[SBSerpent]

I must be missing something here. In order to hear a 'clunk', I would think that the spring would need to come off it's bottom seat and then back down to create the clunk sound (assuming that there is no pad there at all). However, while driving, the spring is always under compression, regardless of hard turns or bumps in the road.

For example, even when you lift the car, the spring is still under compression due to the restraint of the shock absorber.