2003 Stratus R/T 3.0L

I am having an issue with my rear suspension. When I drive over a small bump in the road I can hear a bump/pop/thunk type noise on the rear passenger wheel.

Without taking the off the wheel, I cannot see anything really wrong (the driver rear boot is slightly torn, however, but I do not hear any noise from there).

I am going to take a little time to look at this tonight, but I would like to know what I should be looking for. I am going to check the mount just to be sure it hasn't totally vanished (I've read of that issue, not sure if it applies to my year/model), and for some lateral movement, but some suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

I have attached a few images I took with the wheel on. Nothing (but that boot) looks too wrong to my untrained eye, but feel free to comment on it. Left is PASSENGER, right is DRIVER.

Thanks!

 

Took it in to Tireman (had to warranty my belt as well) and had them take a look at it. According to them, its the rear lateral links making all the noise (they showed me the links, and there is a LOT of movement in them).

They want $240 per side installed to replace them, which seems high to me. From the look of it, this should be a relatively easy fix, and a helluva lot cheaper to do myself (Autozone has the links on special order for $75 each, and that's just the first place I looked).

Is it that easy to install?

 

I experienced a very similar thing in my fiance's stratus. I came to think That the strut on the driver side was worn out. Upon removing the strut, the strut mounting bracket fell out in 3 pieces. Turns out the strut was in there clunking up and down.

The noise that I would hear was a Sharp clunk seemingly on the side of the trunk. It would only make this noise upon hitting jounce type bumps or pot holes; not dips in the road.

I would fold down your back seat and pull the carpet away from the side of the trunk so that you can see the top of the strut and have someone drive around with you watching it. The noise I was hearing was actually the washer at the top of the strut rod striking the inside of the trunk.


Jesse

 

Yeah, I've had an issue with the upper strut mounts on the rear...I've replaced both on an 01 Sedan at different times...but the Michigan winters were brutal on my wife's car and it was a Florida car...only in MI for a few years at the time of the first broken mount.

 

Thanks for the responses! I went ahead and replaced the lateral links, which were in need of replacing, but now the car seems to shift and throw me around a bit more when going over smaller bumps, and I still here that thunk/clunk (and even more pronounced now, I think).

I think you are both right, the mounts are probably bad. Luckily I didn't return the pair I bought when I first thought the struts themselves were bad. Anyone know how to get to the rear strut mounts on the coupe? Everything I read says "pull back the carpeting in the trunk", but I have done that and don't see them popping through anywhere. If I can find them I will have someone ride in the back and see if they can see the struts bouncing around.