Clunking noise at low speed

[perdrix]

The noise appears to be coming from front off-side, and is more noticeable after a driving a mile or so.

We took it to the stealership who had it for a couple of days and eventually did find a fault which was a sub-frame bolt that had worked loose ( :shock: )! So they torqued it back up, and what's better they didn't even charge a penny!!!

However the problem is still present

Driver side wheel off, and tried pushing, pulling, twisting etc.. When I turned driveshaft CW/CCW I got a loud "clack" which sounded like it was the inner CV.

However I'm no great expert on the underside stuff I don't want to replace lots of stuff (£££) and find the problem is still there!

About three years back I replaced all suspension bushes with polyurethane ones, fitted new ball joints to front lower arms and fitted new struts/shocks.

Is there anyone near Kenilworth, Warwickshire that's good at diagnosing suspension issues?

PS Is there a good guide on how to replace the drive shafts if that's what's needed? Where should I get replacements from?

Thanks
David

 

[yippeekiay]

I vaguely remember something like this in mine, it was in April 2011 :lol:
It only happened when I drove round a roundabout, never on a straight & I don't think it happened when turning a sharp corner slowly - can't recall exactly.

I do remember the problem showed it's face several months after I'd lowered the car which highlighted the wear is my guess. I'd previously renewed pretty much everything else suspension related (drop links, ARB bushes, wishbones, bearings etc) so I could pinpoint the cluncking fairly easily.

I guessed it was my CV joint & I ended up buying secondhand drive shafts from a salvage yard which only cost me £45 for the pair which fortunately fixed my problem. They were easy to fit as I did them myself. :roll:

When I took the old driveshaft CV joints apart the gaters were shot & the joints were not in good shape at all i.e. very sloppy

As yours is happening at slow speeds they could be totally shot, or it may be something else. Good luck finding it. k:

 

[RICHARD MANSFIELD2]

Hi, What wheels are you running? I had the same problem. I run 17" wheels and it was on one side on full lock where the rim was just touching the steel braided brake line. Just a thought, I know how annoying these things can be to find. I thought it was the CV joint at one stage and changed it.
Regards,
Richard.

 

[perdrix]

I've ordered a pair of drive shafts from J&R. I removed the OS drive shaft this afternoon. The inner CV of that was not in the best condition, but it appears that it is the NS inner CV that's the source of the noise.

The annoying thing was I needed to buy an impact wrench to undo one of the nuts that secured the bearing next to the inner CV. No amount of penetrating oil and manual effort would shift the blighter. The Ryobi impact wrench (Halfords special offer at 134.99) banged away at it for 30s or so before it finally undid.

Onward ...

David

 

[grogee]

For future ref David I'm in Southam just down the road and have lots of tools and spares... Happy to quote for work if needed or just offer 2nd pair of hands/eyes. Sorry I didn't see this sooner or you could have borrowed my impact

 

[perdrix]

Do you have a torque wrench that goes up to 199 lb ft. (270nm)? Mine only goes up to 110 lb ft.

 

[perdrix]

I replaced both drive shafts and the problem is still there. Maybe rumbling is an alternative description if that helps.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to what the problem might be? I'm baffled :-(

David

 

[yippeekiay]

Wheel bearings? - rumbling sounds more apt for these. Shame about the drive shafts but has your "clacking" now gone which may indicate they were needed anyway.

As for bearings - fronts need someone who can press then in/out. Rears are pretty easy DIY.

All round relatively cheap fix but make sure the garage doesn't hammer the crap out of the rears & ruin the drums if you get them to do them - like the last worthless pieces of sh!t did to me which made me have to change them shortly afterwards again myself with no problems ose2:

 

[perdrix]

Yes. Loud clacking is gone.

Thanks

 

[perdrix]

Any garage near Kenilworth, Warwickshire that's good at diagnosing this sort of problem?

Thanks, David

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

As for bearings - fronts need someone who can press then in/out.

The fronts are PIAS to replace. When I was replacing mine, the 20t press was not enought. Had to go to a different shop who had 100t press and we nearly got to 100t pressure before they with a loud bang! let go. After that pressing the new ones in was not a problem. Just a word of caution

 

[perdrix]

I wimped out and had the front bearing replaced by my local Tyre World in Kenilworth who charged £185 which wasn't too bad. The did say getting the old bearing out was indeed a PITA!

Still clunking - the guy at Tyre World said replace drop link ('cos it's easy), but I reckon it must be the top mount for the OSF strut ('cos that's the harder job and it's all that's left to replace given that the strut seems OK).

Drop link arrived Saturday, top mount and bearing probably this coming Wednesday.

D.

 

[perdrix]

Well I am baffled, I replaced the offside front top mount and bearing, and the drop link.

Still making noises at low speed. :fists:

Any further ideas?
Thanks, David

 

[Simonavis]

Anti roll bar drop link?? I know can cause a clunking noise when knackered

Maybe I should read all the posts first, sorry!!