (they said the lubricant in the container was low). Then they said it could be my strut or shock absorber. As I was pulling away from the shop I heard the sounds so I backed up and told the guy to get in. We went around the block, on 2 different surfaces and NOT ONE SOUND! But when I left and got to the other side of town, I heard them again. When I headed for home and drove much faster NOTHING! Drove on a gravel road...NOTHING. My husband did the shock test. The rear suspension did it's little bounce and the car moved well (by this I mean it bounced normally). He put pressure on the right front tire area and the car moved well. He did the same on the left and there was hardly ANY movement. It was really hard to push down and thus no small bounce back. It almost seemed like it was locked in place. There you have it. Man I hope someone has a clue because every time I get on here I have lots of views and no comments. Any clues? |
#2
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Well, it's really hard to give advice on a forum level on a vehicle that one can see, hear nor drive for oneself. The first thing I question is if this is a stock suspension? Struts are typically sealed units and there is no way to add oil to them.
Have you checked the strut towers for rust through? There is a recall on R50 Pathfinders for this issue, so make sure the recall is done on your vehicle. The steering transfer gear is mounted to the driver's, lower strut tower and can be affected if it's rotted through in this area. A clunking in the front could also be caused by a bad strut mount or a bad ball joint. A strut that doesn't bounce could be seized, possibly due to a faulty valve, internally. Only way to fix this is to replace it. If the front struts or rear shocks have a lot of time/miles on them, it's probably worth replacing them, regardless. It would make sense to install new mounts with new struts. Also, have the bushings in the rear suspension, upper and lower links inspected; they are a common weak point on these Pathfinders. |
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2000, mystery, path, suspension |
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